Why would a fig tree have leaves but no fruit?

Q: My fig tree has not produced any fruit for the past two years. What should I do?

A: A few things can explain that. Most likely in our region is winter damage to the branches or winter kill of the fruiting buds.

Figs are borderline hardy in central Pa. We can get away with some of the cold-hardy types ('Chicago Hardy' and 'Brown Turkey,' for example), but others suffer dieback most winters and aren't reliable producers.

My fig didn't produce anything either this season, which surprised me a bit since we had an unusually mild winter. What I think happened is the same thing that caused even some hardier fruits to have a poor year... the early warm-up induced fruit buds to swell sooner than they should have, and then a later cold spell injured them. Buds that get too far along too soon are more susceptible to cold damage than buds that stay dormant until the coast is clear.

If that's the case, a "normal" winter might end up giving you fruit next year even if you do nothing. It's best to wrap figs around here in burlap or tarp "jackets" stuffed with leaves as insulation. Some people wrap them in blankets. That protects the wood from cold snaps since uncovered figs (even the hardy ones) probably will die back if temperatures get down around zero.

Beyond winter kill, a few other things can affect fig fruiting:

1.)    Excess nitrogen. This can happen when figs are surrounded by lawn that's being fertilized with high-nitrogen products four or five times a year. You get fast growth and big, healthy leaves, but little to no fruit.

2.)    Lack of pollination. Figs produce best when you've got two or more around to cross-pollinate. Some types are self-fruitful, but even they produce better with a partner nearby.

3.)    Age. It can take a new fig 3 or 4 years to fruit for the first time. If yours is at least that old or has fruited already, this wouldn't be a likely reason.

4.)    Lack of sun. How's the sun exposure? Figs are sun-lovers that need at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun a day to fruit well.

5.)    Watering issues. Consistent moisture and well drained soil are ideal (like with most plants). It's possible to overdo it or underdo it with water. Fruit can drop in hot, dry, droughty conditions, but plants can also abort or fail to flower if the plants are in soggy soil.

If none of that checks out and you still get no fruit this year, try pinching back all of your branches to just above the fifth set of leaves. (Start at the base of a branch, count up five sets of leaves and then prune off the rest above that point.) Some growers say that not only encourages compact growth but induces better fruit production.

One other possibility is root-pruning. This involves going out about 2 feet from the trunk and severing the roots with a shovel every other shovel width apart. In other words, sever, skip a shovel width, then sever again, then skip, then sever, until you're the whole way around the plant. Do this at the end of winter.

Hope that helps because it's hard to beat the flavor of a fresh fig.

April 6, 2020 | by: CPC Session | 1 Comments

[S]eeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. — Mark 11:13-14

Reading: Mark 11:12-14, 20-25 

Reflection: On the surface, this is such an odd story. The cursing of a fig tree because it has leaves but no figs seems to be out of character for Jesus. Surely Jesus has bigger concerns than that of fig trees. What is Jesus doing? Jesus is displaying the gospel by using the fig tree, an Old Testament symbol to represent Israel (Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10, 16; Joel 1:7). When Jesus curses the fig tree because it has leaves but no fruit, Jesus is showing some Israelites what is going to happen to them — they, too, will wither away to their roots, as it were. Jesus saw many in Israel like the fig tree — leaves on the outside, but inwardly not able to produce any fruit. And Jesus came so that we may have life abundantly (John 10:10), not that we might produce leaves without fruit and wither away.

Remember, Jesus is laser-focused on the cross this week. He knows what’s to come. Thus he implores those with him to “Have faith in God” (v. 21). Then we see Jesus tell his followers to pray and forgive. So simple, yet transformational. Faith. Prayer. Forgiveness.

In the coming days of Jesus, as he approaches the cross, see his faith in his heavenly Father as he takes and drinks the cup of God’s wrath. See him pray for us in the garden. And see him forgive us on the cross. Take it in. Experience it in his Word. By faith, trust him. Through prayer, thank him. As forgiven, worship him.

Oh, taste and see that Lord is good! (Psalm 34:8).

Response:

1. Let’s be honest: don’t we, too, sometimes find ourselves with beautiful green leaves but no fruit? What are you putting your trust in that produces leaves but no fruit? Reflect on John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
2. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Pray to be arrested by Jesus cursing the fig tree then going to the cross for us in a few days. How might the love of Christ control us so that we live for Christ?
3. After Jesus denounces the Israelites’ sin, he tells them to have faith, pray, and forgive. What about you? What sin patterns in your life is the Spirit convicting you of? Is God the object of your faith? Does your prayer life take God at his Word? Do you believe God has truly forgiven you?
4. Who in your life needs to hear this message from Jesus? Who needs to turn away from their sin, put their faith in God, know God through prayer, and experience the forgiveness and fruit-bearing life that only comes through the cross? Think of your family members, neighbors, colleagues, and the nations. Visit joshuaproject.net, operationworld.org, and mtw.org to learn more about praying for, going to, and giving to the nations.

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