UK - Problem with fig tree

[Steve Newport]

We have been in a house with a fig tree for 3 years and each year we have had a problem that seems to be getting worse.

The small figs grown the one year suddenly start to go dark and develop a powdery mould. This affects first siongle and then multiple fruits and eventuall spreads (quickly) along entire branches, killing the branch itself.

We have just started cutting out entire branches to burn and trim back areas of weaker infection. Last year I sprayed with an anti fungal spray but this did not appear to help.

Can anybody suggest a way forward or is this simply something that happens? Should we really hack the branches back each year?

Any help would be welcome. Many thanks

[Omelet]

Try a bit of sulphur treatment?

How much sunlight does it get?

[Steve Newport]

Hi. Gets a lot of sun. It's in the middle of an East West open garden.

What do you mean by a sulphur treatment?

[bop_pa]

Try using a solution of approximately a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda into a cup of water, and spray the solution on the powdery mould. I don't believe it can harm the fig tree; I've used it on my Jade Plant when it sported a serious moldy infection of some sort a few years ago with no ill effect, and it solved the mould infection. I've sprayed a stronger solution of baking soda to eradicate powdery mildew on young squash plants in my veg garden, and had excellent results. I should think the baking soda solution should solve the mould infection as well. The beauty of baking soda is its low cost, plus my experience with its effectiveness. . . although it may take a few days, and a few appilcations of the solution (perhaps a little stonger?), depending on severity of infection. The suggestion regarding full sun for the tree is valid. And you may wish to view some information from

for much more info about infections of figs.

[Omelet]

Sulphur kills fungus. My local nursery carries a soil sulphur treatment, but I've only ever used it for root rot fungus. Worked too. ;-) We then added the recommended soil flora supplement after a couple of weeks.

I have two fig trees and have never had a fungus problem, but I have lost fruit harvests to lack of water.