Violette de Bordeaux - any fans???

Figjake said:
I like my Beers Black better. Even though they are supposed to be the same, my BB is more consistent and less temperamental than VdB.
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I'm going to get to try Beers Black and VDB for the first time this year (I hope). I gave them both an early start and Beers Black is exploding with figs compared to VDB. To be fair, the BB is about a year older though....
 
TorontoJoe said:
Sometimes you get a bad strain or just a stubborn tree. I've had people ask me for my Smith because "their Smith" wasn't putting on figs.

I have a similar situation with RdB. I've had this tree for years. Not sure why I still have it... it never sets more than a couple of figs. It's more just a fascination for me know. Of course RdB is a solid, established variety.... I just got a dud. Why it happens.... I have no idea... I can only speculate.
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How is your Siblawi? Is it productive? Unfortunately that is one of the few cuttings I got that survived my winter propagation.
 
ETXfigs said:
How is your Siblawi? Is it productive? Unfortunately that is the only one of the cuttings I got from you that survived my winter propagation.
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Siblawi is an outstanding fig. The flavour is so unique. It's never been a heavy producer for me... it's average..... but it's so good I'm holding out. My plan is to make a layer this year and see if the offspring produces better.
 
TorontoJoe said:
Siblawi is an outstanding fig. The flavour is so unique. It's never been a heavy producer for me but it's so good I'm holding out. My plan is to make a layer this year and see if the offspring produces better.
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Maybe it will be more productive in the climate down hear.
 
I love my VdB - gets absolutely loaded with figs. It is early enough that even in the PNW i ripen quite a few and they can dry on the tree. They have a rich flavor and even the Brebas can be good though last year was an exception for some reason they were all dry and nasty never had that happen before. My only criticism is that the leaves look wilted most of the summer no matter how much i water it. Thus makes for a bit of an ugly presentation
 
Louisiana_8b said:
I ordered 4 cheap Celeste trees on Amazon and got some mystery version of VdB. The list of possibilities the seller offered included Beers Black, Nero 600m, Negronne and others. My trees have several different leaves from large long thin fingers to spade with close node spacing and baby figs have a purple hue. Last year in their second season they began setting figs very late but they're tissue cultures and were sending out suckers like crazy and hadn't matured and settled down. I was only able to get one fig to ripen by immediately pinching the top when I noticed it. This season one unpruned tree has over 40 brebas. I pruned the others to shape them though but hopefully they'll make figs earlier this year. Do these trees ripen the brebas usually?
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Have you posted several comments about your figs on various YouTube videos by chance? If so I’ve been following your adventures for a minute.
 
Jigfig said:
Have you posted several comments about your figs on various YouTube videos by chance? If so I’ve been following your adventures for a minute.
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Yes, I was trying to figure out what kind of mystery trees they sent me and didn't narrow it down until one produced a ripe fig last year. I just took pictures of a breba fig to post but nothing will pair on Bluetooth with this ridiculous IPhone which I despise. I think I can post the pic on X and then try to figure out a way to download it from there.
 
I’ll be a dissenter. I’m not saying VDB is a bad fig. I used to have it and it didn't make my list for restarting my fig journey again. It was just kind of average for me in all categories. It was not the earliest, not the most productive, not the tastiest, and not the most vigorously growing. That isn’t to say it tasted bad or was super late or didn’t grow. I just found other varieties that were better. It is a good all rounder and cheap/easy to find. As someone who doesn’t collect for the sake of collecting, anything I keep has to be a standout somehow. If you have the space, go for it!
 
ETXfigs said:
How is your Siblawi? Is it productive? Unfortunately that is one of the few cuttings I got that survived my winter propagation.
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This thread is older but I seem to have a Smith that doesn't fruit also. A rooted Scion off the tree on the other hand look to be setting fig buds on a very vigorous shoot. Does Smith need to be kept vigorous to fruit by chance? It has never been a enthuastic grower for me.
 
Rojo said:
This thread is older but I seem to have a Smith that doesn't fruit also. A rooted Scion off the tree on the other hand look to be setting fig buds on a very vigorous shoot. Does Smith need to be kept vigorous to fruit by chance? It has never been a enthuastic grower for me.
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Depends on the strains: some Smith strains wouldn’t fruit at the first few years. Mine didn’t set a single figlet last year, and it grows well. My tiny Cessac cutting already gave me 3 good figs, so smith may be culled soon.
 
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