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Where would I find a very thick bamboo cane to pick my figs? I am told that I need to split a very thick one into three one at the end, put a stone in to keep it open, tape one third up to keep the stone in place, position under the fig then twist and it's mine!  My fig is about 15' tall and I don't do heights  ::) My thickest canes support green beans but apparently not thick enough.

I get a good crop of figs and do not know how preserve them for a longer time!

Nadia

In Brandy Nadia!

Best eaten fresh though...

Cut bits of it down and restrict the regrowth to a height you can live with...Ninnyscrops...  it sounds like it has got loose and so will regrow vigerously!
;D

If you do decide to cut the fig tree, watch out for the sap on your skin as it will bring you out in blisters.

Are your figs ripe???? B***** Hell!!!!! still waiting for ours here in Spain!! You can freeze figs ok, but heres some recipies for when you get the pesky high figs!!!

Balsamic Fig Sauce

Ingredients :
1   lb   Fresh figs, preferably Black Mission, chopped
1/3   cup   Red wine
1   tbl   Balsamic vinegar
1   pch   Salt
1/8   tsp   Freshly ground pepper
1/2   tsp   Sugar
1   sprg   fresh thymeMethod :


*   Combine all ingredients with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Cover; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer; cook, partially covered, until fruit has broken down, about 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; remove thyme sprig. Press mixture through a large-holed sieve with a rubber spatula.

Fig Preserver
Keys:  Canning Preserving Tropical Fruits     Hot
Yield: 1

Ingredients:

          4     lb  firm ripe figs
      4 1/2     lb  sugar
        1/2    cup  fresh lemon juice
          2      x  lemons sliced
                    few pieces of whole stick cinnamon or ging optional

Method:
Wash and peel figs; set aside. Combine sugar and lemon juice in large nonreactive saucepan; add enough water to dissolve sugar. Add figs and lemon slices; cook about 45 minutes (the cinnamon or ginger root maybe tied in a cheesecloth bag and cooled with figs for added flavor.) Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Pack preserves into clean, hot jars, and seal immediately. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes for half-pints, 10 minutes for pints.

Makes 8 to 10 (6-ounces) jars.

Fig, Mozzarella and Mizuna Salad with Thai Basil

6 green figs

12 small balls of fresh mozzarella

1 bunch mizuna or arugula

1 bunch Thai basil or purple mint

1/3 cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. lemon juice


Wash the figs and remove the little stems with a paring knife. Remove the mozzarella from their liquid. Wash the greens.

Place the mizuna or arugula and basil or mint, without any coarse stems, in a medium bowl and toss with the olive oil.

Pile in the middle of two dinner plates. With your thumbs gently pull each fig in half and lay them open-side up around the plates. Arrange the cheese around as well. Sprinkle with a little extra olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, and the coarse salt. You can grind over some pepper if you like.
Serves 2.

Greens and Figs with Blue Cheese

This recipe serves:       
Preparation time :   25 minutes



Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
12 fresh figs, washed
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 head radicchio, washed
4 cups arugula, washed
4 cups red leaf lettuce, washed and torn
2 heads Belgian endive, washed and separated
1 head mizuna, washed and torn
1 tablespoon blue cheese, crumbled



Cooking Instructions
For the vinaigrette:

1. Whisk the thyme, garlic, orange juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

For the salad:

1. Cut the figs in half and add them to the vinaigrette for the flavors to blend.

2. In a dry sauté pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until golden. Set aside.

3. Separate four large radicchio leaves and set aside. Chop the remaining head of radicchio and toss all the lettuces together in a bowl.

4. On 4 chilled salad plates, place a radicchio leaf in the center and divide the lettuce equally on top of the leaf. Surround each plate with the halved figs. Drizzle the vinaigrette over each of the plates. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese and pine nuts over the top and serve chilled.

Biscombe you have honed my tastebuds - but how do I get them down!  :)

If you can find a short cane that is fat enough to make into a fig spear, tie the spear head to a long pole to get the required height.

Can you use a hoe?? and have someone catching underneath, got some high ones here too!!

I have seen somewhere else, someone used a bamboo garden candle holder and adapted it to use for picking fruit. If you took the candle out and threaded a pull cord around the open end that would be quite effective.. ;D

Some of the 'posh' garden centres sell thicker bamboos to be a feature rather than of practical use. 

Planning ahead, check Lidl in a few weeks.  I got a terrific telescopic fruit picker last year, £3.99 I think it was.

Quote from: greyhound on July 21, 2007, 10:51:45
Planning ahead, check Lidl in a few weeks.  I got a terrific telescopic fruit picker last year, £3.99 I think it was.

I agree.  There's no point in messing around with split canes.  If you can't find a reasonably priced commercial one, just gaffer-tape a wide-mouthed plastic mug or similar onto a suitable pole.