| 6 months ago :: Oct 06, 2009 - 4:05PM #1 | |
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Hello: I live in Florida and about 1 year ago, I purchased a potted fig tree approx. 2 1/2 feet tall. I decided to keep it in the pot, and put it on my back porch. It gets sun most of the day, and living in Florida, plenty of humidity. I water it when the soil begins to look a little dry, and fertilize it twice a year.
Here is my question: It hasn't grown one bit and when I bought it, it actually had 2 or 3 figs on it. Since I have had it, it has not bloomed any figs, and is not growing. It has gone through spells of the leaves turning yellow than brown and falling off, but the leaves always grew back. Now it is losing some of it's leaves, but I don't see any knew buds. It just seems to have gone dormant since the day that I took it home. It doesn't seem happy or thriving.
Do you have any recommendations?? Is there a certain specific brand of fertilizer or anything that can make this fig tree happy? |
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| 6 months ago :: Oct 06, 2009 - 4:53PM #2 | |
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Esther, your fig is certainly water-stressed, and that is why you're seeing repeated yellowing and dropping of its leaves. A drought-stressed fig will not flower and yield fruits. I have a few more questions to help remedy the problem. What color and type/size of container do you currently have the fig growing? Where is it located? I mean, yes in full sun, but is it getting a lot of reflected light off of a garage wall or white concrete patio? Are any roots coming out of the bottom of the container in which it is growing? Do you think your plant is rootbound in the pot it's currently in? I have a hunch...but would like to hear what conditions this fig is being exposed. It could be as simply as a slightly larger pot with some fresh soil and relocation on your property. It seems your fertilizer regime has nothing to do with your troubles. |
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| 6 months ago :: Oct 07, 2009 - 7:47AM #3 | |
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The foliar disease, Fig rust (Physopella fici), may also be complicating matters. It's a particular problem in hot, humid climates. Have you seen small, orange-yellow spots on the leaves? Fig trees with rust lose their lower leaves first and may become completely defoliated. Fig rust can be controlled with a neutral copper spray. Spray in late-spring or early summer and again a month later. |
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| 6 months ago :: Oct 07, 2009 - 2:43PM #4 | |
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Thank you for your insight. After reading your suggestions, I checked the container. It seems to be around a 1 or a 1 1/2 gallon container, and when I pulled up on the main trunk of the fig tree, it came right out of the container along with the dirt, intact. The roots do not appear to be "cramped". It was mainly packed dirt with some roots visible, but I have seen what you are talking about, where it is mainly white roots (tightly packed) with little dirt. I did, however, notice it was very dry. I think that you were right, I am not watering enough. I did notice some brown spots about the size of a dime on the yellowing leaves. It is on my screened porch, on the east side, therefore it pretty much gets sun all day. It is like a pool cage type screened in porch without a solid top--it is screened on top as well. It does not have any walls near it. I have only been watering it about once a week. I guess I wasn't paying much attention to the moisture of the soil. Your input is greatly appreciated. I want to try and save this tree before it is too far gone.
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| 6 months ago :: Oct 07, 2009 - 2:47PM #5 | |
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Just to clarify...I have seen what root bound plants look like in other plants...but my fig tree did not appear that way. |
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