With this post we welcome Joanna Miller, who is filing some correspondent reports from Chicago. Give Joanna a warm welcome there in the Windy City!
We've long dreamed of growing our own fig tree, but living in Chicago, we assumed it would take a move to the West Coast to make our dream come true. Little did we know the fig tree would come to us. The Chicago Hardy fig, also known as "Hardy Chicago" and "Bensonhurst Purple," is a relatively new variety that originated in Sicily.
Fresh figs in the North, grown in our own apartment, by late summer! Is it possible? Read on...
Suitable for USDA Hardiness Zone 6 and higher, the Chicago Hardy will die back in the fall and grow again from the soil line in the spring. The Chicago Botanic Garden recommends it for container gardening, making it a great choice for apartment dwellers.
Chicago Hardy's fruit will be sweet and ready to eat by late summer or early fall. We're imagining leisurely August and September evenings spent sipping wine and nibbling cheese and freshly picked figs. To be honest, the thought seems almost too good to be true, at least to a winter-weary Chicagoan who's afraid to pack away the winter coats just yet.
In Chicago, Chicago Hardy trees are available at Gethsemane Garden Center, and online at Logee's.
Related:
• Honey Ice Cream with Fig-Sesame Swirls
• Seasonal Recipe Spotlight: Figs
• Roasted Figs with Honey and Rosemary
-- Joanna
(Images: Joanna Miller and Logee's)
Figs are finicky at best (in Chicago), once the weather starts cooling off they just stop ripening, so you'll be really counting on Indian summer to keep them going a get a few more. Some years a tree will feed the neighborhood, some years you get just a few to ripen, in general its worth it but don't kid yourself about calmly nibbling the figs, you will be treasuring each fig you get while keeping evil squirrels at bay.
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I've been daydreaming about figs for months, but thought I would have to resort to buying them at the store. I have no yard and a small deck. Thanks to your info, I purchased two fig trees from Logees and hope they will arrive next week. I'm so excited!
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