Rich warned me but I still managed to somehow burn the leaves on a couple cuttings while trying to harden them off. Now what do I do? Is there still a chance the plants can pull through?

 

Scott, tell us more about the environment, pictures would tell best...
Perhaps you can create semi shade protection for them...like window screen above them?

Hi Aaron. Temp was in the low 70s and sun today. I had them on the east side of the house from morning until lunch around noon. That pic was the worst of them. I am assuming burn but being new I have no idea what the white discoloration is.  Thanks!

Are these cuttings well rooted?  If they have a good root system don't even worry about this discoloration.  The strong sunlight bleached away all the chlorophyll.  New leaves will grow to replace these burnt leaves, and the tree will never miss a beat.  Keep this tree in some morning sun, and gradually increase sun exposure after the tree sprouts some new leaves.  These newer, tougher leaves, will be able to take full sunlight without any problems.

Good luck and good growing.


Frank

That looks like burn, but don't put them back inside, it may lose the burnt leaves but the new ones will emerge and all will be better. Slowly move them towards South West. the best location for long full sun and heat... Figs love heat and sunlight and regular watering. Moderate watering.Add more mulch to keep the water from evaporation fast.

Thanks! I did bring it back inside because I didn't know what to do! I will put back out on the east side that gets morning sun and shade in the afternoon. Roots looked great on all the cuttings. This particular one had filled 3/4 of a half gallon milk jug.

Haha. I was hoping you saw this. =)

They may shed the leaves, but will most likely be fine and will flush new leaves in time.

You have to think of new plants like new babies. You don't put babies outside in the sun all day the day after they are born. Appreciate how HARSH sunlight is when you or your plant is not accustomed to it.

Many of my established trees just had a similar experience. They were flushing tender new growth when we had a week of 90-95F weather with 10-20% humidity. The tender new growth could not rehydrate fast enough to compete with the hot weather and low, low humidity, so the got crispied, many dropped off, and they are reflushing now.

Thanks Jon,

Part of the problem is that it was in the 80's and I was two days into hardening them off then a cold front came through dropping the temp down to 37 so I had to bring them back inside for a couple days. Usually after mothers day we don't have to worry about those kinds of temps but not this year. Anyway, I probably should have started them back to square one after bringing inside for a bit. I am determined to grow the first fresh fig that I have ever tasted! Let's just hope I like them. Haha

Everybody gets alarmed the first time they see sun burn on young leaves. It happens every year....those leaves will fall off and like jon said, new ones will emerge. Nothing to worry about. Just be happy. Fig trees are great!

Thanks Dennis,

Learning new things all the time. I hope I get some tough figs! That's the plan at least! 

Hi Hoosierguy86,
The leaves got burn by sun and/or by cold temps - under 10°C.
I would find a shady spot under another tree and move them step by step from shade to partial shade and in end of June into full sun - if you're not in a desert of course else keep them where they are more comfortable ...
Were the pots on concrete ? Concrete holds the heat and will make the matter worse . Put them on dirt, as dirt will not get so hot that quick.

The tree will recover if you baby it a bit .

My grandfather says to remove old or burnt leafs as they can hinder the tree growth.

The same thing happened to about 3 or 4 out of about 20 of my new little trees, and like Jon said they are flushing out with new growth and are doing fine, and I did not move them back in, I left them out in the sun.

i let them burn off. in about a month, providing the roots are good, it will recover nicely. 

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/pix-unk-union-berry-and-unk-bonita-verte-6852031?pid=1282727629#post1282727629

Beautiful! Thank you all and I hope to post pictures similar to Pete's in a little bit!

You all were right. New green growth is pushing out despite my best attempts to burn the plants. =). I just left them out where they were and new leaves came on all but one so far but that one is my nemesis (panache). There is always one...Here is a pic of burned leaves and new growth starting. Thanks again for the help!

 

  

Another picture. Also noting to start new cuttings on the south side of the house. My dad took the ones I gave him and placed on south side of house first then east with no trouble where I went straight to the east. 


 

    Scott...I learned that painful lesson in previous years...so now I put all my trees in a shaded area of the yard...this lets them get gradually acclimated to being outside without the direct rays of the sun beating down on those tender leaves...then I gradually allow them to receive more and more sun until they are ready for full exposure...the good news is that all those trees that got damaged in the past all made a full recovery during the growing season, so by the end of the season you could not tell them apart from those that were not damaged...best of luck with your trees.

Scott, if this is any reassurance, several of my new cuttings did the same and you know what happened?
Mother nature responded to the leaf damage by opening the bud and producing new growth and leaves- sooner than if there had not been any sun damage. I know this because I have other cuttings of the same age that had no damage to the leaves and they are STAGNANT! Not doing anything- go figure! So, the little plants that got sunburn are growing like weeds and the others are doing very little!

Look at it this way: do you even put on sunscreen to keep from getting a sunburn from the fluorescent lights in your house? Sunlight is very, very strong: that's why you wear sunscreen and why plants need to "work up" to full sunlight.

I like that analogy Jon.

Last month, we started getting high temperature and I started moving my trees outside. Some were under grow lamps and the sun wasn't out. It was cloudy and my trees still burned. The sun is so strong! Today I just cut off all the leaves. Now, you would never know the trees were burned.

I like the analogy too. And yup I also found out overcast sky's and cool weather don't matter. Also just because the leaves are dark green or dont show any sign of wilting doesnt mean they can take the sun all day. The sun can still burn them. Luckily they pulled through just fine but I could have made it a little less stressful for them. First one to make plant sunscreen wins! =) I can hear the neighbors now. "What are you doing?" Don't mind me I'm just putting sunscreen on my figs! Haha