My 5-year-old fig tree planted from bare root is now 10 feet tall started looking unhealthy at the end of last year. Now the new leaves are small, yellowish and browning at the edges. No fruit yet. Planted in a gopher basket and did very well the first three years. Tested soil and is very alkaline. Added some acid to it last night.
These plants require deep watering at least every two weeks. Here are some articles that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/figs/how-to-grow-figs.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/figs/common-fig-tree-diseases.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/figs/fig-tree-is-producing-fruit.htm
I have a fig tree which all of sudden was attacked by borers. It looks like somebody stuck a bunch of small matches (hollow matches about 1/2 inch long) to the tree. It showed up all of sudden.
It is hard to say what kind of borer, as there are several that can attack figs, and you can only identify it if you see it. This article covers several kinds of borers and recommends treatments:
https://extension.missouri.edu/p/g7190
I have a 3 year old fig tree not producing figs. Last fall we cut it back and wrapped it. We unveiled it 2 weeks ago. Still no foliage. I live in NJ.
Figs need about 3-6 years to reach maturity and be able to fruit. You may just need to wait a little longer to get fruit. This article will help as well:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/figs/fig-tree-is-producing-fruit.htm
Your fig may also have died back some. If the branches are still pliable, the branch is still alive and will leaf out. If it is brittle, it is dean and will not. But even if the branches are dead, figs often regrow from the roots, so look for that as well.
I live in central Alabama, a little east of Birmingham. I have a lot of sandstone (and therefore sand) in my yard. My lot used to be heavily wooded before it was bobcatted for trainer homes. There is still a lot of trees, but also open areas. Most of the topsoil in the bobcatted areas was removed and not replaced. Can I grow figs in this type of soil? Also, how big/old do fig trees have to be to produce fruit?
You can grow figs there. When you plant them, make sure that you backfill the hole with good topsoil, instead of the sandy soil. I would also make sure that you add some topsoil or mulch (that will become soil) a few feet around the trees. This will eventually work its way into the sandy soil. You may also need to water a bit more than usual, depending on how fast the trees grow.
Figs take about 3 year to fruit when grown from a cutting. Sometimes sooner, but that is the average.
We bought our fig tree about 18 months ago. It is about 6 feet tall. Last year we got good figs. We live in northeast Houston. After this winter, the tree started to get leaves, but they have all fallen off, and it is completely bare. I am afraid that it may be dead or dying. It gets plenty of sun and water. What do you think is wrong, and is there anything you can suggest to help it?
This winter was particularly cold for most of the U.S. It is possible that it simply got too cold or was caught in a late cold snap. If the stems are still alive, it will regrow its leaves. If the stems are dead, but the roots are alive, it will regrow from the root. This article will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm
Two years ago, my husband purchased a fig tree for me for Mother's Day. Surprisingly, it bore fruit its first season. We read up on its care, and the first year wrapped it in tar paper, uncovering it in mid to late March. It did not look promising and we thought that we lost it, but sometime in June, leaves appeared. Last year we just had leaves, no fruit. We did some more reading and decided not to wrap it last fall. Here we are in May, and again it is not looking good. Just bare branches. We live in northern NJ, where winters are not really extreme, but they are cold. It was well watered during the summer and planted in a very sunny spot. Can you offer us any hope?
Perhaps, this article will help in the future: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/figs/fig-cold-protection.htm
For now, you'll just have to wait. As long as the stems are still alive, the leaves will regrow. This article will help determine if the tree is still alive: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm
I live in NJ and my fig tree I bought last year did great. I covered and wrapped it over the winter. The branches seem soft and black this spring, however. What could this be? It still has no leaves.
It was a very cold winter this year, and they may have died, especially if the branches are soft and black, which indicates cold damage. However, figs can grow back from the roots, if the roots survived. Check the roots to see if they are still healthy. If they are, give the tree some time to sprout. You may find this article helpful:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm