Please help!

[DaveL]

All my potted figs seemed to be progressing fairly well except for a pale color of the leaves. After using the search feature, I found adding iron could help green up the plants. I top dressed each pot with Espoma iron tone as per directions and watered in. After four days I did not get the results I expected. All my my fig trees are showing heavy rusting of the leaves and some stems. Today I also noticed mold forming on top of the soil. I scraped off the top layer of soil and gave each plant a heavy flushing of plain water. They are drying out now. Any suggestions, are they all doomed? Thanks in advance.

[rusty hooks]

Raining your way?

patience and drying out....more on the patience side...

plants tend to respond in their own time...not ours...give them a week or two...the growth looks reasonable for this time of year

immediacy is not in their vocabulary

[Gina]

Check out this recent thread to see what a little fertilizer can do:

http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/24413-sick-looking-galicia-negra

[rusty hooks]

be very careful with the application of fertilizers....what you have looks llike new growth , stimulated by an application of fertilizer which may have not had a full compliment of trace minerals....and you added espoma...

waiting for a judicious amount of time would be prudent rather than adding additional fertilizer and taking a chance on burning....watch the veining of the leaves and after a few days...if you observe a darkening of the veins and the surrounding tissue...wait a bit more and see if the greening continues

trace minerals can do wonders to a plants capabilities to process photosynthesis....as "parents" we get a bit to overzealous with demanding instantaneous results....the baby will not stop crying does not always indicate they're hungry...it may...but we need more patience with plants

[Bijan]

I tend to agree with Ross. There are many factors which determine the health of our trees. If something is lacking, throwing more of another at it will not help. Given the leaves at the bottom of the tree seem to look more stressed than those at the top (along with the mold issue), I would look into the possibility the trees are getting too much water.

[AscPete]

Dave,

I've had over 5" of rain in the past 2 weeks and any available fertilizer in mix for the potted figs have been washed out. I've added dilute water soluble fertilizer to maintain healthy looking leaves. Magnesium is one of the micro nutrients that is needed for chlorophyll production and its very water soluble and easily washed out of the potting mix.

The Espoma fertilizers have "Biotone" which are several species of soil microbes (mychorrizae) that need to mixed into the "top soil", the visible mold and fungus are the beneficial soil microbes, they should not be "top dressed". The Espoma Organic fertilizers will not burn or damage roots and take time to break down for absorption by the trees.

If you are in a hurry to see results in your potted trees use a water soluble fertilizer at 1/3 to 1/2 strength for quick results, because most of the nutrients are available instantly. BTW, I sometimes add 1 tablespoon of Ironite per gallon of water soluble fertilizer mix for added iron (~40% water soluble).
Good Luck.

[DaveL]

Pete, do you recommend repotting with the Espoma worked into the soil or to use the water soluble fertilizer on the trees even with their present condition? Should I wait a few weeks to access any damage as Ross suggested?

[AscPete]

Dave,
You do not have to repot unless you were planning on up potting anyway.

The Espoma needs to be worked into the top soil, but if its filled with roots it can be mixed with a few cups of potting mix (or peat) then top dressed or placed under the mulch, if any. Espoma, even concentrated will not damage roots of healthy plants.

The dilute water soluble fertilizer can be used even with the newly applied Espoma because it takes time for the organic fertilizer ingredients to break down and become "available" for absorption by the roots. With the amount of rain that we've experienced most fertilizers, even time released types could have been flushed from the potting mixes. The fertilizers (Solid Organic and Time Released) all need time for breakdown of the available nutrients and I've used water soluble fertilizers to "boost" or supplement the Espoma for years without any adverse effects.

BTW, if you currently have Rust appearing on the undersides of leaves, spraying with a Fungicide (Copper or Neem Oil) will halt progression and save the leaves, http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...on-and-control Good Luck.

[DaveL]

Thanks Pete, will do.