Fig tree fruit problems

This is the second year we’ve had the fig tree.

During its first year (last year) it was still young so it didn’t produce many fruits say approx 10 and no more.

This year the tree is bigger and is producing a lot more fruit. It started at around 80 figs but after animals and what have you got to some of them we were left with approx 55 - 60.

We went on holiday for a week and came back expecting them to be ready to harvest but to our horror almost every fruit had either dried out, didn’t ripen properly or became sort of rotten looking.

I have no idea how this could have happened since it’s been in the garden planted into the soil and was growing every well.

I was dreading/fearing when I came back something bad would happen but then again nothing bad was done to the tree for this to happen. The weather has been typical London weather..

I just hope I get the problem solved for next year as our neighbour also wanted some which can’t happen now sadly.

All I did was I take off all of the fig leaves as I was told taking of some of them promotes better growth for the fruit as the tree can send all of its energy to the fruit instead of the leaves and the fruit. I don’t see how being overzealous with removing the leaves could be the reason so please also factor in the pictures I have attached and also the description of the appearance of the figs.

As you can see from the photos not all look that bad but none have reopened or become really soft like they should do when they are ready. They have become quite big and are even dropping which is a sign they are getting close to harvesting but for some reason they still haven’t become big enough or soft and ripe enough. Perhaps I need to leave them longer and hope not all of them get go wrong so to speak...

I have also provided some photos of the affected fruit and am just so disappointed as we were looking forward to enjoying some nice figs since it reminds me of where I’m originally from (well my parents) as well as it being a nice and rare tasting fruit. Tastes of sunshine.

 

As you can see I’ve uploaded more photos as it wasn’t working for my first post for some annoying reason.

 

More photos for same reason as stated above.

 

More photos

 

More photos

 

Not sure really, but never heard of taking the leaves off.
Did they go like that after you removed the leaves?

It could be some kind of fungal problem but not one I've ever come across.

 

Yes it did but only after two and half to three weeks later. They were looking really good up until today when I checked after coming back from a weeks holiday.

 

I've never removed leaves, mine are ripening now and falling off, the birds are getting most.

Only time I've seen similar to yours is in early summer when the ones that overwinter from last year fall off.

 

But mine are this years crop so that doesn’t explain the reason why this is happening?

 

I can only think cutting all the leaves off has something to do with it, the tree is almost leafless and it needs the leaves to photosynthesize and provide food to the growing fruit.

I think the tree might have just shut down and struggling, so aborted all the fruit.

 

I think if you strip off many of the leaves the plant could have gone into "shock mode". As an act of survival it may have aborted the fruit.

Blackstart

 

That sounds plausible. Still could be a fungal problem or yeast problem or other things but I knew I shouldn’t have taken off so many leaves...

Oh well. Will have to wait for next year now. All that care and counting them everyday for a few weeks all for nothing...

Next year I’m not going to do anything and just harvest them when they are ready. Hopefully nothing will go wrong and I definitely won’t get rid of the leaves.

I was wandering when to know tk harvest them as they don’t always fall off when they are ready or do they? Perhaps I’ve been harvesting them incorrectly also?

 

Of it didn’t abort the fruit would the whole tree have died is that what you are saying? Because I don’t think that’s right.

Silly tree going all panicky.

Btw it was fine for three weeks after me picking off all the leaves. I also snapped some of the top leaves off and a white milky substance came out.

 

The leaves are there for a reason.. I know this and that I’m only supposed to cut off a few leaves and I think it’s just the bottom ones in order for the tree to send more energy to the fruit whilst still keeping enough leaves for photosynthesis.

Still could be for another reason though?