I have a fig tree growing in my back yard, and do not know the species. This is central Texas (the "Hill Country"), and our normal hot June and July is so far very wet and cooler than normal. The size in the picture is about the size of a grape; they're all growing at the same rate. My question is what species, as well as care and harvest date(s). I have a net canopy around the whole thing, sorry birds, find something else to eat :)
The tree is about 8 feet tall.
It is a fig. It is very difficult to discover the variety, and possibly it has not variety. From such photos, I cannot tell you if figs will be much larger, or the colour (yellow or brownish).
Harvesting date: this do not depend on species or variety, but on your tree. When the figs become yellow or brownish, just touch them. It they are soft, take it and eat it. Experience will tell you what it is the best period for you (which possibly it will be different from your wife). In such manner, you will have fresh figs for weeks, and a lot better then on markets.
Note: I'm assuming you are harvesting figs for yourself. If you want to do some sweet stuffs, probably you need to harvest them later (you will mesh anyway). But if you want to sell figs, harvesting dates are more important so that not all producers will fill market in few days (which is not the optimal date for you, but for seller/market in general). Commercially, harvesting is usually done too early (so that figs [but also for most of vegetables and fruits] will not overripe or break during transportation). Again: for processing food figs may be harvest on better days (if you have some processing facility).
BTW I do not think birds will eat them. it is not an easy fruits for birds, so they tend to eat figs only when they are way over-ripen (so open). Mammals instead like them.
