User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Fig tree blight?

I've got two people that are having problems with their fig trees. Both peoples trees appear to have a bunch of dead branches mostly at the top of the trees. One person said that when she cut off one of the dead branches, a small, white maggot-like worm came out from the center of the branch.
Does anyone have any ideas please? Termites? Disease?
Attachments
IMG_20200606_183206.jpg
IMG_20200606_183347.jpg

User avatar
!potatoes!
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1938
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:13 pm
Location: wnc - zones 6/7 line

I get borers in already dead wood on my figs (usually dead from freeze damage)...can you find out how big their 'maggot-like' worms are?

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

All she said was the maggot-like worm was small. Like approximately 1/4" - 1/2", maybe. I'll tell her that if she finds another one to put it aside until I can come get a photo of it.
But supposing it is Fig Tree Borer, what should they spray or do to the trees to stop the spread of them? I figure cutting off as much of the dead branches as possible and seal the cuts with....something.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I feel like saying first step is to cut any winter damaged branches back to healthy wood. Around here, winter die back on fig is *normal*

I would have no compunction cutting back ANY branch end with borer holes either, since fig grows crazy fast.

In any case, the “borer” I think I’m seeing in my own fig branch ends are the same as rose cane borer — a type of predatory wasp. So I don’t worry about them much and let them do their thing, then cut back the affected branches later so the hole doesn’t end up collecting moisture and introducing diseases.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

I just found out today that a third persons trees had the same problem and they died. Sounds like a fig tree borer epidemic.
I've already suggested to one person that she needs to cut the dead branches back and seal the wounds to hopefully prevent the spread of the borers. It's too hot and dry to burn the dead branches, so would burying them work?



Return to “All Other Fruit”