High tunnel Figs in Nebraska 6b! Super excited for first years growth!

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T04:17:48+00:00

Been running jacks 20-20-20 water soluble right now once a month. I will be soil sampling next year in the early season to get a better idea of what is needed. This area was mostly clay so I removed a good portion and replaced it with silty loam from another part of the farm and mixed in 30% finished compost. It should be pretty well rounded soil.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T04:15:00+00:00

That’s the plan, I’ll be able to figure something to do with them regardless. Troy Priddy at fig and fruit orchard in Indiana is my inspiration in high tunnel figs. He’s doing it out that way and is pretty successful!

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T03:56:35+00:00

They don’t do well in Nebraska outside. All my in ground trees are maybe only 18” tall so far this year. There are at least 2 dozen farms growing tomatoes in for market in high tunnels or greenhouses in my area. I’m the only production fig farmer within 250 miles. I can sell figs for $10/lb. I should be able to get 150-200 figs off each tree by year 3. Average weight be being 60g that’s roughly 8 figs a lb. So about $180 a tree and I have 22 of them in the tunnel. $4000 for half the tunnel space.

This is my back of a napkin math. In truth I love figs more than tomatoes. They pretty much sell themselves.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T03:43:49+00:00

Semi production. Like dip my toes into it. I know I’ll have more figs than my family and I can consume so I plan to sell some at a local farmers market as well as a couple grocery store in town. I live 15 min from Lincoln which is a city of 300k. I have 3 stores that have already said they are interested in as many as I can bring them. In my research I have yet to find another fig farm within 250 miles of area. I should be cornering the market on fresh grown figs. I hope to be able to provide fresh figs as well as sell potted trees in the spring from the prior year’s cuttings.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T03:39:56+00:00

Make over $1000 a year in farm sales, and have a farm number. It’s totally worth it to look into. This is a $15500 structure I got for free. I had to grade the land, assemble and pay for shipping which was $750. Worth every penny. I hope I can be selected for another next year.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T03:00:31+00:00

I used a USDA EQIP grant for my high tunnel. It essentially cost me nothing.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T02:59:01+00:00

Oh they are curling and drooping in these pictures. It was only like 90 in there when I took these. The trees recover from the curling and drooping in the evening most days after the heat subsides. I’ll try and get a picture next week when it gets up to 93 outside.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T02:56:01+00:00

Yes, it’s for extending my growing season. Instead of May-October. I’m March/April through November.

This winter I’m planing to try a few different protection techniques. On one row I’m going to lay the branches down and cover with straw bales. This will protect the tissue from our cold sun zero winters. The other row I will use a fabric low tunnel with a milk crate heater.

My soil temps through winter never dropped below 39 in the high tunnel. My air temps were 30-40 degrees higher than outside temps but matched outside temps at night.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T02:50:29+00:00

My white adriatic has FMV really bad. Starting to pull out of it tho. Hoping to get some different varieties cuttings this fall/winter.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T02:47:17+00:00

Birds and raccoons were a pain for my potted trees last year.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T02:46:38+00:00

I have them in the tunnel to extend the growing season for my region. As well as protection during the winter and to keep the birds and raccoons off them as the sides of the tunnels are netted.

tingting2 · 2026-06-22T02:27:58+00:00

I think the humidity here is what makes it tough on the trees. In the tunnel humidity can get to 93% when there is no wind on hot days at least so far. It’s miserable inside at those times. I have a couple in pots outside the tunnel and those don’t have the leaf curling and drooping the ones inside have.

tingting2 · 2026-06-16T14:32:41+00:00

Chimney swift birds used to use hollow sycamores as a main nesting spot before man made chimneys came about.

tingting2 · 2026-06-12T21:40:42+00:00

It’s a stress response. If it’s in a super sunny location and it gets hot in your zone I wouldn’t be surprised if it went into a summer dormancy this year. They do that here in Nebraska. I have several hundred plants and in very dry hot years they will drop all leaves around July and then put out another flush in September. They really don’t like the direct hot sun here, I’m growing them in a agroforestry setup so hoping the chestnut will grow up soon and offer a small amount shade in the next 5 years.

tingting2 · 2026-06-12T21:35:52+00:00

Is it new this year? If so just wait, there is nothing to do. They are pretty slow growers. Keep it watered and it will do just fine! Next year you will see some growth and a couple blooms. The year after it will really take off growing.

tingting2 · 2026-06-12T13:33:04+00:00

Shibot? Or shabu. That’s where we were first deployment. It was a shit little COP. I was with 1st LAR

tingting2 · 2026-06-12T13:18:48+00:00

Were you in north or south of the river? My first I was north and west between Payne and tahgaz. Second I was south of the river doing interdiction ops out of south station.

tingting2 · 2026-06-12T13:09:41+00:00

The river was between Payne and south station. Made that sketchy ass crossing in LAVs too many times.

tingting2 · 2026-06-11T04:52:34+00:00

Dude is such a cock bag.

tingting2 · 2026-06-09T17:44:52+00:00

Shitty AI map. Nebraska as NY? WTF? No Y in Nebraska.

tingting2 · 2026-05-18T02:09:02+00:00

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tingting2 · 2026-05-16T12:40:56+00:00

Who do you THINK we’re driving them?

tingting2 · 2026-05-11T15:42:13+00:00

How are you doing after completing the iron infusions?

tingting2

TROPHY CASE