Fig Tree

[trumpetvine]

Anyone have any experience with fig trees? I got one for Christmas last year. It is a Texas Everbearing. When I got it it was in a 3 gallon bucket & full of leaves. I planted it & it looked great all the way through the rest of the cold weather. Spring came & it was covered in small figs......then they all fell off. Then it put more figs on ........& not only did they fall off too, the leaves started turning yellow. When it got really hot, it would seem to just wilt. We would pour the water to it & it would revive. This went on all summer. I mulched it & tried to keep it from getting dehydrated, but by end of summer it had lost all the leaves. Now it is putting new leaves on down near the base. I really wanted a fig tree, but are they all this temperamental? I thought they were supposed to be easy to grow.

[sandbo46]

We have a huge fig tree in the back yard & don't do anything to it & the end of July it is loaded down with Figs. We planted one of its off shoots the other side of the yard & it is doing fine & it gets real dry & hot in GA. We really don't water it either.

[trumpetvine]

Wow, do I have anything you might want to trade for a start off your fig tree?

[diana]

I have a fig bush--a huge, happy, healthy monster of a bush that gives hundreds of figs each August. I never water, but I'm in Maryland, so we get more rain than you do. Wish I could help, but since my bush is so care-free, I know nothing about caring for it! Actually, I mis-spoke. I do know that I took out about a third of the branches (cut them off down at the ground), and within that same summer, it filled itself back in completely. Seems to be a "bounce back" kind of plant.

I have some cuttings I started about a month ago. Perhaps you'd like one? The bush will get about 12 feet tall and the same around. Definitely a bush and NOT a tree.

Diana Lynn

[trumpetvine]

Diana, I would love a start! Look at my profile & see if I have anything you would like to trade for. I have several things that AI don't even have listed. aI have to go out to my patio & see what all I have to bring in for cold weather. I can give you an updated list of what I have to trade if you like.
Trumpetvine

[dirtyfingernails]

Trunpetvine,
I had this start to happen to my fig.I had it in full sun,and I moved it so it had 5 to6 hours of sun.It perked up and has had no trouble since. I think that the thick leaves and water in the fruit overheat with too much direct sun.
Do'nt know if moving it would be the ticket , but it just might save it.
Bill

[trumpetvine]

HI Bill,
My husband & I have talked about where we have the fig planted & wondered about it getting too much sun............or I should say too much of our Texas heat. I think we will move it when it goes into dormant this winter. I have planted a pomegrante too, & it is not far from the fig. I think we are going to move both of them to where they won't be getting as much direct sun. Thanks for seconding our thoughts on this.

[dirtyfingernails]

trumpetvine,
Being new to this zone for the past four years , I have learned to pot up my shrubs and trees for the first season, and seeing where they do best. It has cut down on the mortality of them. Full sun on the instructions does'nt necessarily mean full sun in this zone.
Have a great day,
Bill

[diana]

Sure, Trumpetvine, I can send you one. I'll drop you a PM to work out details.

Diana Lynn

[PlantSwap]

I used to have two brown turkey fig trees. One was in mostly full sun (had morning shade) in a well draining part of the yard. The other was inthe shade of a couple river birch trees in a low lying (damp) spot in the yard.

The tree in the damp, shady area always had green leaves and huge figs, but they weren't very sweet.

The tree in the sunny, dry spot suffered for a couple years much as you are describing your tree. Then, one year, it just exploded in growth. I suppose the root system got well established and deep enough. It puts out smaller figs than the other tree, but they are much sweeter.

You would never guess that they were the same variety.

I still have the tree in the sunny, dry spot. I had to remove the other one a while back.

[marasri]

It has been a murderous year in Texas. I would not give up on your fig. I would give it once or twice a week deep watering till it gets established. 10 gallons once a week if you are not on hugely fast draining soil. If you are, try 5 gallons twice a week. It might take a year or two to settle in and get a root system that can take a summer like we have had this summer.I was just driving through your area last weekend. I drove up 281 through Hico and Mineral Wells to go to the Wichita mountains. It was looking nice and green up there. It looked like Ireland compared to the Austin area.

[marasri]

The other thing about planting trees in Central Texas is that one SHOULD do it in October so it gets as much root down before the dreaded summer hits. So get out there and plant a tree. Don't feel bad, I lost 3 trees that had been in three years because I have this rule about caring fore things one year and then they are on their own. I am a bad MOM.

[marasri]

I saw a fig that gets all day texas sun totally ignored under the bank that The new Lowes is on and it was huge. I don't know it's variety but I am going to liberate a cutting off of it. It is on what used to be an old ranch that has been torn apart to be come suburbia and is in a forgotten spot.

[diana]

Marasri,

I take my fig cuttings as it's putting out fruit (seems an odd time, but it works). Rooting hormone and Forsythe pots worked best for my fig cuttings.

Good luck!

Diana Lynn

[marasri]

Why thankyou, Diana. Usually, I just fudge one way, and then another and if that doesn't work, I just go on to something else. There is so much to do. Fudge is my middle name.