Figs

Q: My friend has a fig tree in her back yard. It is about 10 or 11 years old. It has never been pruned as far as I know. It produces white figs, but they always fall to the ground before they can be eaten. How should it be pruned, and would pruning it help the fruit be better, or does it need to be fertilized somehow?

A: It's hard to say exactly what the problem is here without actually seeing the tree. It could be an issue with bad pruning practices (or no pruning practices), insects, or poor soil quality. Generally speaking though, pruning will increase the vigor of the tree and fertilizing correctly never hurts. I would use a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen (1st number) and is high in phosphorus (2nd number). Nitrogen encourages green growth of the tree and if you give too much of it even fewer fruit will develop. Phosphorus encourages blossoming and fruit set. Any nursery that carries fertilizer should have triple-super-phosphate (0-45-0) which is what I would recommend.

The best thing to do is to determine exactly what the problem is. Are there signs of insects, yellowing/rotting leaves, dead branches, mold growth, etc.? Answering these questions can help you correctly diagnose and correct the problem.