the buds on my black mission fig are just barely starting to swell, no new leaves yet. It has been in the ground for 2 yrs. My brown turkey fig tree was growing like crazy this winter, didn't want to go dormant. We got this dog as a "gift" from a "friend" and she chewed it almost to the ground. Now it's leafing out again, but it was never dormant. I have a neighbor down the street with a huge mission fig that is usually early, and it's still dormant so I'd say, it's a bit early. plant it and don't worry about it.

Hi Greendesert,
Thank you!

It's been such a warm unusual winter, I figured it would wake up by now. So we'll wait and see...

I read about the dog eating your tree. I'm glad your tree is doing O.K.

JoJo

My tree has dark green small lumps I guess is how to describe them, along the trunk. Is this the buds you mentioned?

Does it get fruit buds before leaves?

Thanks,
JoJo

jojosplants, chances are that if you got it from Low's it was shipped there from outside our area. Most fig trees in other areas are dormant right now.

Give your tree a little time.

My dog thought that fig trees were "chew stick trees" also. She finally let one go and it is just in the baby bud stage. The wood must be sweet and tasty.

Still no signs of life..:(

JoJo

I have 25 fig trees and a bunch of rooted cuttings and they have all leafed out. Even so your tree may have just arrived from a colder part of the country just before you purchased it. I would give it another week or two.

hmm, can you post a photo of your tree?
I guess it probably is a bit cooler where you are, but I hate to bear bad news (well it's good for me, possibly bad for you) but both of my fig trees are in the middle of leafing out and they already have figs on them. (yeah even the one that the dog chewed has one big fig on it already).

What I would do is I would scratch the skin on a branch or try to snap or cut a small branch and see if it is still green inside. I guess you could scratch the main trunk too if the branches look dry. if any part of it is still green, I'd say you have nothing to worry about.

I have a Kadota & a Brown Turkey (not dwarf, tho), side-by-side, and both are in leaf and have 1" in diameter fruit. This is in Phoenix. If it is (dare I use the term) "dead" check back with Lowe's -- I think they will refund.
Zill

I have a mission fig and it started leafing out 2 wks ago i remember when we planted it it was hit with that hard frost and took a second year to look like it was alive last year was the first time we had any fruit I have to cover the whole tree or the birds get every one. Good luck

Hi Every one!
Thank you so much for your help!!

greendesert, I cant really figure out a place to get a good pic of the tree.. too much BIZY background. Maybe I could round up a sheet for backdrop. LOL!

I did scratch the base... a little white to the bark and not a good deep green. :( I"m pretty sure its dead.

If so , they all were because I kept looking in on them at lowes, and the left overs weren'T leafing out either.!! GRRR!!!

I puruned about 4" off top, and its dead, brittle, and pithy in center.

I will get back to lowes this week.

It was a valentines gift and I'm very upset with the whole situation right now. :(

The other 3 trees, various fruit, we got, "just because" are fine.

Rather than a refund, I am going to see if they can order me a "living" fig tree!

Thanks again !

I hope you are all enjoying our beautiful spring!
JoJo

yeah it helps if it's a "living" tree huh... Those tend to fruit better than the dead ones LOL.
I was going to suggest that you might be better off with a refund and finding a fig tree at one of the other nurseries or a private source, but then I noticed you're in Tucson. I know some sources here in the Phx area, but not in Tucson. Then I also noticed that your variety was some ultra dwarf Brown Turkey and I'm not sure who might have that.
Personally I don't do any of that dwarfing crap. I don't see anything wrong with a standard size tree, especially with figs. They're beautiful and give awesome shade.

Hi greendesert,
Yes, they do tend to fruit better if alive...ROFL! Thank you, needed the laugh. :)

yes, all the trees this season at HD and Lowes were dwarf or semi. But that actually is better for me. I'm in a trailor park and don't have much yard.

two large vehicles, shed, camper, boat... not alot of yard left..ROFL!

I will get to Lowes one day this week and see what I can do.
JoJo

I Returned the tree for a refund. The remaining trees at lowes, 3 I think, had not leafed out either. It looks like the whole lot was dead.

Frustrating!

Thank you all for your time and help!!

JoJo

Civano Nursery
Jojo there are two good nurseries where you live. They both stock Dave Wilson grown trees which means they will be true to type.

5301 S. Houghton Road
Tucson, Arizona
520.546.9200

Mesquite Valley Growers
8005 East Speedway
Tucson, AZ 85710
520.721.8600

Hi Thisisme~
Thank you so much for your time and help!
We've been so busy, it didn't even occur to me to call around.
Hubby took time off work to tackle some of the honey do list.
I will see if we can get out to mesquite valley growers maybe sunday. I've been wanting to get out there anyway to look at succulents.

Thanks again!
JoJo

FWIW,
I'm in Phx and I ordered a Mission fig from one of the big seed catalog companies years ago - it came as a twig with a bundle of dirt on one end and no sign of life at the other. After I got it in the ground, fertilized it and tried to ignore it's twig-ness for a few weeks - it perked right up and became a wonderfully bushy green actual fig tree. We got fruit off it one year, but the water requirement was just too high (we're on a well) so I ended up letting it die. If you aren't on city irrigation (do they do that in Tucson?) successfully maintaining a fig may be costly.
But my main point is that ordering a dormant "fig-twig" may not be a bad option if your local guys don't pan out.

Hi zzini~
Thank you for your help!
I do plan on ordering one if these places don't have one. And i've learned over the years that things look kinda scary when you open the box. LOL!

I am in the city and have city water, but am not sure what you mean by "city irrigation" I have never heard that term.

I got a nice box this year from Lowes to collect rain water too. I'm looking forward to that $$ saver.

I'll let everyone know what I get.

Thanks,
JoJo

Jojo some of the older parts of Mesa and other cities are on flood irrigated lots. The houses were built in areas that used to be farm land and orchards. The entire lot is flooded 1-2 times a week and the cost is next to nothing.

I would love to have irrigation. I would be growing a lot more trees and other plants. A mini-farm.

Seriously. Me too. I can't wait to get a few acres to grow.

Home depot got a big shipment of non-dormant trees. I couldnt resist, I bought a southern belle nectarine. It is in the ground now and it seems to be doing great.

Bought a dwarf fig tree online. It came with one leaf. I replanted it into a little larger pot and put it outside. I watered it regularly and fertilized once a month with Miracle Grow for fruits. It developed another leaf. Then, both leaves fell off and the tree is bare. Did it die? Also, when I bring it in for the winter, how often do I water it? (If it's still alive, that is)

dead

scratch the bark to see green as above if you want, but pretty sure it is dead.

When I grew a fig in San Jose CA I watered it a lot and it lost its leaves. I then saw a TV show where a big time fig grower said they didn't like a lot of water and will cause leaves to drop. I stopped watering and the leaves came back, grew great, lots of fruit.

Here in Phoenix I planted a fig and added drip, but not a lot. Tree barely grew for 3-4 years. Two years ago I increased water and its been doing much better, some fruit, leaves look way better.

In San Jose I didn't water, but the soil still had a lot more moisture compared to Phoenix. So to me amount of water is tricky, still learning.