How can I help my fig tree produce better figs?

I inherited a very large old fig tree that produces many figs. But they don't ripen! They go from small and green to small purple and too dry to eat. Is this just a matter of watering more? If so, how can I make my watering more efficient to reach more roots?

How can I help my fig tree produce better figs?
If you are in the UK then the chances of getting good ripe figs every year is small. Ideally they like hot temperatures - say up to 35C - to swell the fruit and make sufficient sugars for sweet fruit.


You don't say if the tree is in the ground or in a big pot. If it is in the ground then consider making some sort of container of 10 -20 litres with a tiny (1 or 2 mm) hole that you can stand next to the tree to drip water continuously when it is filled. Several smaller ones around the tree would work just as well. Add a general fertilizer to the water according to the manufacturer's recommendation. The tree will produce more roots wherever you trickle the water. I had several when we lived in southern Spain.
Reply:Where do you live? What type of soil do you have? Are there pollinators around? Dammit Watson!, I cant make bricks without clay!
Reply:hey you people must not be paying attention,,she said she' s in northern California, and a tree this big has to be in the ground a pot would nt hold it;;now to the problem, the tree needs severe pruning, here in Mississippi i prune mine every winter, to keep it bout 8 to 10 feet tall, fertilize it with triple 8, and only water it bout once a month, if we don't get at least an inch of rain, cut off the largest branches first , and make the tree look like a giant umbrella , this also helps air circulate thru the branches, as for as pollination is concerned, fig trees are self pollinated
Reply:i think the heat has some thing to do with it. may be you should add some sand to your soil, and not sand from the beach because the salt will kill the plant.





after the sand is added water will be able to reach the roots easier and it will recieve the water much faster. the more water the better. in the summer water thouroghly every day, in the winter only water if in the 80s and since it probably wont dont water at all because if the groung is saturated when it freezes the tree may loose a few leaves or drop figs or not make any at all until new year IF YOU WATER IT IN THE WINTER
Reply:Be sure to cover the tree with a fruit/tree netting to keep the birds from pecking your fruit. You can buy these at nurseries and a few larger gardening centers. OR on the internet.





We had one we shared with our neighbor and collected lots of fruit from it each year. We found out that you need to eat them within a couple of days or can them. Seems they go bad pretty fast after they are picked.