Why do figs split or drop prematurely?
Written by
Tina Carter
Reviewed by
Prof. Martin Thorne, Ph.D.The cause of fig splitting and premature dropping often starts from inconsistent care. Years back, I had a Celeste fig crop cut by about 50 percent because this was after a dry period, and then it rained heavily. Fruits will swell from the 'sudden' water earlier than the skins will expand. And if the soil had low calcium levels, to begin with, the skins of the fruit would have weak cell walls.
Watering Solutions
- Drip irrigation maintains steady moisture during fruit growth
- Water 2-3x weekly in droughts (1-2 gallons per tree)
- Use moisture meters to avoid guesswork
Soil & Pest Fixes
- Add gypsum (1 cup per tree) for calcium
- Apply kaolin clay before rains to shield fruits
- Trap beetles with ripe banana peels near trees
Rainproofing figs preserves the harvest. I put waterproof tarps over the trees before predicted rainstorms, and I secure the edges with bricks. The figs that are in containers can be moved under the eaves. After the rain, I shake off the water from all the branches that may have accumulated water on them. Split figs will attract ants, so I spray the trunks down with cinnamon oil to prevent the ants from nesting there.
Calcium supports skin strength in fruit. Every spring I mix about a ½ cup of crushed eggshells into the soil of each of my trees and I can knock off 70% of the splitting. For a fast fix, I spray the trees with ... foliar-spray calcium nitrate at 1 tbsp per gallon of water every two weeks during the fruit development stages. Note that you can cause harm to the foliage with over-application.
Control plants organically. Fig beetles boreholes via a split. Gather them in jars of apple cider vinegar. Ants will farm aphids, so wrap the tree trunks with sticky tape. My worst infestation ended after using diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant weekly for a month.
Read the full article: How to Grow Figs: Expert Tips for Thriving Trees
