How to Determine if Your Fig Needs Pollination | You won't believe this...
Channel: Ross Raddi
Date: 2024-03-01

In the video, Ross the Fig Boss displays the process of hand-pollinating different types of figs. He notices something interesting: when he pokes a syringe into the side of a fig to hand-pollinate it, some figs are hollow inside. This might be a clue to tell apart Smyrna or San Pedro figs from common figs.

You can also tell by cutting an unripe fig in half. The ones that need pollination are hollow inside because their flowers won't develop properly without pollen from a male caprifig. In essence, there is an anatomical difference between various types of female figs.

To learn more about the benefits of pollinating figs, check out my companion guide here: https://www.figboss.com/post/the-benefits-of-fig-tree-caprification-pollination-why-all-of-us-should-attempt-hand-pollination

Introduction (0:00): 
Ross introduces the topic of hand-pollinating figs and mentions his realization after working with various fig varieties.

Variety-specific ease of hand-pollination (0:36): 
Ross discusses how some fig varieties are easier to hand-pollinate than others, with some requiring more effort to make an incision through the fruit.

Example: Mario's number nine (1:13): 
Ross showcases a specific fig variety, Mario's number nine, which is solid and challenging to hand-pollinate compared to others.

Example: Feather River (1:55): 
Ross highlights the ease of hand-pollination with the Feather River fig variety, indicating that there's a noticeable difference in how the syringe goes through the fruit.

Variety: Recover (2:26): 
Ross talks about a variety called Recover, which has been consistently dropping fruit for several years. He emphasizes that the figs from this variety are easy to hand-pollinate.

Observation on multiple trees (3:03): 
Ross mentions that he has observed this hand-pollination trend on about 12 trees known to be Smyrna or San Pedro figs, suggesting it might be a useful indicator.

Significance of solidness (3:38): 
Ross explains that if the inside of a fig isn't solid when poked through the side, it might indicate a need for pollination.

Variety: Perola (4:10): 
Ross mentions the Portuguese fig variety Perola and notes that it has dropped consistently despite being labeled as common. He demonstrates that the figs from Perola are relatively easy to hand-pollinate.

Potential for visual differentiation (4:44): 
Ross suggests that by examining the inside of unripe figs, one might be able to visually differentiate between Smyrna or San Pedro figs and common figs.

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