https://weatherspark.com/y/92833/Average-Weather-in-Grahamstown-South-Africa-Year-Round
Growing degree days are a measure of yearly heat accumulation used to predict plant and animal development, and defined as the integral of warmth above a base temperature, discarding any excess above a maximum temperature. In this report, we use a base of 50°F and a cap of 86°F.
0000 - 07/01
0100 - 07/20
0500 - 09/18
1000 - 11/10
1500 - 12/18
2000 - 01/15
2500 - 02/10
3000 - 03/15
3500 - 04/22
4000 - 06/10
4054 - 06/30
Growing degree days are a measure of yearly heat accumulation used to predict plant and animal development, and defined as the integral of warmth above a base temperature, discarding any excess above a maximum temperature. In this report, we use a base of 10°C and a cap of 30°C.
0000 C - 07/01
0050 C - 07/18
0250 C - 09/15
0500 C - 11/03
1000 C - 01/01
1500 C - 02/24
2000 C - 05/01
2252 C - 06/30
Monday 13 August 2018
Friday 10 August 2018
Fig tree cultivation videos
Chip bud grafting part 1
Chip bud grafting part 2
10 varieties one one fig tree
Whip and tongue grafting of figs
Fig pollination
Rooting fig cuttings
Info on Caprification
https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-h...-on-fig-flavor
https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-h...wing-caprifigs
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/pljune99.htm
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/pljun99b.htm
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/arbimg10.htm
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/figlinks.htm
Also, this is a listing of older threads about caprifigs at another site. The info may not be as focused but there's a larger range of topics and voices.
http://search.arghchive.com/?q=caprifig
Chip bud grafting part 2
10 varieties one one fig tree
Whip and tongue grafting of figs
Fig pollination
Rooting fig cuttings
Info on Caprification
https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-h...-on-fig-flavor
https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-h...wing-caprifigs
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/pljune99.htm
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/pljun99b.htm
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/arbimg10.htm
http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/figlinks.htm
Also, this is a listing of older threads about caprifigs at another site. The info may not be as focused but there's a larger range of topics and voices.
http://search.arghchive.com/?q=caprifig
Tuesday 7 August 2018
Historical introduction of Smyrna and Capri figs to Grahamstown in 1902/03?
Here's an old article I found ("Caprification of Smyrna Figs") in the South African Agricultural Journal, published some time in 1911(?):
http://journals.co.za/docserver/fulltext/ajusa/3/2/103.pdf?expires=1533667986&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=DEFAEAF7BC1C29816BB59BF2093CA1DB
The article can be downloaded as a 10 page PDF from this link.
See page 254:
"...
On hearing of the success in California, the Cape Department of Agriculture was not long in getting an importation of trees direct from Mr Geo. C Roeding, which consisted of a parcel of 140 Smyrna and Capri trees of different varieties (Calimyrna, Kassaba and Bardacik, mostly Calimyrna, and Capri's No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, which three varieties keep on them figs all the year round. This was in 1902/03.
Two lots went to Constantia District, one to Elsenburg, and one to Grahamstown.
In July 1907, Mr Lounsbury, then Chief Government Entomologist of the Cape, but now Chief Entomologist of the Union, was in America, and as both our Capri and Calimyrna had reached fruiting stage, he arranged to have some of the Blastophaga sent on at the right season. In November 1907, Mr Mally, Assistant Government Entomologist (Cape), on his return from California, got four twigs of Capri from Mr Roeding with fruit containing wasps. They were wrapped in damp moss and kept chilled until landing on 4th January 1908.
..."
It's not clear who or what in Grahamstown received the "one lot" (presumably about 35) of smyrna and capri fig trees imported from the USA, let alone what happened to them? Clearly the fig wasp could have been introduced at any time after the Grahamstown trees were established. I suppose evidence is that the fig wasp still seems to be around, more than a century after all these happenings, even though wild (or cultivated) caprifigs aren't obviously visible around town...
The article also gives a useful table of the observed emergence of the wasps at Elsenburg, but it's not specified for which variety of caprifig:
1st crop Profichi Enter 2nd week of September
Emerge 2nd week of January 4 months
2nd crop Mammoni Enter 2nd week of January
Emerge 2nd week of March 2 months
3rd crop Mammae Enter 2nd week of March
Emerge 2nd week of September 6 months
[12 months]
Presumably there's a time spread of emergence according to the variety of caprifig?
The Smyrna or San Pedro type figs will need to be receptive during the wasp emergence.
It's not clear if this 12 month cycle involves all 3 types of caprifig, or whether one fig type will sustain the wasp lifecycle?
[Please, if anyone has more information or references, leave a comment?]
http://journals.co.za/docserver/fulltext/ajusa/3/2/103.pdf?expires=1533667986&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=DEFAEAF7BC1C29816BB59BF2093CA1DB
The article can be downloaded as a 10 page PDF from this link.
