Q. I have ‘Brown Turkey’ figs that are ten and twelve years old. This year the fruit is large, but as they are lightly purpling up, the skin has wrinkled, and the fruit is very dry within. Some were black, like smut, but mostly dry, and lumpy.
A. Check the amount of water your figs are getting. Most figs should be watered twice a week right now. All fruit trees should not be short on water during its production of fruit.
We are quickly approaching day/night temperatures (and wind) (mid June) that require watering figs three times a week. The higher temperatures demand more water for production to continue. Just don’t water any fruit trees more often than every other day. Many plant leaves close their stomates (most of the water lost is due to transpiration) during the night. But that is only part of the problem. Plant ET (evapo-transpiration) accounts for evaporation from the soil as well as transpiration mostly from plant leaves. Water management (water lost from its leaves as well as the soil surface) must account for both. This is why covering the soil with mulch of either rock or wood chips is so important. During the heat, covering the soil with two to three inches of mulch can give you at least one extra day of watering each week!
The next irrigation occurs when water from the soil reaches about 50% (half) or leaf scorching and branch/twig death may occur. The water in the soil is like the gas tank of a car, but only let the tank get half empty before filling it again with an irrigation.
I haven’t had much luck growing ‘Brown Turkey’ figs. Other figs I have had no problems. Some people can’t grow some plants.
Figs produce two crops of fruit; an early crop (Briba) and a later (Main) crop. Early fig production, in my experience, is less affected by a lack of water than production of a main (later) crop. The early figs (Briba crop) are usually fine with a smaller amount of water. I don’t think it’s diseased.