Hi everyone,
I am relatively new to growing figs. I live in Michigan and have had a small tree (Kadota) since May 2012. I had a tree that seemed really healthy and had about 40 figs growing on it this season. A few weeks ago, I started getting a couple figs to ripen every week or so. After 2 or 3 figs ripening to the point of eating them, i had several others begin to ripen as well.

Then, several (maybe 15 of the remaining 35-ish) figs began to shrivel. This happened last year and I attribute it to a relatively small root structure (tree is in a large pot) and that the roots can't support that many figs. Anyways, very rapidly after that, even the ripening figs began to shrivel. Within a week to ten days, all the figs had shriveled and fallen from the tree. While the original figs that shriveled were just green, some of the ones that dropped turned brown and even grew some mold.

At this point, there are just leaves on the tree. A couple leaves have some brown rust and one is yellowed. But overall, this was very shocking, surprising and disappointing. There were no significant changes in weather - the climate has been pretty hot/warm without any cool nights in recent weeks. There has been little rain these past weeks so I have supplemented by watering every couple days. The tomato and pepper plants near the fig tree have been treated the same way, including a mid-July fertilization with fertilizer I have used in the past to great success.

I am hoping to avoid this next year. Does anyone have any ideas what might have happened here? Has this happened to anyone else? What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future?

Thanks for your time and input!
Andrew

Hello Andrew,
Pictures and the type of potting mix used would be helpful.
Generally, fig trees usually drop their fruit in response to stress which can be brought on by several factors, water, temperature and or nutrient deficiency. Damage to roots or being root bound can cause fig drop due to improper up take of water and nutrients, it will also cause fig drop related to temperature due to lack of water to leaves and figs, the tree will abort the fig first. Nutrient deficiency has been discussed in several topics, but when grown in containers, all necessary Macro and Micro nutrients have to be added to maintain healthy growth (Calcium and Magnesium are two that are usually ignored).
Good Luck.

Andrew
See similar discussion here
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/figs-changing-color-and-dropping-6454361

Since it is happening so widely with so many local variables, it is hard o pinpoint the exact reason of plant stress (yet).Some points are discussed in the URL mentioned above or it could be something in this year weather pattern, temperature fluctuation, rains in cold weather or similar such phenomenon. We hope we learn more on this issue.

Photos now attached. Let me know if you need others.

In terms of soil, I don't know enough about different soil types. What I can tell you is that it is the original soil from the plant I bought from Monrovia Farms was used when I transferred the fig tree from the original pot to the new pot. It was supplemented with soil from my garden, which is a soft dirt with no clay or sand. The Monrovia soil is unusual - it is almost like shredded matter. It reminds me of the "mulch" that is shredded rubber tires that people put instead of rocks or woodchips. Except this is much more of a fine shred and it was obviously of natural matter.

I can tell you that when I watered the plant before, it drains very quickly. Anyways, I put Dr. Earth Organic 9 Fruit Tree Fertilizer in mid-July. This fertilizer was applied per the instructions (based on diameter of the tree trunk) and was also used on the tomato and pepper plants. I used this fertilizer last year as well.

One likely possibility given what you told us is over fertilization. It damages the roots ability to uptake water and nutrients.

Andrew,
Thanks for posting the pictures.
IMO, there's a problem with nutrient or water up take. It may be the roots or the potting mix, and also possibly PH if the potting mix is draining properly, you probably need some Calcium and Magnesium (Dolemite Limestone). The tree needs to be bare rooted and re potted in a better potting mix. IMO, judging by the pictures, the re potting / bare rooting and root pruning can be done now, the tree is not actively growing and you would be able to get established root growth before winter dormancy. Good Luck.

As a comparison, attached is a picture of a 2nd year Kadota that has regrown from soil line, all visible grow is less that 3 months old. I've pinched most of the figlets, but have left 2 to develop, but I'm not optimistic, Autumn is almost here. Its growing in a 5 gallon bucket in a custom  5-1-1 potting mix. <edit> The plant is currently undergoing a new growth spurt (flush), due to the warming temperatures we're currently experiencing (60's nights, 70-80's days). We previously had 3 weeks of overnight temperatures down to the 50's with a few nights into the 40's and day temperatures only into the 60 's and 70's, with almost daily rain showers.

Leaf yellowing could be from under watering, or could be because the tree though it was fall. As I understand it, you have has some pretty cool weather in August. Tree should have better leaf canopy at this time of the year. Figs may be aborting because of stress.

Have you checked roots for nematodes ?

John

Hi Andrew. The thing that stands out in my mind is
the fact that the water drains out quickly. I'd bet if you
weighed the pot before, and after watering, there wouldn't
be much of a difference.
It sounds like the water is running around the sides of the
pot.
This winter you might want to give it a good soak before
repotting. Lift it out, and you'll probably find a huge dry
spot directly underneath the trunk.
Hose all the dirt off the roots and repot the plant on a mound
in the middle of the pot, draping the longer roots down around
the sides of the mound. For a stake, use a 1/2" piece of PVC that
you've perforated 4 or 5 times with a 1/4" bit. Tie the PVC to the tree
before you fill with potting soil. The 'prevents over and under watering'
stuff stays loose, and it does have a lot of mulchy material.
On the really hot days, funnel in some water through the PVC.
Keep track of the change in weight of the pot. If the roots are too
packed you might have to water, wait, and water some more to
saturate the soil.
You can also (gently) poke around with a somewhat sharp
but rounded object at the soil to aerate it. If you can't poke
anywhere without resistance you need a root pruning and/or
a much bigger pot.
Another member just turned me onto 17 gallon rope handle pots
from Kmart for 7 bucks.
Good luck.

I would agree the roots are the first place to look.  What happens many times in a commercial nursery is the tree is progressively potted up without root work.  As the roots increase in girth, they compress the growing mix.  As the growing mix compresses, it limits the roots ability to continue to grow to meet the needs of the tree.  New roots will grow into the new space in the larger container, but the constricted roots close to the trunk are limited in how much moisture/nutrients can pass through.  In effect, the roots are girdled.  Potting up does not alleviate this.  Growing in root pruning containers does not alleviate this.  Bare-rooting and root-pruning the tree is the solution.

There have been many methods of root pruning discussed in the forum.  I'm not sure one is necessarily better than the other.  It should, however, be done either when the tree goes dormant or when the tree is about to wake up in the spring.

~james