fruit drop on hardy black fig

gardenpaws_VA · July 18, 2010

I've got a hardy fig, apparently a black one, which sets fruit but drops just about the entire crop. First I thought it was stink bugs, then I thought it might be insufficient moisture (since that tree is on the east side of the house) so I gave it some extra TLC during our recent dry spell, but now the stink bugs (or some other sucking insect) seem to be at it again. Anybody know a good way of protecting the fruit, short of bagging them all? And is it likely to be stink bugs causing fruit shrinkage and little drops of gum atop punctures, or am I complaining about the wrong critter?

The brown fig just around the house corner but near a downspout has never had any such problems - there, it's just a race between me and the catbirds!

Any help would be appreciated.

July 18, 2010	#1
gardenpaws_VA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern Virginia, USA - zone 7+ Posts: 161	fruit drop on hardy black fig I've got a hardy fig, apparently a black one, which sets fruit but drops just about the entire crop. First I thought it was stink bugs, then I thought it might be insufficient moisture (since that tree is on the east side of the house) so I gave it some extra TLC during our recent dry spell, but now the stink bugs (or some other sucking insect) seem to be at it again. Anybody know a good way of protecting the fruit, short of bagging them all? And is it likely to be stink bugs causing fruit shrinkage and little drops of gum atop punctures, or am I complaining about the wrong critter? The brown fig just around the house corner but near a downspout has never had any such problems - there, it's just a race between me and the catbirds! Any help would be appreciated.