Figs not maturing and falling off

10 years ago

I have a problem and need help! I have a ground planted, 5/6 year old fig (I think that it is a Brown Turkey & was a cutting off a 25 foot tree in eastern Mass). Initially I cut all the offshoots off to gain height. Within 2/3 years it was six feet tall. The first year, I got two figs. I picked the first one too early (I didn't know any better) and waited until the second one was near to rotting on the stem. It was the most delicious fruit that I have ever eaten! However, I have since, let the tree bush out, with no pruning. Each year, in December/January, I return to the Keys to find the fig bush dormant with no leaves. For two South Florida Winters, I watered it daily. It became flush with large, rich green leaves and produced more figs each year, but the figs would grow to about half size, seem to mature (a color change observation) then wrinkle up and fall off with no edible flesh. The slightest touch would frequently cause even the green ones to fall off. This year I added a very moderate amount of citrus tree fertilizer. Many more figs, five dozen (?) or so, but all change to a mature dark brownish purple at half size and fall off. None are edible. I had added about two cubic feet of garden soil and peat moss (from Home Depot) when I first planted the tree. The ground otherwise has no soil, just a normal limestone island upon which we live. The bush gets direct sunlight 90% of the day. I have a potted two year old "Paradiso" fig that, with the same watering and fertilizer has produced two very good figs and two more will mature soon. No problems with falling off. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help.

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Comments (10)

john222-gg
10 years ago
I sure hope someone with knowledge answers your post . I have the same thing going on . My tree is a Celest 5 years old that has never made a fig good enough to eat. Right now the figs are turning purple and falling off. Every year it is loaded with fruit that never gets ripe. I was thinking about pulling it up and getting rid of it hate to kill such a pretty tree. Maybe someone can save it. HOPE HOPE
Bud24
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi John, It is likely that there is nothing inherently wrong with your Celeste, so, despite frustration, I don't recommend pulling it up. Someone will have figured out a solution and kindly forward it to us. On mine, I find it interesting that after rapid growth to 6', upon being allowed to bush out, it has only grown 6 inches taller I three years. I still have about two dozen immature figs on the tree, so I still have some hope left. Here in the Florida Keys, we have a substantial to severe drought every Winter, then thunder showers late every afternoon in mid-Summer.
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Hi Bud, It don't make no difference what I do to my Celestes, the hot, dry weather hits and they drop. It doesn't matter if I water leading up to the new season and keep on putting the water to them. It doesn't matter if I prune the things, they then put all their energy into growing, putting on figs and then drop most of them. It doesn't matter if I feed them, or don't feed them. I tell them if they drop their figs one more season, I'll rip them out and put a different variety in their places. They drop and I can't bring myself to rip them out because one was from a friend who moved away and that tree was from a tree from the house she grew up in. Her name is, Legacy. Not my friend--The tree. The one out back is sort of a legacy because it came from North Louisiana and the tree it came from was from the man's father's tree. Her name is Celeste--The tree out back. (Very original, eh?) I don't know what I'm doing, or not doing that may be causing this problem, but quite a few people have told me it's the heat and dry weather we've been getting here the past years. The only thing I haven't tried is overhead sprinkling. A woman told me she waters her trees often and the sprinklers are those on a pole that throws the water out over the trees. I've been watering mine with a sprinkler on a trickle for several hours at a time so the water won't be wasted and it will soak the ground around the tree. There will be one more pruning next season and after that, I will let the tree grow on its own. No more bird netting, or anything. It can just do its thing. The birds and squirrels will love that. noss
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I prune them back to keep there size and prune any unwanted branches that grow inward and some upward ,also the new growth i prune back some as well - sometimes i prune back a lot sometimes i dont i let the tree dictate to what it needs as some growing season here are not as good as others. Also here in my cold zone i alway nip the branches after the 5th leaf. I use scotts premium potting mix, upm potting mix, and have several in scotts seeding soil mix a heavy type slow draining mix. I fertilize once a week with miracle grow soluable 24-8-16 at full strength early in season, half strength mid season and later when figs are full grown and still green (i grow dark types only) i dont fertilize but still water them. Hope this helps a little as everyone grows them differently uses different potting mix , fertilizer etc. After 3 years at most i root prune them. But i cannot stress enough one does not have to have a degree in "figology" to grow them and get to enjoy many a ripe fig as they are very forgiving. One can see many pictures posted of fig plants growing out of cement walls in other countries and some in rather arid conditions grown inground and they produce figs.Others in area's with no care what so ever and the same they produce figs. Grown in containers they need a little help as opposed to being inground. Hope this gives you a few idea's. Martin
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None of mine have fallen off but some unripe figs are turning purple and are still too small to be mature. They haven't fallen off yet but I suspect they may. Probably due to all the rain and cold weather we've had. We haven't had rain in the last few days and the afternoons have been warm but the mornings are record lows for this time of year. 53* F. Peg
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azjacket, It took me months to attempt posting pictures - it looked very difficult. Peg sent me directions and it is actually quite easy. Locate the picture you want to use on your computer and jot down its location and name, so you know where it is and can go right to it. Go to Photobucket.com and set up an account (free). Once you get to your page hit "Browse" and choose the picture file you've already located. BEFORE you hit "Upload" change the size by clicking "Options" (it's just above the "Browse" buttons) and choose "Message Board" size (640 x 480). Hit "Upload" and the picture will appear on your Photobucket page. Once the picture is on Photobucket, copy the "HTML Tag" code (its the third one down under the picture) and paste it into the body of your post. When you preview your message, you should see the image on the preview. That's it.
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john222-gg
10 years ago
the purple fig in the picture if you touch it. It will fall off. They never get ripe. Very discouraging.
fignewbies
10 years ago
Hi,