See page 254:
"...
On hearing of the success in California, the Cape Department of Agriculture was not long in getting an importation of trees direct from Mr Geo. C Roeding, which consisted of a parcel of 140 Smyrna and Capri trees of different varieties (Calimyrna, Kassaba and Bardacik, mostly Calimyrna, and Capri's No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, which three varieties keep on them figs all the year round. This was in 1902/03.
Two lots went to Constantia District, one to Elsenburg, and one to Grahamstown.
In July 1907, Mr Lounsbury, then Chief Government Entomologist of the Cape, but now Chief Entomologist of the Union, was in America, and as both our Capri and Calimyrna had reached fruiting stage, he arranged to have some of the Blastophaga sent on at the right season. In November 1907, Mr Mally, Assistant Government Entomologist (Cape), on his return from California, got four twigs of Capri from Mr Roeding with fruit containing wasps. They were wrapped in damp moss and kept chilled until landing on 4th January 1908.
..."
It's not clear who or what in Grahamstown received the "one lot" (presumably about 35) of smyrna and capri fig trees imported from the USA, let alone what happened to them? Clearly the fig wasp could have been introduced at any time after the Grahamstown trees were established. I suppose evidence is that the fig wasp still seems to be around, more than a century after all these happenings, even though wild (or cultivated) caprifigs aren't obviously visible around town...
The article also gives a useful table of the observed emergence of the wasps at Elsenburg, but it's not specified for which variety of caprifig:
1st crop Profichi Enter 2nd week of September
Emerge 2nd week of January 4 months
2nd crop Mammoni Enter 2nd week of January
Emerge 2nd week of March 2 months
3rd crop Mammae Enter 2nd week of March
Emerge 2nd week of September 6 months
[12 months]
Presumably there's a time spread of emergence according to the variety of caprifig?
The Smyrna or San Pedro type figs will need to be receptive during the wasp emergence.
It's not clear if this 12 month cycle involves all 3 types of caprifig, or whether one fig type will sustain the wasp lifecycle?
[Please, if anyone has more information or references, leave a comment?]
Wednesday 1 August 2018
Fig tree collection has doubled - now a certified "figaholic"
The new bare root trees arrived 30th June.
After transplanting, I've reached 55 large pots (5 gal/20 liter) and 17 black plastic bags of duplicates plus 3 varieties of cutting I'm trying to root, making at least 30 different varieties altogether. I ran out of space long ago.
Yellow labels are known varieties from Stark Ayres in Cape Town, brown labels are sourced in PE, Grahamstown and Kenton and pretty much "unknown".
Blue labels in green pots are the new bare root trees purchased from Gerhard at Giving Trees in Vereeniging (another "figaholic" but one who actually owns and runs a commercial nursery so it's a sort of job requirement), and are correctly identified.
As if that wasn't enough, the most recent bare rooted batch arrived from Gerhard on 30 July, making an extra 3 pots, 2 black bags and umpteen extra cuttings:
A duplicate Cape Black and Ficazzana Black (Smyrna type) into bags:
Cape Black, Ficazzana Black and Malta Black (latter two Smyrna types) in pots but before labelling and cutting back:
Collection at present consists of:
After transplanting, I've reached 55 large pots (5 gal/20 liter) and 17 black plastic bags of duplicates plus 3 varieties of cutting I'm trying to root, making at least 30 different varieties altogether. I ran out of space long ago.
Yellow labels are known varieties from Stark Ayres in Cape Town, brown labels are sourced in PE, Grahamstown and Kenton and pretty much "unknown".
Blue labels in green pots are the new bare root trees purchased from Gerhard at Giving Trees in Vereeniging (another "figaholic" but one who actually owns and runs a commercial nursery so it's a sort of job requirement), and are correctly identified.
As if that wasn't enough, the most recent bare rooted batch arrived from Gerhard on 30 July, making an extra 3 pots, 2 black bags and umpteen extra cuttings:
A duplicate Cape Black and Ficazzana Black (Smyrna type) into bags:
Cape Black, Ficazzana Black and Malta Black (latter two Smyrna types) in pots but before labelling and cutting back:
Collection at present consists of:
Common figs: Adam, Alma, Blackjack, Black Mission, Cape Black, Cape Brown, Cape White, Col de Dame Grise, Col de Dame Noire, Dalmatie, Deanna, Dauphine, Kadota, Noire de Barbentane, Noire de Caromb, Parisian, Pastiliere, Tangiers (Zidi?), Ronde de Bordeaux, Roxo de Valinhos, Tena, Tiger, White Genoa, Violette de Bordeaux
Cuttings:Sucre Verte (cuttings), Sultane (cuttings), Tangiers (both a tree from Starke Ayres and cuttings from Gerhard - tree may be a Zidi)
Smyrna: Black Malta, Ficazzana Black, Smyrna/Calimyrna, Caprifig Roeding 3 and a seedling fig from my garden
Unknown: Assorted local Avignon and Toulouse (which may or may not be Dauphine and Ronde de Bordeaux respectively) and several claiming to be Cape Brown, Kadota and Adam but most certainly aren't, plus "Black" and "Violet" figs. Also some cuttings from friends with so far unidentified trees.
