Fig fruit not being fertilised/pollinated
 

Neighbours have a nice sized fig tree which has loads of green figs.
We admired it, and they said they lost all their figs each year - they
dropped off.
Looking at it over the last few days we have seen the figs changing colour
as if they were ripening.
So we went round for a chat, thinking "It can't be as simple as the figs are
dropping because they are ripe.".

Well, the figs look ripe, but they are soft and spongy.
When broken open there is some flesh, but no seeds - just the inward facing
flowers.
So it looks as though they have not been pollinated.

Now memory plus a quick Google says that pollination is by wasps specific to
each type of fig.
I suspect that there is probably not a colony of wasps for this fig and that
is where the problem lies.

We have never had any problem with our Brown Turkey, which leads me to
believe that it is self fertile.

For this other fig tree (a gift from another gardener and of unknown
species) is there anything that can be done to fertilise the fruit
artificially, or locate wasps to provide the fertilisation?

I must say that the description of the female wasp laying eggs as part of
the fertilisation process, and grubs maturing within the fruit, did not
sound particularly apetising.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

Fig fruit not being fertilised/pollinated
 

"David WE Roberts" wrote in message
...
snip
Well, the figs look ripe, but they are soft and spongy.
When broken open there is some flesh, but no seeds - just the inward
facing flowers.
So it looks as though they have not been pollinated.
snip
http://s817.photobucket.com/albums/z...reyCatUK/Figs/

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

My understanding is that the figs that we generally grow to eat fresh are from a group that don't need pollination to set fruit - ie they'll produce fruit without seeds in them (ie slightly different from being self fertile). The bits inside our Brown Turkey fruits I don't think are viable seeds - but I may be wrong.

So there's two possibilities 1) that the figs are dropping for some cultural reason, eg too dry. Must admit this sounds improbable if it's happening every year.

2) the fig in question has been acquired from an overseas source and is one of the ones that needs pollination (apparently these varieties are the ones normally used for dried figs). Since the fig pollinating wasps don't live in this country, it's hard to see what could be done to achieve pollination if this is the case.

If you want a more authoritative reply, you could try telephoning or emailing Reads Nursery, who supply a huge number of varieties of fig. They used to be regular posters to urg.

I believe that volunteer figs grow in certain areas of Britain, which result from seeds from dried figs which have got into the environment after passing through the guts of humans or animals. Perhaps this is what they have.

Fig fruit not being fertilised/pollinated
 

"kay" wrote in message
...

'David WE Roberts[_2_ Wrote:
;893409']

Well, the figs look ripe, but they are soft and spongy.
When broken open there is some flesh, but no seeds - just the inward
facing
flowers.
So it looks as though they have not been pollinated.

Now memory plus a quick Google says that pollination is by wasps
specific to
each type of fig.
I suspect that there is probably not a colony of wasps for this fig and
that
is where the problem lies.

We have never had any problem with our Brown Turkey, which leads me to
believe that it is self fertile.


My understanding is that the figs that we generally grow to eat fresh
are from a group that don't need pollination to set fruit - ie they'll
produce fruit without seeds in them (ie slightly different from being
self fertile). The bits inside our Brown Turkey fruits I don't think are
viable seeds - but I may be wrong.

So there's two possibilities 1) that the figs are dropping for some
cultural reason, eg too dry. Must admit this sounds improbable if it's
happening every year.

2) the fig in question has been acquired from an overseas source and is
one of the ones that needs pollination (apparently these varieties are
the ones normally used for dried figs). Since the fig pollinating wasps
don't live in this country, it's hard to see what could be done to
achieve pollination if this is the case.

If you want a more authoritative reply, you could try telephoning or
emailing Reads Nursery, who supply a huge number of varieties of fig.
They used to be regular posters to urg.


Thanks.
I doubt cultural reasons because the tree looks happy and healthy, and also
the figs (as shown in the photos) look normal and ripe apart from the lack
of 'juiciness' inside.

As a gift of unknown species I think it is probably more likely that it does
require a pollinating wasp.

A shame, because if this is the case then the tree will be replaced - it is
taking up space and not producing anything useful.
Hopefully it will be replaced by a more appropriate variety of fig.

From my random Googling, for Ficus in general it seems that the concealed
flowers are formed and the trigger for ripening is the fertilisation.
However in this case the fruit seems to be ripening anyway so I am slightly
puzzled.

I am contacting Reads - thanks.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

Fig fruit not being fertilised/pollinated
 

In article ,
lid says...

"kay" wrote in message
...

'David WE Roberts[_2_ Wrote:
;893409']

Well, the figs look ripe, but they are soft and spongy.
When broken open there is some flesh, but no seeds - just the inward
facing
flowers.
So it looks as though they have not been pollinated.

Now memory plus a quick Google says that pollination is by wasps
specific to
each type of fig.
I suspect that there is probably not a colony of wasps for this fig and
that
is where the problem lies.

We have never had any problem with our Brown Turkey, which leads me to
believe that it is self fertile.


My understanding is that the figs that we generally grow to eat fresh
are from a group that don't need pollination to set fruit - ie they'll
produce fruit without seeds in them (ie slightly different from being
self fertile). The bits inside our Brown Turkey fruits I don't think are
viable seeds - but I may be wrong.

So there's two possibilities 1) that the figs are dropping for some
cultural reason, eg too dry. Must admit this sounds improbable if it's
happening every year.

2) the fig in question has been acquired from an overseas source and is
one of the ones that needs pollination (apparently these varieties are
the ones normally used for dried figs). Since the fig pollinating wasps
don't live in this country, it's hard to see what could be done to
achieve pollination if this is the case.

If you want a more authoritative reply, you could try telephoning or
emailing Reads Nursery, who supply a huge number of varieties of fig.
They used to be regular posters to urg.


Thanks.
I doubt cultural reasons because the tree looks happy and healthy, and also
the figs (as shown in the photos) look normal and ripe apart from the lack
of 'juiciness' inside.

Your assumtions are correct, its only the named selected forms of fig
that can produce fruit without the pollinator present, some varieties are
only self fertile for the first crop (Brown Turkey I think is one of
these) others will set two crops if the winter is also mild enough.
There is nothing you can do to make a seedling fig bear fruit I am afraid
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Ah, so there's no point in rowing one of my Brown Turkeys in the greenhouse to try and get a second crop? Thanks - that's useful to know.

I just wish it would get the crops the right way round, drop the crop which has 30 fruits and set the crop which has 100.