Italian Everbearing Fig Tree Issue

[ferice]

I planted an Italian Everbearing Fig tree about 6 months ago in a 20 gallon container. The leaves have some yellow discoloration and brown spots as well. The nursery told me to make sure it has plenty of sun and water it but do not apply fertilizer or compost. I am a little skeptical given it's in a container and has several fruits. I don't understand why they want me to stop feeding it? Am I missing something here?

 

[Chuck]

I planted an Italian Everbearing Fig tree about 6 months ago in a 20 gallon container. The leaves have some yellow discoloration and brown spots as well. The nursery told me to make sure it has plenty of sun and water it but do not apply fertilizer or compost. I am a little skeptical given it's in a container and has several fruits. I don't understand why they want me to stop feeding it? Am I missing something here?

Fig trees planted in the ground don't need much if any fertilizer. Figs planted in containers do need fertilizing although not a lot. It all depends on which fertilizer you use to determine how much and when to fertilize.

 

[ferice]

@Chuck I am using a Tomato 6 4 6 fertilizer, 1 table spoon mix with 1 tablespoon of bone meal every 2 weeks. I am also using 2 table spoon of fish emulsion per gallon of water every other week.

 

[ferice]

It's a home made mixture of peet moss, black kow manure, top soil, vermiculite, and perlite.

 

[ferice]

I had a sugar baby water melon planted on the same container. I harvested the melons, and pulled out the plant.

 

[Chuck]

It's a home made mixture of peet moss, black kow manure, top soil, vermiculite, and perlite.

Peat moss has zero nutritional value which is not good. It is anti-microbial, not good. It retains water, in the case of a fig tree, OK. Black Cow manure has probably lost most of its nutritional value, not good. Topsoil may or may not be good, depending on where it came from. All vermiculite and perlite do are retain moisture and help aerorate the soil. So, after learning this stick with your fertilization. Your fertilizer probably does not have all of the essential micro-nutrients and a lack of any of them can and will cause yellowing and blotching of leaves. I would give it Chelated Iron once per month as per directions.

 

[ferice]

I do have some chelated Iron that I've been using for my myer lemon and tangelo tree, so I can use it on the fig as well.

 

[ferice]

thanks @Chuck for your help.