I need help with my figs, I'm new to growing them, when i moved into my house there was a fig tree, it's a green fig so they don't go brown, so far so good, only took me 4 years to figure that out. and another to figure out when they are ripe. now , I am trying to work out how to get them to grow. it seems the tree has 2 stages of fruit. the first one grows nice and big, ripens,and gets picked while these ones mature a second growth of fruit is developing. the second has far more fruit than the first, BUT. the second fruit doesn't mature . I am in the south island, and I am wondering if the second stage fruit is just too late and doesn't get enough sun/warmth to mature or if this is normal or if I should be doing something to encourage it
I planted a fig tree about three years ago (I'm in Wellington) and it grows fast. Last year the figs stayed green (not enough sun, I think) but I managed to pickle lots of them and they were fine. This year, with our hot summer, there are lots of ripe ones. I don't know if there's anything you can do to encourage them to ripen. I think you just need a sunny sheltered spot and for there to be plenty of sunny days.
tegretol,
Apr 8, 6:54pm
They love blood&bone and water. We have one that's been planted 10yrs or so and this year, the fruit is green but incredibly sweet. There is so much of it that we plan to dry it.
macandrosie,
Apr 9, 10:23pm
Don't know if in Queenstown you will have a long enough growing season. I'm in Southland, they never seem to get mature enough before the first frosts. I know they flourish in Auckland, but they get more rain & moderate temperatures with no frosts. My mum had one, it was more a large shrub & was always laden with fruit about May, June
macandrosie,
Apr 9, 10:27pm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com › Edible Gardens › Fruits › Fig Trees. Looks like it can take a few years before producing any amount of fruit too.
robin23,
Apr 11, 12:21am
A friend gave me a fig tree and after patiently waiting to pick the first couple of ripe ones I couldnt wait to try them as I never had before. Boy what an overrated fruit it is! I think they are pretty floury tasteless things. Think I will dig it out and deep six it.
brouser3,
Apr 11, 5:14am
They do need warm temps and good moisture to set and grow the fruit - and then some real hot sunny days to mature the fruit. Obviously you have never tasted a properly grown and ripened fruit.
brouser3,
Apr 11, 5:19am
Yes - probably the 2nd round of fruit is too late - night temps are starting to drop which means they don't get the sustained heat they really need to ripen them.
neldav,
Apr 11, 3:40pm
I am in Invercargill. First crop in Fed turned brown and were plentiful. Second crop is laden but too late. I think mine is a Brown Turke. Its about 3mtrs high, 12years old ,will net mine next year as birds know to day when they are ripe.
neldav,
Apr 11, 3:43pm
I feed all my fruit trees with Sulphate of Potash,. bigger fruit , better crops.
mack77,
Apr 11, 8:45pm
That's what my figs taste like before they get ripe. I have two trees that I planted 20 years ago. They are now 4m tall and produce more than enough delicious fruit for me and about 5000 white-eye (wax-eye) birds.
malcovy,
Apr 12, 8:01pm
I live in Gore and my fig tree was abundant with sweet delicious figs this year and it normally is. The first crop of figs ripen and the second crop (main crop) don't. Normally in Spring time I take off the unripened figs and compost them.
tjma,
Apr 12, 9:27pm
How do you know when they are ready? Mine seem to stay green but they are soft.
tegretol,
Apr 12, 9:55pm
How do you keep the birds off them when fully laden?
cleggyboy,
Apr 14, 7:35am
Figs are extremely easy to grow from cuttings.
malcovy,
Apr 14, 5:58pm
Tegretol. The birds leave them alone and for that I am extremely thankful. The wasps are a pest and we had an explosion of wasps this year.
maclad,
Apr 14, 6:13pm
Figs are ready for picking when you pick them and the stem no longer bleeds sap.
thanks folks, it seems the second crop is just too late for the weather, usually I just leave them on the tree and let them drop off, this years I might remove them, I might get a bigger first crop next season. I find the birds don't touch mine,they are too busy stuffing their faces with my cherries and plums. feathered vermin
mojo49,
Apr 15, 6:25pm
In Whangarei both our fig crops ripen and the birds get most of them, so it is about sunlight and day length I believe. The birds have a great time with our second March crop. They fatten up on it before the winter, when we feed them seed daily.
malcovy,
May 14, 3:28pm
Surprising my fig tree second crop of figs has ripened and I have made jam with them. The second crop was smaller. It must have been our incredibly hot summer that Southland had.
mcgolly,
Nov 10, 11:08pm
Our figs have been great. this year, they are the Adriatic type.
When they are really ripe they are slightly jellylike inside and sweet and fragrant
Our second crop is the one that follows any late frost and the only worthwhile harvest.
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