Why Does My Fig Tree Look Unhealthy?

Does your fig tree lack vigor and have bumps on twigs and leaves?

Are there any visible small insects on the plant?

Is the fruit soured, mushy or smutty?

Is the fruit full of ants?

Do the leaves have raised, rusty spots on their undersides?

Do the inner branches have a pink-white, velvety coating on them?

Are the leaves spotted?

The insects that are infesting your fig tree are scales. These tiny, shelled insects often feed on the undersides of the leaves, causing an unhealthy appearance with yellowish blotches on the upper leaf surfaces. Scrape off minor infestations with your fingernail. Prune out badly infested growth, or use a soft brush and soapy water to gently scrub the scales off the stems. Control scales by spraying dormant oil just before the growing season.

Some nematodes may attack figs and cause disease-like symptoms. Figs grown in sandy soils are especially susceptible to nematode infestation. If you have sandy soil, plant your fig tree near a building and apply a thick, organic mulch. Both of these strategies help to deter nematodes.

Sour bug grubs carry bacteria that cause figs to turn sour, mushy or smutty. Sour bugs are small black beetles that crawl into the eye of fruit to lay eggs. Clean up fallen fruit, which attracts beetles. To prevent sour bug damage, grow closed-eye cultivars such as ‘Brown Turkey’, ‘Celeste’, ‘Green Ischia’ and ‘Mission’.

Ants often enter the figs eye to feed on ripe fruit. To prevent this, band stems with heavy paper coated with sticky material or place ant bait stations containing boric acid around the trees.

Raised, rusty spots on the undersides of the leaves are caused by the fungal disease Rust. Leaves may yellow and die. To control this disease, rake up and destroy fallen leaves. Where the problem is severe, spray with copper.

The fungal disease Pink blight causes these symptoms. Cut out diseased tissues, destroy them immediately and open the inside of your fig by thinning out up to a third of the smaller growth, creating plenty of space for air circulation.

The fungal disease leaf blight often attacks fig leaves and twigs. Prune off all infected leaves and twigs to stop the disease from spreading. Thin plants to increase air circulation and allow sunlight to reach inner branches. Rake and destroy all fallen leaves and fruit.

If the leaves appear mottled or have spots with rust-colored bands, your fig might be suffering from Fig mosaic virus. There is no cure for viral diseases. The plant should be removed and destroyed to prevent further spread.