soured figs and ants

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GeneDaniels

Registered:1384021772
Posts: 1,014

Posted 1471091983	Reply with quote #1

Just got home from a 4 day business trip. My daughter "picked my figs for me" while I was gone, i.e. she picked the wrong ones off the trees in pots on the porch ;-) So I went through the yard picking. Many had soured and were full of ants because of all the rain we've been having. I found a few good ones. The first ripe one off my unknown I thought was good (looked OK), but when I bit into it, the fig was soured and full of ants. That was nasty! It will take a day or three before I want to eat another fig ;-( __________________ Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?

ohjustaguy

Registered:1294505489
Posts: 324

Posted 1471105368	Reply with quote #2

For your single trunk trees couldn't you put tanglefoot around the trunk to stop them from climbing? That is what I do for my stonefruit (too keep ants from farming aphids on them) __________________ San Jose 9b http://www.kevinsedibleyard.com/

Dave

Registered:1312388324
Posts: 1,482

Posted 1471120911	Reply with quote #3

I have very tiny ants that are on one of my Italian Honeys they are so small they can fit in the hole on the bottom of the fig I usually blow them off and eat them in some countries ants are a delicacy :-) __________________ Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada

GeneDaniels

Registered:1384021772
Posts: 1,014

Posted 1471121564	Reply with quote #4

I don't mind blowing the ants off the fruit, but a mouth-full, along with it being soured - that was nasty! __________________ Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?

Dave

Registered:1312388324
Posts: 1,482

Posted 1471122348	Reply with quote #5

I guess I'll never see you on an episode of FEAR FACTOR then LOL __________________ Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada

GeneDaniels

Registered:1384021772
Posts: 1,014

Posted 1471127180	Reply with quote #6

As a missionary and anthropologist I've eaten things that most Americans would kvech at, sheep eyeballs and fermented horse milk when I lived in Central Asia for example. But I don't spend so much time tending my figs in order to eat them soured and full of ants. __________________ Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?

pitangadiego

Moderator
Registered:1188871011
Posts: 5,447

Posted 1471184727	Reply with quote #7

Ants will actually consume a whole fig down t the stem in given the opportunity. They don't seem to contribute to souring - that is mostly from fruit flies and beetles. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com http://figs4fun.com http://webebananas.com "pitangadiego" everywhere

GeneDaniels

Registered:1384021772
Posts: 1,014

Posted 1471189678	Reply with quote #8

Quote: Originally Posted by pitangadiego Ants will actually consume a whole fig down t the stem in given the opportunity. They don't seem to contribute to souring - that is mostly from fruit flies and beetles. Yeah, I see this from time to time if I am away from my garden for a while. But the souring we are having right now is from rain. Buckets of rain! And 3-4 inches forecast for the coming week. All my figs are going to explode rather than ripen. The only consolation is my muscadines and fall raspberries are going to be great this year with all the rain. __________________ Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1471201393	Reply with quote #9

I leave ant stakes in bowls around my yard. If it rains I either use a plastic tent over them or an inverted bowl. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1471218435	Reply with quote #10

I have ants that are about 1/2 long and black. About 10 ants can eat a hole fig in a couple hours. No lie i put seven dust but its raining everyday now and flooding. I live in Louisiana and we are getting lots of H20. __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

Allora

Registered:1371832737
Posts: 87

Posted 1471899573	Reply with quote #11

I had ants eat a fig the other day. My figs don't seem to be ripening that fast, and when they do, the birds get to them first. Very frustrating. __________________ Valerie New York, zone 6b

johnnyq627

Registered:1366344367
Posts: 710

Posted 1471907957	Reply with quote #12

Try sprinkling used coffee grounds around the base of the tree. It works pretty well for me. __________________ Nick- Youtube: PA Figs \| eBay: tdepoala Zone 6B/7A - Douglassville, PA Wish list - Galicia Negra, Paritjal Rimada, Black Ischia UCD

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