Which Is The Best VdB Variant?

SpiritFarmVa said:
The Garrett4534 phenotype peaks our interest too. We will probably reach out to him.
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Oops. Mixed two posts above in my mind. This is about Garrett4534’s WM#1…not his VDB. Interesting. I bought my WM#1 from him without even knowing anything about his variety. Just dumb luck when I started buying a few more coveted varieties. It does grow very well and has very good production. It is one of the few that I haven’t put in ground yet, because I wanted an established copy. It’ll be going in ground next to Green M. This next year in one of the best spots in my yard. It will be interesting to see how they perform and compare side-by-side.
 
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Figless said:
@Figgin' A / aka Oak Fig. Clearly has a superior phenotype of VDB. Apparently it was purchased from Garrett 4534 on figbid, and I have long coveted a cutting from this wonderful fig tree since I first heard about it. His VDB seems to be outperforming anyone else's, it's my personal belief for whatever it's worth that we spend a little too much time focusing on varieties, when we should instead focus on Superior phenotypes. I spent a good part of an afternoon communicating with @Figgin' A about his VDB, and begged him for a cutting or two from it. I believe he's got the best VDB phenotype on both platforms. Our FF platform, and the old house (OF). Valerie if I could Prevail upon you do not worry so much about the variety of VDB, and just get a couple cuttings from this tree I think you would be amazed. I come from a hemp clone Factory background. We got to see a (((lot))) of cuttings. Has the years went by I began to believe more and more in the theory of superior phenotypes. Once a good one seems to be established it tends to retain its Superior characteristics. Many times I have received four, or five cuttings from the same Source, same grower, same variety. Amazingly one will just be better than all the rest. Also for whatever reason it's Superior characteristics would tend to be retained. Sometimes for many years. In my earlier years we would get a coveted and long sought after cutting of a specific variety. We would take 50 cuttings from the variety. roughly from the same area of the plant. Each cutting would get a number to identify it. Right from the start you would see a few of the 50 cuttings just have Superior characteristics. Or be a superior phenotype of the variety. This would come up more often for fig Growers except they're just not cultivating as many cuttings of a single variety for Superior phenotypes to crop up. That's why this subject tends to be more of a myth than a reality. It's my personal belief that within our community there exist Superior phenotypes of figs irregardless of the variety they were propagated from.
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I think this is really what’s happening when we rejuvenation prune. Another node activates, potentially giving base trunks that have superior phenotypes. Node to node variation is definitely real - epigenetic differences are influenced by environments, nutrients, temperatures, humidity, sunlight, hormonal levels in the location on the branch, even pruning habits, and pest pressure. Watch your trees! See an especially vigorous branch (sport) - air layer it; see a very productive branch - air layer it; see anything else about fruit on a branch that you like (maybe one branch that doesn’t have split fruits when all others split); air layer it! Just because you have a substandard phenotype doesn’t mean you can’t get a superior one from it by rejuvenation pruning or using observation and chance. I see variation in the branches on all my trees - node spacing, productivity, fruiting timelines, lignification rates, and surviving cold snaps. All are phenotypes that can be selected for over time. But these drifts are usually slower than genetic diversity due to sexual reproduction or true genetic mutations (which also happen in a single bud).
 
With so many growers in such a variety zones, the opportunity for unique variations such as cold hardiness or early ripening are increased. You should see regionally adapted variations. ( which probably already exist as unknowns that seem similar to named varieties but have adapted enough it makes identification tricky.)
 
I am going to have my Superior phenotype VDB dreams finally come true. The amazing and fantabulous @Figgin' A has generously offered to send me a couple of cuttings of his VDB. Which clearly looks so much better than others.
 
Today I had the Good Fortune of taking some of my current VDB to a crfg exchange event. Because I had had the eye surgery I hadn't really looked closely at the development of my own personal VDB which certainly did not have Stout cuttings when I received it. Imagine my shock when I noted that my VDB was quite Stout when I took the cuttings and looked bursting with vitality. The proof of the pudding is often how people react to your bag of cuttings. Mine disappeared so quick you'd have thought I never brought them. I have a little more respect for my home Garden VDB after seeing other people's reaction to my cuttings. Who knows maybe I have a good one at home right now which I can compare to the super VDB which is coming this winter.
 
Figgin' A said:
My VDB from Garrett4534 on FigBid has been spectacular by my standards. It is one of my best trees overall, considering growth vigor, health, productivity, split resistance, ability to ripen multiple figs simultaneously, and taste.

It was quite productive in it's first year, 60 out of 80 ripened figs.
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Last season (its second season), it set and ripened around 230 figs for me.
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I received two cuttings from this magical VDB Superior phenotype. I have been wanting a cutting from this tree for a very long time. Thank you so much @Figgin' A for your incredible generosity. Just look at all the pictures that have been posted. This is the very best VDB.
 
Figless said:
I received two cuttings from this magical VDB Superior phenotype. I have been wanting a cutting from this tree for a very long time. Thank you so much @Figgin' A for your incredible generosity. Just look at all the pictures that have been posted. This is the very best VDB.
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VdBs are great tasting figs mildly sweet and jammy. Good for fresh eating and making fig jam! For me they need a looog season. They put out a large number of purple green figlets early on and then you wait. Mine started ripening in mid Sept and right thu Oct. Still tasted good ripening in the cooler days . Ripened about 3/4 of the crop. I picked off any new figlets after Aug 1. It was a 2nd year tree in a 5 gal pot. This year it will be the one and only one out for the fig shuffle on April 1.
 
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