Black Genoa Fig (forum)

Michelleprcic@hotmail.com starts with ...
I purchased a Black Genoa Fig Tree at the beginning of the year. I transferred the tree into a large pot which is on my balcony (i live in an apartment). When i recieved the tree it had 5 small figs, i have already harvested 3 figs. Once the fig is ready to harvest and after picking, the next fig really blossoms, and so forth. It seems to grow overnight. I do water the tree everyday, and I have not fertilized the tree since transplanting to the larger pot (though i did add dynamic lifter to the organic potting mix before planting). I have also tested the pH level which shows a reading of 7.5. Ever since transplanting the tree most of the leaves have curled up, some leaves went back to normal (flat) but over the last couple of days they have really curled up. The leaves are really green and rough/tough, though I have noticed that on 3 of the leaves it looks like the leaf is burnt and a quarter eaten?
What kind or problem is this and how can it be resolved?
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 10th February 2013 3:37pm

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Original Post was last edited: 10th February 2013 3:43pm

About the Author michelle
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Jason says...
I think the tree is getting too warm because its in a pot and one leaf has a rip in it

Time: 10th February 2013 3:47pm

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Michelleprcic@hotmail.com says...
If the pot is getting too hot is that what is causing the leaves to curl up? I know for a fact the pot does not receive any sun at all as it is covered by the balcony brick wall and very rarely does sun shine on the pot. The pot is white in colour and is ceramic, not plastic. though the last few days in Sydney it has been extremely humid, i am not sure if humidity plays a factor in leaves curling up.
What is the rip on the leave from?

Time: 10th February 2013 3:58pm

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MaryT says...
I thought the leaves of the fig in pic 1 looked oversized and wondered if you overdid the dynamic lifter but otherwise it looks healthy to me. Also figs don't like over watering. I mean they grow in deserts.

Time: 10th February 2013 3:59pm

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Michelleprcic@hotmail.com says...
Does anyone know what the burnt like leaf is about?

Time: 11th February 2013 9:44am

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MaryT says...
Ummm; don't think it's burnt Michelleprcic; maybe Fig rust? Cut off affected leaves and pray with zinc, I think, when it's dormant?

Edit： hahaha I mean spray, not pray, though praying may help as well.

Time: 11th February 2013 6:30pm

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Original Post was last edited: 11th February 2013 6:36pm
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Michelle Prcic says...
Thanks for that Mary.
I have been reading into the Fig Rust and everyone suggests that you spray the leaves with copper sulfate or copper hydroxide.
Does anyone know where I can get any one of these sprays?

Time: 12th February 2013 8:37am

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MaryT says...
Yates makes one so I imagine most large nurseries or even Bunnings would have copper spray. I must say that I did have the problem one year and did not spray and this year the tree is happier than ever, producing lots of fruit (it's also in a pot). I was careful to remove affected leaves and disposed of them in the garbage. So it MAY be just a localised problem and not systemic but I don't really know.

Time: 12th February 2013 8:59am

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Michelle Prcic says...
I just cut off 2 leaves which had the rust. There are heaps of new leaves growing, so i will see how they go, before i start spraying.


Time: 12th February 2013 9:05am

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Jason says...
MaryT, figs need much more water than you would think. They absolutely will not fruit here without heavy weekly watering and its no desert that's for sure. It seems they will produce without extra water once they are established trees (15 years?) But I have 13 year old figs that still need a lot of extra water. In any case this fig of Michelle's looks perfectly fine to me

Time: 12th February 2013 9:54am

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Tommoz says...
Yes they like access to water. Huge fig trees grow naturally near beaches in Croatia. These are of course the Adriatic variant.

Time: 12th February 2013 11:08am

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MaryT says...
Jason, Michelle's fig looks perfectly fine to me too, as I said in an earlier post. I don't mean to suggest giving it desert condition :) One good soaking a week is not heavy watering. Of course it depends on where you live and the rate of evaporation.

Time: 12th February 2013 11:09am

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Michelle Prcic says...
Mary, what kind or fertilizer do you feed your fig tree? I have been reading forums on Fig Trees and some people say the best fertilizer is a slow release high in Nitrogen, while others say high in Phosphorus.
Apparently in the States they highly recommend a product called Foliage-Pro 9-3-6, i wouldnt have a clue what the equivalent is here?


Time: 12th February 2013 1:19pm

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MaryT says...
Michelle I used cow manure and slow release pellets in the potting mix when I potted the plant then watered in Seasol. I have also used Dynamic Lifter occasionally and Blood and Bone. I only use small amounts when I think of it.



Time: 12th February 2013 4:19pm

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