I love some figs (Ficus carica)! I usually get the opportunity to go to the Ocracoke Fig Festival in August every year but I have missed the last two years because of other work obligations. I recently had the opportunity to meet with Julia Townsend, Vice President of The Peanut Factory, Inc. which owns and operates the Spruill Conservation Farm in Roper, NC. What an amazing gem located in Washington County on the Albemarle Sound. The farm has several offerings from campsites and trails to a Certified Naturally Grown Fig orchard.

I had never heard of the Certified Naturally Grown program before Julia contacted me. I love to learn and this did not disappoint! The program is like an alternative to being certified organic and much more practical for a smaller area. It requires an initial certification and then a yearly audit by a peer grower, Extension Master Gardener^℠ Volunteer, or an Extension Agent. I was happy to get the call!

I prepared for the audit by learning about the program, its requirements for certification, and asking Julia questions about their production practices. Upon meeting Julia for our audit, I learned that they have a local Fig Festival, also in August! I am still not quite sure which I was more excited to learn about, the certification, the farm, or another local fig festival! Their festival is already planned for next year to be on August 9^th and 10^th. They begin with sunrise yoga then a 5K trail run. Then food and music on Sunday the 10^th. Back to the figs, I had a great visit to their orchard area. They are doing so much more than just figs and I was very impressed with their production practices.

Figs are a great first-time fruit for gardeners who are growing their green thumb. They are very forgiving! I tell most folks that they are actually pretty hard to kill. Figs will flourish in a variety of soils and do not mind lower nutrient levels in the soil. They are fairly forgiving when it comes to pruning too. In one of my fruit classes, it was said that the only difference between a fig tree and a fig bush is how hard you prune them. Look for any dead, diseased, or dying branches and take out anything that is crossing over another stem or branch. Next, thin the center out a little for airflow, and you’re done.

The figs that we grow do not require pollination and they produce twice a year. There will be fruit that grows on last year’s wood and is harvested in late May into June. Then, there is another flush of fruit that will be produced on this season’s new growth. This fruit will mature between August and October depending on the variety. There are few problems with figs outside of beetles and a few leaf diseases.

One thing that has been fairly prevalent this season is fig rust. This is a fungal disease that begins with small chlorotic (yellow) spots that then turn brown and eventually cause the leaves to drop. This can be a rapid progression from first seeing the yellow spots to defoliation occurring in as little as three weeks. As with most fungal diseases, practicing good sanitation and giving the plants what they need to grow are the most important cultural controls. With this disease it is no different, raking the leaves and removing or burning them will be more effective than fungicide applications in most cases.

Fig Rust on leaves appears as small chlorotic spots that then turn necrotic and coalesce.

There are no fungicides labeled for the disease but several Extension Publications mention using a neutral copper spray in early May with a reapplication in June. Most copper sprays are OMRI approved meaning they can be incorporated into organic production. However, it is still important to make certain the OMRI Listed symbol is included on the label. Not all copper sprays are the same. A word of caution with copper sprays, they can be phytotoxic so make sure to apply according to label directions. Late afternoon applications may be better for the plants.

If you are having an issue in your home garden or landscape, send your questions to Gene Fox, Consumer Horticulture Agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, please email Gene at gene_fox@ncsu.edu or call at (252)946-0111. You can also ask to speak to a Master Gardener! On Mondays and Wednesdays between 10:00 and 12:00, they are on the Greenline to answer all of your home horticulture questions. Check out our Facebook page, Beaufort County Master Gardeners, for The Plant of the Week and Food Garden Friday! Until then, Happy Gardening!