My black jack fig tree has incredible large and delicious figs but by the time these beauties are ready to pick and I cut them open they are full of little ants. These figs are the size of plums and really sweet which I assume is why the ants get them. Any suggestions?

Barry
zone 7 Long Island NY

Barry, I usually eat The Fig,  Ants and all!

That's a bummer!  I hate ants.  Still have sores where fire ants got on my hand last week and got me before I knew they were there.

I also eat the ants with the fig. One time out of curiosity I isolated them from the fig to see what flavors they were contributing. They are kind of a sweet peppery flavor. The closest thing I can think of to it is mango skin.

I have heard but not tried the technique of wrapping tin foil around the base (very important) and then putting Vaseline on the tin foil. Its suppose to create a barrier that the ants cannot cross and protect your figs! Fyi if you don't use tin foil and just place the Vaseline it will girdle your tree, so watch out. Let me know if it works!

I harvest this one yesterday, 1/4 of it was rotten and that part look like fungus infection but i believe that fungus could be cause by the ants.  

Tanglefoot works well for ants:


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Hi bgli,
This is what I use :
- coffee for filters in coffee machines . Use it new from the pack, sprinkle that at the base of the tree in a layer and in the nest of the ants if you spot it.
- extinct lime from construction shops. Brush that on the trunk, base of low branches and around at the base of the trees and again on the nests of the ants. Lime, in the hole of rodents, seems to deter the rodents too.
Good luck !
Don't use chemicals now as your going to eat the figs soon. You'll use that come next Spring when the fruits are in standby stage.

You still have the mechanical way : wear gloves and rub the ants against the trunk. I do that sometimes when I'm getting reaaaally p*ssed.

PS: Of course after rain, you may have to add some more coffee or lime .
Extinct Lime so far has been the best method - That is the white wash that some people do use on the trunks of their trees.
As always with new things, try with a little bit first before going wild... That is what I did too . I used lime on a peach tree and the damn thing is still alive - I was looking for a new spot for a new fig tree ... LOL . Afterwards, I used it on one fig tree and now on all. So far none of the trees did complain .

Thanks all for the great tips. Can't tell if those suggesting eating the figs with the ants are joking or not but could be a way to add protein to diet. Thanks again for the tips. I will report back.

Barry

You probably got ants nesting inside your pot like me. Like others said, tanglefoot works great just don't apply it directly to your tree. Use painters tape or paper. Then do what I do. Add a third of fire ant bait plus to your tree and water it in. That will definately get rid of them.