Virtually all of the supermarket fruits that you might buy are ripened off the tree. They are picked while still green, transported over great distances and then gassed to facilitate ripening. So, the paper bag trick is worth a try. I'm lucky in that my figs have been ripening on the tree. In fact I'm going to pick one now.

Hi mrsL. It has been a very cool summer. We usually get a bit of an Indian summer, but no sign of that! In fact, it's been drizzly and raining. It is such a shame because there are so many! I will pluck the big fat ones DonnyG and see if they will ripen off the tree! Hope lives!

My dad has a couple fig trees here in ny. They need full sun, very warm weather. Too much rain is very bad. The leaves on his are still lush. Little rain this season, but we have had a few cold spells. This week will bring some warmer weather, so fingers xcrossed. Is it cold where you are, MM?

MM I, too , live in the SF Bay area. My "1st" crop of figs usually ripens in early July and the birds, especially the blue jays, devour them. The second crop which is ripe now is all mine. I am not sure where you live in the Bay Area, but maybe it is just too cool...figs do need a warm summer and fall.

My great grandfather used to pick all the figs that were green but to a fully developed size in fear of losing them to the ground or the racoons. They just sat in a bowl until ripe. Or hasten the process with the ol' "Banana in the paperbag" trick. Just a thought!