I bought a Celeste fig in...late Jan, early Feb in a 3 gal container. It was growing well through May and had some fruits as well. Then I moved because my landlord was selling his property. I have a backyard now and I thought it would be more of an opportunity for my Celeste fig to get some sun. It got heat stressed and the fruits fell off, so I moved it into the shade and watered it a little more. All the leaves fell off (turning yellow, then crispy brown) and it was left to green buds at the tips. Now the buds are dark brown. I snapped a few of the branches off and the interior is a light brown - but there's no green (I haven't checked further down the thicker trunk yet.) 

What odds me out about it the most is that I have an Italian Black fig that I've been keeping at the side of the carport - so it doesn't get as much sun but...what I'm assuming to be bright shade. It lost all of it's leaves, but now it has a lot of new growth. 

I moved my Celeste fig over to the carport side with the other fig, but I feel like efforts beyond this point might be pointless. Everything I've read about fig trees dying usually has to do with them freezing and not recovering, but it's been scorching lately (100F+) and I can't help but think that I heat killed my fig :(

Christine, sorry to read about what appears to be the demise of your Céleste fig tree. If I were you, I would keep it in the shade and keep the soil somewhat moist but not wet some part of the trunk in the soil might still have a bit of life.

On plants which appear dead I usually use my thumb nail to make a small scratch on the trunk just above the soil line to determine whether there is still some green. If no green there under the bark, it is a goner. But then again, with figs, keep it somewhat moist in the shade for a while longer; a green shoot might appear from the root base.

Marcel

I would take cuttings off of it and try rooting them out. If there is still any life in it you may be able to bring the cuttings to life. I would rather take cuttings than lose everything. I've been wanting a Celeste forever so God sake try and save something from it lol

I checked further down the trunk - there's a little green under the bark so fingers crossed. Now I just want to make sure I don't over compensate and kill it. It's frigging hot and it's currently in mostly shade with a bit of sun. Any recommendations? I'm tempted to take in inside, but I know they don't normally grow in AC environments. 

What zone are you in? I know people that grow Celeste in Texas with minimal issues. Did you take it from the shade of your old house to full sun at the new house? If you don't gradually move it into the full sun over two weeks than you will sun burn your leaves and fall off. I have a feeling that's what you did. They will eventually regrow but you set your plant back at least a month

I'm in 8B. I have a feeling that I need a more specific definition of gradual. I thought my move was gradual. I was also thinking that any heat stress might be exacerbated by it still being potted - this is just me fishing in the dark though, I'm not certain of anything. I'll be lucky if I only set it back a month. Fall is coming (theoretically) so I'm not sure it'll grow anything before the dormant period comes. 

Morning sun only for the first week. Morning sun and early afternoon sun second week. Full sun after that. You can do it slower than that and to be honest the slower the better

All I ask is if you ever do cuttings keep me in mind. Again like I said the slower the better. I know people I that take a month to get to full sun. The higher the agriculture zone the slower you need to go. Again a minimum of two weeks though

What king of pot is the 3 gallon container? Plastic, ceramic, other?  

My two cents:

1. Repot into a five gallon container using a high quality potting soil. A bigger pot will help insulate the roots from the heat. If you’re in Texas, see if you can track down Vortex Potting Soil. http://www.ladybugbrand.com/our-products/soils/vortex-potting-soil/

2. Water from the bottom only (using a saucer).

3. Keep it in the bright shade / carport. Keep it away from late afternoon direct sun.

4. Keep the container off concrete. If the carport is cemented, elevate the pot w/ a brick or two and get soma air circulating underneath the container.

Dumb question: Is there value to keeping it in the sun when it's been reduced to twig branches? There are no leaves for photosynthesis and I've read about keeping the stems protected from the sun. Perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit, but sometimes it feels like the Texas sun should be in a category of it's own. 

Nic40, will definitely keep you in mind if I can get some cuttings off this one

sobelri, 

It's in a black plastic 3 gal. I've been meaning to re-pot it, but after all the heat stress it's been through, would transplant shock not be anything additional to worry about?

If you have no leaves you can put it right out in the sun. When it does start to regrow the leaves will be accustomed to the full sun so no need to harden it off.

I sometimes rush it in the spring and end up losing all the leaves on a couple trees. They grow back stronger than ever. Dont overwater it right now, just keep it moist and you should be fine.

My advice is
To keep the pot in the shade;
Shade the pot with foil or plywood something that keeps sun rays off the pot;
maintain the soil somewhat moist;
Do not disturb the plant; this plant has been seriously traumatized and does not need further stress.

Based on my 60 years of growing all kinds of woody and herbaceous plants, I think you have a better chance of the plant recovering this way than to have success making a cutting of what is left alive of the trunk.

Best wishes for your Céleste recovery. Where there is green there is hope.

Marcel

I always recommend a black pot for plants. However with you being in Texas I would not recommend anything under a 10 gallon pot to be honest. I'm in PA and most of mine are in the 15 gallon ones with handles. A fig tree that's given enough neutriants to grow should almost out grow a 3 gallon its first year. Than its second year should be in a 10 gallon

I aggre with Marcel about moving it to a shaded area. At most morning sun. With the plant already being traumatized and set back at least a month. I wouldn't expect any figs from it this year. I would just let it recover

Hello? I've been a fig tree for two years. I've experienced lots of trials and errors. Like most plants, fig trees do not need to grow in growth periods. But if you need to move around, you need to move around in the shade and focus on the water for a week, so that the roots can adapt to the roots.

I must have cuttings of this talking fig tree...

Some good advice above. Especially from sobelri. When he asked about the pot, I was afraid that you were going to say that the tree was in a black plastic pot. A combination of a black plastic nursery pot and full Houston summer sun is almost sure death for a fruit tree. Unless you can keep it watered about twice a day to keep it cooled down. I paint all my plastic nursery pots white, or keep the pots shaded.

I think your main original problem is that your tree got way to hot and dry with that pot in our summer sun, and the roots seriously overheated and most died.

I moved almost all my potted trees, even the ones in white SIP containers, to more shaded areas week ago. Leaving them morning and some noonday sun, but shade in afternoon. 

Just keep your tree in the shade and well watered for as long as it takes to recover. Maybe the rest of the year. The shade will not hurt it, and may save the tree.

If you lose the tree just remember the Houston Garden Center will start their 70% off sale in the next week or two, and you should be able to get a health Celeste for about $10. But hopefully your's will recover. Best of luck!

You can also PM me if you want, as I have a few Celeste that I have rooted recently as 'give away trees" for people who ask about my figs. I am trying to keep a few on hand all the time for this.

CliffH

Thank you everyone! I'm probably going to configure some kind of mix of the advice given, and see if my fig bush will start talking to me again. 

CliffH, I appreciate the offer, but I'm based out of Austin.