This is frustrating-waiting for one whole year for the fig fruits but never get it tasted in the mouth!
Bud24
Original Author
10 years ago
An interesting note about the parent tree (mentioned in the top post), the 25 footer in Eastern MA, has survived the New England winters, because the owner has progressively built a three story tall greenhouse around the tree as it grew!
User
10 years ago
John and Bud:
Both figs you guys have,are not adapted to your particular climate.
Specifically south Florida is to humid and too hot for many fig cultivars to produce good fruits.
Celeste is notorious for dropping fruits if it does not like the climate.
Try other cultivars,that can take your climate that is my aDVICE
maryhawkins99
10 years ago
its important to get a fig adapted to your area. I've tried a dozen types in the past 6 years; Texas A&M recommends 4 for my area, this rest I just picked on my own. Only 5 produced well. All 12 produced figs, but other than the 5 winners they wouldn't ripen properly.
rossello44
10 years ago
I don't think this will help, but I'll post it just hoping that will open a new window to the solution of this problem. I am Sicilian and remember in the old days (60 years ago) during the winter merchants would bring loads of ticchiara. ticchiara to my eyes were immature figs looking very close to the ones in the picture, but people would buy ticchiare and hang it to the branches of fig tree that were not productive. In fact people in Sicily says: " la ticchiara fa la ficu" meaning "Ticchiara makes the figs". I was thinking that ticchiara would rut and attract bees tor the pollination. I know that it was working. Now a days they might have better ways.
I hope this will spark some ideas. Here in upstate NY I have three potted figs One is about 7 ft and the other two about 5 ft. The bigger was very good last year the other two I hope will fruit next year or so. During the winter I bring them in the garage.
Good luck
Frank
Bud24
Original Author
10 years ago
It is now a month and a half later than my first post. All of the brebas fell off while immature. The new crop is half successful and I've had about 50% mature to their delicious best. I'll be moving part of the parent, with roots, to MA, zone 5/6. Thank you herman2, bhawkins and rossello44 for your help.
walter-blacker
10 years ago
What to do about falling figs

Figs not maturing and falling off

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john222-gg

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Figs not maturing and falling off

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john222-gg

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