Hi Susan,
You don't write whether your fig trees are in pots or in the ground. If in ground, they will rarely ever need feeding, unless you notice that they're growing less than a foot a year. Potted figs will need a regular feeding program as nutrients leech out from all the watering. Either a very, very weak solution of Miracle Grow, or some time released fertilizer granules at the top. (I like to used blood meal at the top, but this can be stinky)

The only bug problem I've ever had was ants crawling up to enter the fruit through the eye. This can be stopped with a band of Tanglefoot near the base of the tree. Another possible problem could be wasps if you allow overripe fruit to accumulate at the base of tree -- but I could never imagine that happening with any of my trees.

Yes, they are in the ground and doing very well, I just wondered if they were like growing other fruit trees in the case of pruning, etc in order to get more figs. What is Tanglefoot?

Thank you

Susandonb,
tanglefoot is a grease like substance thats sticky like honey harmless to tree,like Gene said you go around in circlr near base of ttrunk and ants cant get past it so you wont eat fig and have ants in your mouth like i did one year. It can be bought at some gardeb centers or you can google it , comes in tube or plastic containers different sizes. You should have saw my face afterward.
Martin
Martin

OOOWWWWWWWW! GROSSSSS! I may never eat another fig. :(

Susan ,
no no trust me you will not worry about any ants ever being on your tree if you use tanglefoot. The ant problem i had was becasuse i did not know they were there until first eaten fig then i new and as i looked at tree they were there. But someone mention this product before so i tried it. No any last several years since useing it. Like i said the stuff is harmless and its a barrier they cannot get past. Just apply around the base of trunk right above soil. I have since eaten hundreds and hundreds of figs and never saw an ant period.
Course them darn blasted yellow jackets almost stung me several years back when i went to grab a ripe fig and he was on the back of it. Since put some small bottle traps in landscaping trees that are close by and they dont bother the figs much anymore.
Everyone has problems with one critter or another,weather its, squirrels, racoons, birds, wasps, ants, RKN, Gohpers eating roots. Plants grow outside were the bugs are and its up to us to somewhat control them. So use the tanglefoot and be ant free and dont worry , that sad face you made will be this in the fall season ; )
Martin

It sounds like this tanglefoot is just petroleum jelly (vasaline). Do you know if there is any difference between the two (tanglefoot and petroleum jelly)?

Tanglefoot is much stickier than vasaline, but there's no harm in trying pj first. I would strongly advise against applying either directly to the bark. TF maker sells a wide paper roll with which one can create a band around the trunk on which to apply the goo. I've used it, and as a substitute, foil. Both worked.

I would describe tanglefoot as more like tree sap than vaseline.

You do not want to get it on your fingers.

I looked at the tube of tanglefoot and the ingredients listed are

Castor Oil
Natural Gum Resins
Vegtable Wax

Martin

Cool, thanks for that, I have ants on my lemon tree, Ill try that. So far the figs are fine (only two trees under 3 feet tall).