While figs are generally pretty hardy when it comes to diseases, they definitely have their fair share of fans in the insect world. Plenty of pests would love to get a taste of your tree and its honey-sweet fruit! The good news? With a little know-how, you can prevent most of these uninvited guests or deal with them before they do real damage.
Fruit Pests
First up is the Spotted Wing Drosophila (a type of vinegar fly). This little pest made its way to the States a while back and loves stone fruits, but it won’t hesitate to go after your figs too. If they move in, you’ll notice brown spots on unripe fruit, which eventually causes them to die off. Since there aren’t many effective sprays for these guys yet, your best bet is to encourage “beneficials”—predatory insects that snack on pests—to hang out in your garden and keep the fly population in check.
Spider mites can also be a headache for your fruit, especially during those hot, bone-dry summer stretches when the humidity drops.
And let’s not forget the bigger critters! Birds love a ripe fig just as much as we do. You might also find ants crawling into the small opening (the ostiole) at the bottom of the fruit to feast on that sugary goodness from the inside out.
Leaf Pests
Those pesky spider mites don’t just stop at the fruit; they love the leaves too. You’ll know they’ve arrived if you see fine, delicate webbing on the undersides of leaves or where the leaf meets the stem. A super easy fix? Give your fig tree a good “shower” when you water it. Spider mites hate moisture, so a regular misting or spray-down usually sends them packing.
Figs can also attract various types of lice and scale insects, particularly aphids and scale. This usually happens if you’re overwintering your tree indoors or in a sheltered spot. If you spot them, you can wash the tree down with a mild soapy water solution. For scale (those little bumps that don’t seem to move), you can gently scrape them off with a wooden stick. If the infestation gets out of hand, it’s best to just prune away the affected branches.
Root Pests
Root issues are most common with potted fig trees, though if your tree is in the ground, keep an eye out for voles.
For container gardeners, the biggest threat is the larvae of the Black Vine Weevil. These grubs hang out in the soil and munch on the roots, which can actually kill the whole tree if left unchecked. Fungus gnats can also be a nuisance in pots. If you notice either of these, your best move is to repot the tree immediately. Shake off all the old soil, rinse the roots, and start fresh with high-quality, peat-free potting mix.
