Here at the Oaks, if you have ever had the chance to drive by or stay the night, you can see that we are slowly growing a garden and fruit trees along the South side of the property. With just under two acres of land, we have plenty of space to spread out and grow a variety of edible food to use for breakfast and other meals. One of our most successful fruit trees has been the fig.
We recently started a large propagation from cuttings for figs. With a 65-70% success rate, we should have plenty of new fig varieties to plant around the Bed and Breakfast. The cuttings we found are from a grower in Logansport, LA, named Pure Green Fig, Co. His cuttings are around $5 per cutting, whereas a 3-gallon pot with a fig tree start would be around $35. We are starting new trees for a fraction of the cost. Not only do they have fig cuttings but also a garden center with a variety of plants and koi fish for sale.
Once you have your cuttings, if they are not cut into six to eight inch pieces go ahead and size them down. Then peel the bottom of each one to expose a bit of green tissue underneath. That peeled end gets dipped in rooting hormone before we tuck the cutting into small pots filled with a good peat moss mix. From there, it's all about humidity. We keep the cuttings covered to hold in moisture while the roots form, misting lightly if they start to dry out but never overwatering. In a couple of weeks, the first roots and new buds start to show, and that's our cue to slowly introduce them to more light and a little fertilizer. Once they've built up strong new growth, we move them into three-gallon pots to keep growing before they eventually find their permanent home around the property.
Of the cuttings we purchased to start, we have around 20 new varieties of figs to plant and grow. Figs are relatively fast growing, and you could see fruit in year two. While the majority of fruit trees will provide fruit between years 3-5. Figs are considered one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world. Have been considered a symbol of abundance, fertility, peace and prosperity. Many were spread through a variety of countries through missionary fathers who brought them to share in the countries they were visiting. Used as a sweetener for other dishes, figs have been widely used around the world, as a staple food in everyday diets.
We love to use figs for breakfast or for dinner items. If they make it inside the house, after picking them. Of course they are great right off the tree. A sweet burst of flavor hitting your taste buds to give you a boost of energy while out pulling weeds or gathering the fruit of your labor. A favorite dish we have served is a fig and caramelized onion flat bread. This recipe is a great base to get started on your own flat bread. For breakfast, besides just slicing figs and put them on the plate as fruit, we have made crostini with goat cheese and figs. Drizzle a bit of honey on top and it becomes a sweet addition to any meal.
Figs can be baked, roasted, or eaten raw, and provide health benefits that are in the news today. Many people are stepping away from refined sugars, and going back to figs as a natural sweetener. Along with fiber and some antioxidants, figs can also provide help with digestion and increased levels of potassium. Another mineral figs produce is calcium which can help with bone health. With all foods moderation is the best option, and be sure to speak with a medical professional if concerns arise.
We are excited to see our new fig cuttings grow into something more, and then yield the fruits of our labors. I am very excited about a few of the newer varieties, since they will be different from what we currently have in look and taste. Be sure to follow along our social media outlets to see how our fig journey progresses.
