Z Man,

Very possibly, you did over fertilize. No need to be too alarmed. Just forego the liquid feeding for the duration of the growing season.

Usually over fertilizing symptoms are first, yellowing leaf tips, then the yellowed tips enlarge as they extend further away from the tip, finally the very tips turn a paper bag color bordered by a yellowing band further up the leaf. If the over fertilization continues, the color pattern enlarges until the leaf dies and falls off. The excess salts in the leaves due to over fertilization are concentrated at the leaf tips, hence the damage manifesting there first.

I have used the 3 month feed, Miracle Grow, Shake 'n Feed Rose and Bloom pellets this year on my potted fig orchard of 21 trees. They are thriving. First feed was in April when the figs were put out. The second feed was in July which rounds out the year. I am very pleased with their progress and plan to use the same fertilizer program next year.

The nice thing about the Shake 'n Feed is that when the pellets are exhausted of fertilizer, they have dissolved, and are no longer visible. I verified this fact with the folks at the Miracle Grow eight hundred number. So, over or under fertilization is easy to SEE by the presence or absence of pellets!

Figs don't need extremely rich soil, average fertility is what they want. As much sun as you can give them, as much heat as you can give them, adequate watering with excellent drainage....give a fig all this and stand back and watch it do its fig thing.

Moses

Thanks Moses for your detailed response. It sounds like you have got fig growing down to great science.

I am just container growing since I live in an apt with a patio only. I know it's very easy to over-fertilize with containers because the salts can get so concentrated. I will just leave it the way it is and see how it does. Thanks again!

Z

Z Man,

Not at all, I just like figs. It's a trial and error project. Fortunately figs are tough and adaptable.

I have an ideal spot to pot cultivate them in my cold, short season location. It's a no longer needed cement car pad, 20' X 25', surrounded on three sides by walls, and with a southern exposure.

It is beastly hot and drenched in sun, just what figs want....Southern California in Western PA, but a short season in which to ripen.

It is essentially a dead, useless zone turned into a portable fig orchard.

Moses

That's great Moses. My favorite thing to grow is bananas. I just love how fast they grow and how different varieties behave. The problem right now is I don't have the space. Once I get a house it'll be so much better growing things in the ground!

Z