5 ways to tell your figs are ripe | LifeCycles Project – Victoria, BC (2024)

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5 ways to tell your figs are ripe | LifeCycles Project – Victoria, BC? ›

Ripe figs are soft and squishy, like a partially full water balloon. Squeeze your fig to test its ripeness–can you easily pierce the skin? If yes, your fig is ripe. If the skin doesn't give under your fingertips, your fig is not quite ripe.

A ripe fig will be soft to the touch when gently squeezed. Unripe figs are still firm. This is because the ripening process has not yet taken place, and the juices and sugars that are produced as the fruit ripens are not fully present.

Most varieties produce two crops a year when in full swing. The first crop (or breba) grows on the previous year's wood — you'll see the tiny fruits dormant on the tree over winter — and ripens in summer, from late December to late February.

The timing of pruning is crucial, especially in a climate like Victoria's where figs are close to the edge of their comfort zone. We often recommend a late winter to early spring pruning regimen for dormant fig trees, which aligns well with the milder conditions in the region.

What months are best for figs? Figs typically have two main cropping seasons. The “breba” crop ripens in late spring to early summer, while the main crop matures from late summer to early fall. However, the exact months can vary based on the region and fig variety.

It is maturing on the previous year's wood and typically ripens from mid-July to early September. The second crop is the MAIN crop; it ripens on the current year's wood, mid-September to mid-October.

To do this, simply dip a Q-tip in some olive oil and brush it lightly over the little belly button on the bottom of the fig, opposite the stem. Anointing the figs like this helps seal the eye of the fruit, preventing ethylene gas from escaping and encouraging the fig to ripen faster.

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When choosing figs, give them a gentle squeeze (emphasis on gentle). Figs are thin-skinned and perishable. You're looking for a little give; a ripe fig is soft but not mushy.

An unripe fig is thick-skinned and if you were to cut it open, the inside would be hard and white. A ripe fig is thin-skinned (no offense) and inside you'll find seeds that are gooey and pink.

One hard fact about figs is, unfortunately, green figs will not ripen off the tree. However, fruit picked just before full ripeness will continue to soften and become sweeter when they are stored at room temperature in a dry location, such as a pantry.

Do all figs turn purple when ripe? ›

You Can't Go By Fig Color!

A light berry fig like Conadria will start green and will be green when it's ripe. A honey fig variety like LSU Gold will be pale green initially and then yellow when ripe. A dark berry fig variety like Salem Dark will be green initially and have a dark purple exterior when the figs are ripe.

Fig ripeness cues include sight, touch, and taste. By sight, ripe figs tend to droop while hanging on the tree or bush, have a larger distinguishable size than the immature green fruit, and with the exception of a few varieties have a change in color. By touch, ripe figs should be soft when gently squeezed.

Unpruned figs get bushy, with lots of spindly branches that make small fruit… this is a plant that really benefits from pruning to optimize fruit production.

Choose fig varieties that are well-adapted to the climate in Victoria, BC. Varieties like 'Desert King', 'Brown Turkey', and 'Lattarula' are known for their productivity and ability to ripen in cooler climates. Starting with a variety that thrives in your local conditions is key to a bountiful harvest.

Figs might not ripen because of environmental factors, such as temperature, water, nutrient levels and amount of light in addition to weeds, pests and disease. Stress, however, is the main reason figs won't ripen. And, the most common stress factor is a lack of water in high-heat conditions.

A: Figs are super attractive to all types of birds, so the netting is not a bad idea. Unfortunately, other creatures of the night will show up and help themselves once they discover your tree. Opossums, raccoons, rats and mice all like to feast on the soft fruit and can climb the tree to get it.

Hi Pam, figs have a very superficial fibrous root system and so are very susceptible to stress caused by drought, which is the most likely cause of the fruit drop, a lack of consistent watering throughout the growing season. Mulching around the tree in spring is good, the bark should help conserve soil moisture.

Figs will not continue to ripen after they are picked like many other fruits. You can tell that it is time for harvesting figs when the fruit necks wilt and the fruits hang down. If you pick a fig fruit too early, it will taste horrible; ripe fruit is sweet and delicious.

Fresh figs can last for two to three days when you store them at room temperature in a dry place. Figs will keep for up to a week if you refrigerate them under the right storage conditions with plenty of room to breathe in the crisper drawer.

Some types of fig that are grown for human consumption have figs that ripen without pollination. It is also possible to trick plants into ripening figs without wasps by spraying them with plant hormones.

What can I do with figs that are not ripe? ›

In a climate such as the UK's, where figs don't often ripen fully, it's good to know that this glorious fruit doesn't have to go to waste. Green figs preserved in syrup, or vye konfyt, as they're called in South Africa, can be enjoyed on cheeseboards, pancakes and other desserts, or even eaten straight from the jar.

One hard fact about figs is, unfortunately, green figs will not ripen off the tree. However, fruit picked just before full ripeness will continue to soften and become sweeter when they are stored at room temperature in a dry location, such as a pantry.

Green figs will not ripen off the tree. Figs picked just before full ripeness will continue to soften and become sweeter if left in a dry location with a moderate temperature. For more information on growing and producing figs, see HGIC 1353, Fig.

Preparation. Fresh figs are usually eaten raw. They taste best eaten straight off the tree, ideally still warm from the sun. The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish.

Ripe figs feel plump and give slightly when squeezed… if you plan to eat them immediately, choose these ones -otherwise purchase figs with a little less give. They should give off a mildly sweet fragrance but if they smell sour they should be avoided as there's a good chance that they have spoiled.