I'm happy to trade cuttings or duplicates when these trees are larger. Please leave a comment.
Rooting fig cuttings
I've been trying to root fig cuttings with limited success (two out of perhaps forty) but at last seem to be getting somewhere.
The first "method" was pretty arbitrary - stick some cuttings into a black plastic bag of compost placed where they get occasionally misted. The cuttings stayed alive for a very long time but did nothing. They eventually rotted due to drowning. The compost had compacted and wasn't draining.
The second method was putting some cuttings into an aluminium tray in mixed vermiculite and sand in a Ziploc bag and leaving it outside for a few months without additional water. When opened up, about 50% of the short two node cuttings had rooted and got a few leaves. These were transplanted into a small plastic pot of compost, and one cutting of each variety seems to have taken.
The third method was to use transparent plastic cups filled with vermiculite, coarse sand and bark mulch. Most cuttings were about three nodes. These were left outside under occasional misting, and a few - to my surprise - rooted. Siimilarly transplanted to small pots of compost, where a few have taken.
The fourth method is the so-called "fig-pop" where a 10cm x 50cm plastic bag has about 20cm of mixed vermiculite, sand and compressed/reconstituted coir and the cutting placed in it. The base is pricked with a tooth pick for drainage, and the top folded over and stapled after drenching with water.
Over time, the mix has varied, the best results favouring 50/50 vermiculite/coir and leaving out the sand.
Initially they were left inside in a darkened room, but developed mold after a few days, Taking them outside into the light and leaving them there seemed to sort that out.
I've had mixed success with this... initially nothing much happened and a fair number died because of lack of moisture, After topping them up with water and ignoring them for a few months, quite a few have developed roots and grown leaves, but the roots are not yet that extensive.
The fifth, and so far "best" method, is the third method with the addition of putting the plastic cups into large transparent plastic storage boxes - a mini greenhouse sort of arrangement - and leaving them outside to control mold.
The issue now is how moist to keep the cups and whether to leave the boxes in the sun - it's starting to warm up. The developing roots clearly don't like the sun, so I've started putting the cups with developed roots into darker cups.
In a week or so, the next step will be to "up-pot" the established cuttings. It's still a bit cold for that, though.
Then the decision as to what to actually do with perhaps several hundred small fig trees. My problem is that every pruned branch from my collection of trees gets converted into several three or four node cuttings.
The first "method" was pretty arbitrary - stick some cuttings into a black plastic bag of compost placed where they get occasionally misted. The cuttings stayed alive for a very long time but did nothing. They eventually rotted due to drowning. The compost had compacted and wasn't draining.
The second method was putting some cuttings into an aluminium tray in mixed vermiculite and sand in a Ziploc bag and leaving it outside for a few months without additional water. When opened up, about 50% of the short two node cuttings had rooted and got a few leaves. These were transplanted into a small plastic pot of compost, and one cutting of each variety seems to have taken.
The third method was to use transparent plastic cups filled with vermiculite, coarse sand and bark mulch. Most cuttings were about three nodes. These were left outside under occasional misting, and a few - to my surprise - rooted. Siimilarly transplanted to small pots of compost, where a few have taken.
The fourth method is the so-called "fig-pop" where a 10cm x 50cm plastic bag has about 20cm of mixed vermiculite, sand and compressed/reconstituted coir and the cutting placed in it. The base is pricked with a tooth pick for drainage, and the top folded over and stapled after drenching with water.
Over time, the mix has varied, the best results favouring 50/50 vermiculite/coir and leaving out the sand.
Initially they were left inside in a darkened room, but developed mold after a few days, Taking them outside into the light and leaving them there seemed to sort that out.
I've had mixed success with this... initially nothing much happened and a fair number died because of lack of moisture, After topping them up with water and ignoring them for a few months, quite a few have developed roots and grown leaves, but the roots are not yet that extensive.
The fifth, and so far "best" method, is the third method with the addition of putting the plastic cups into large transparent plastic storage boxes - a mini greenhouse sort of arrangement - and leaving them outside to control mold.
The issue now is how moist to keep the cups and whether to leave the boxes in the sun - it's starting to warm up. The developing roots clearly don't like the sun, so I've started putting the cups with developed roots into darker cups.
In a week or so, the next step will be to "up-pot" the established cuttings. It's still a bit cold for that, though.
Then the decision as to what to actually do with perhaps several hundred small fig trees. My problem is that every pruned branch from my collection of trees gets converted into several three or four node cuttings.
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