Anyone know why my fig hasn’t grown at all since I planted it? The leaves started falling off and turning yellow. I have heard that they do well in pots… Would it be recommended that I dig it up and pot it? If so, what soil would be best for it? Right now it’s in sandy soil.
1 Like
Probably needs water (lots) and nutrients, if it’s in sandy soil. I’ve definitely noticed only minimal growth the first year or two in the ground for most of the figs I’ve planted in recent years, but yellowing leaves dropping in early summer sounds like a thirsty, hungry fig to me.
1 Like
A picture would really help. One of the whole tree, one of the leaves and one focused on the base of the tree and soil.
What is your watering and fertilizing regime?
2 Likes
lots of things could be going one. Right now we have to little information to make even a remotely accurate guess.
JCT had some good suggestions. I would add to those.
When did you plant the fig?
Was it a bare root plant or potted? (and if potted. was the pot circled/filled with roots? )
How have you taken care of the tree? Did you water it a little every day? or a lot once a week etc.
pictures would really help 
generally though. Every fruit tree that does not need to be in a container for good reasons (like frost protection) should be in ground. I can’t think of a tree that grows better in pots than in ground. (unless there is a reason like frost hardiness that would kill it in ground)
Here is a picture. Thank you for the detailed response.
As you can see in one of the pictures, it looks as if it were about to grow a little, but any prior growth has immediately fallen off. If it is something about the soil, there would be nothing I could do about it.
Looks dry and low on fertilizer.
1 Like
That looks like the kind of soil that’s hard to keep damp enough in hot weather, where water likely flows off into the ground somewhere else even if you try to give a deep soaking, because it drains too well.
My vote is to give it a deep soaking every few days for awhile, give it some fertilizer, maybe add a ring of aged compost or wood chip mulch right around the base to help with water retention.
2 Likes