Q.Brown Turkey Figs
Our fig tree is about a year old and is planted in the ground in Scottsdale, AZ. The first crop in the spring had about 10 figs that did not fully ripen. The second crop, in the fall, has more than 100 figs. I shaded the tree from the Arizona sun in the late summer and early fall. The tree is on an automatic drip watering system, and seems to get plenty of water. Mulching helps keep the roots cooler. The figs are dark purple and their stem is limp so the fruit hangs near the branch. The figs are plump and soft. But, the outer shell of the fig is very tough and not edible at all. My wife cooked them as she has prepared figs for years. The canned figs taste good, and the insides are moist and sweet even when raw. But, the shell remains real tough and not edible even when cooked. Do you have any hints or remedies to our situation?
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Yes. Some figs just do this in response to a dry environment. If you can mist, or put it on a sprinkler system in the early morning, then this can help. You can also add a little more phosphorus to the soil. This should help this out a bit as well.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/figs/how-to-grow-figs.htm
