Newly planted fig struggling

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Hello all...

I planted a fig tree in February. I believe it is a Kadota that I got from Whitfill Nursery. I'm only not sure because I thought it was a black mission but the first crop in May said otherwise. It has looked fine up until about 4 weeks ago and started to have leaves turn yellow and drop. It's leaves wilt pretty bad in the direct sun right now. It has looked worse and worse each day. It gets flood irrigation every 2 weeks and I've been hand watering with a hose every week in between. Like I said, it seemed to be doing fine with that watering before it got hot so I was guessing it wasn't getting enough water. I started to water every 3 days to see if I could slow down the leaf dropping but so far no luck. I'm afraid I'm going to lose it. Any other thoughts? No way I could be watering too much now right? Below is a photo from last week. It actually doesn't look too bad in the pic but it has gotten quite a bit worse since. Some branches don't have any leaves.

It has about 30 figs growing on it. Probably more figs than leaves. Should I pick those off to help it survive?

Thanks for the help in advance!

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Comments (4)

ernie85017, zn 9, phx
11 years ago
When you wanter, put the hose at the drip line and let it just trickle over night. That's the only way to get the water deep enough. Figs often need shading from the sun.
grant_in_arizona
11 years ago
If it was mine, I'd pull off most of the figs so the plant could save energy to use elsewhere. Let us know what you do and how it works out. Good luck!
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Fascist_Nation
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
What the heck is that nursery stake still doing attached to the tree????? That should have been tossed before planting.

And it is troubling the tree is still staked. It should be able to stand on its own by now---and probably when it was planted. Now it is all wispy and spindly and dependent on its crutches. Makes me wonder how trees ever made it in this world without you to come around and bind them to a pair of stakes?

Get that grass 18" away from the trunk (unless it is St. Augustine). Scuff it off. And keep it away.

Spread a good 4" thick layer of wood chips (not wood bark) around the tree out to 4 feet from the trunk. Keep it 2"-12" away from next to the trunk. This will help keep some of the allelopathic grass at bay. You might want to consider putting a cover crop (maybe red clover) in this immediate area around the trunk to keep the grass out and the mulch away.

As Grant confirmed, go ahead and remove the figs this year.

As Ernie said, that off week between flood irrigation you want to make sure you are watering 3 feet deep. It looks like it is shaded in morning and afternoon by the photo? If it is not shaded from about 3:30PM onward this summer try adding a western shade barrier this summer. If it helps it should perk up noticeably within 48 hours.
Gilbert Sun Devil
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for all the advice. To be honest, I had not noticed the planting stake. I have removed it. I have also removed most of the figs...that makes sense. I'm going to keep the tree staked for at least one monsoon season. I've head too many stories of newly planted trees blowing over.

The fig does get morning and afternoon shade, afternoon by about 4 PM. The leaves don't seem to bounce back as much as I would expect in the evening.

I'll also water longer than I have been. I have been doing about an hour from a hose on a moderate rate. Usually about a 6 foot diameter around the tree is soaked. But I'll try and water slower and longer and see if that helps. Irrigation tomorrow night so at least it will get a good drink then!