On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 01:12:03 -0400, "laurie \(Mother Mastiff\)"
wrote:

I am still a fig novice, and although the tree is getting HUGE this year and
has a lot of small fruit (the size of a big man's fat thumbs), despite
watering in hot spells, the largest fruit nearest to ripening falls off.

I put more pine straw mulch under it today to try to keep roots cool and
moist. Haven't fertilized since once lightly in early spring.

Is this early fruit drop a symptom of a particular problem that is curable
or at least treatable? A giant magnolia tree shades it in the morning but
it gets full sun from noon onward.

We have been awaiting our figs very eagerly, imagining the wonderful
clafoutis (fruit puddings) to be made.... Would hate to see all the fruit
drop off, since there was NO fruit to be seen last year.

Thanks for any practical advice,

laurie (Mother Mastiff)

I've had celeste (?) figs (small) in Durham, and now in Chatham have a
brown turkey (huge.. size of small peaches). I never watered either.
Maybe you are giving it too much water. I have had a huge first crop
of figs this year (usually only get a few on the first crop), and the
second crop is coming in big.
Last year August was dry, and I had a bumper second crop. But for
three years prior, it rained a lot in August, and the little holes
would open in the end of each fig before they got ripe, and bugs would
get in and the fruit would rot before it got ripe. You'd get drunk
just walking by that tree, if you inhaled.
I think all the figs originated in arid lands, no? I think the trees
themselves like water (mine is now a giant octopus, and I will need to
alter my stone walkway this winter to allow for it), but the fruit
doesn't.
Kira