By
Daily Breeze, Torrance, Calif.
Q: I covered my fig tree from top to bottom with bird netting, however, some night creature keeps eating my ripe or nearly ripe figs. What could it be and how can I protect my fruit?
A: Figs are super attractive to all types of birds, so the netting is not a bad idea. Unfortunately, other creatures of the night will show up and help themselves once they discover your tree.
Opossums, raccoons, rats and mice all like to feast on the soft fruit and can climb the tree to get it. Motion-activated sprinklers may deter the opossums and raccoons, but the rats and mice are too small to set them off. Depending on your situation, an electric fence may work (there are electric fences that can be set up temporarily, then taken down after the fruit is harvested.)
Trapping mice and rats can be a never-ending task, since there’s a never-ending supply of rodents.
I’ve found that the only way to save my figs is to harvest them when they’re not quite ripe, wrap them in tissue paper (to protect them from bruising) and allow them to ripen on my kitchen counter for a day or two.
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FAQs
Protect Young Potted Fig Plants
How to protect figs from rodents? ›
Motion-activated sprinklers may deter the opossums and raccoons, but the rats and mice are too small to set them off. Depending on your situation, an electric fence may work (there are electric fences that can be set up temporarily, then taken down after the fruit is harvested.)
How do I stop squirrels from eating my figs? ›
Apart from caging the tree in wire mesh or keeping a pet patrol cat or dog, you might try some of the animal repellents such as "Get Away" Squirrel and Raccoon Repellent which is intended to repel them by odor and taste yet is harmless to birds and animals.
Do rodents eat figs? ›
Rats and mice feed on a variety of fruits including oranges, avocados, peaches, lemon, and figs. They are fond of walnuts, almonds, and peanut butter. All fallen fruit and nuts should be regularly removed and discarded in the trash. Rodents also feed on bird seed, snails, garden vegetables and dog droppings.
How do you keep animals from eating figs? ›
Organza bags provide a physical barrier that can keep birds and frost off of your fruits and vegetables. These small bags come in various sizes and go directly over the crop itself for best protection. This method may require changing the bag size during plant growth.
How do you protect fruit from rodents? ›
You can add metal sheets or sturdy plastic to the trunks of your fruit trees, to help prevent rodents from climbing. Prune and Trim Branches: if your tree has droopy branches, rats may see this as a way to eat any fallen fruit while going unseen since the branches will inadvertently hide them.
What smell do squirrels hate? ›
Use Strong Odors
Scents like white pepper, black pepper, and garlic are naturally unpleasant to a squirrel. The same goes for sweet smells such as peppermint. Try spraying your plants and flowers with water and then sprinkling on pepper or peppermint oil to deter squirrels.
Do coffee grounds deter squirrels and chipmunks? ›
To keep the rodents out of your yard for long periods, Schoenberg recommends sprinkling deterrents like hot cayenne, garlic, apple cider, peppermint, or coffee grounds around your plants and gardens. "Coffee grounds are particularly good around acid-loving plants, so it does double duty," she says.
What is the most effective squirrel repellent? ›
White vinegar has a strong smell and is a powerful squirrel deterrent. The easiest way to treat a squirrel-infested area is to simply pour it on active squirrel hang-outs or spray it around your property with a mix of water.
What animal lays eggs in figs? ›
Female wasps will crawl inside both male and female figs to try to reproduce. They burrow inside the fig through a narrow opening called an ostiole. If the female wasp arrives in a male fig—also known as a caprifig—she lays her eggs and then dies. Her eggs hatch, with blind, flightless male wasps hatching first.
Solutions: Set up a motion-activated sprinkler to spray at the base of fruit trees or wherever raccoons are gaining access to climb up. The nontoxic but disturbing stream of water startles and repels raccoons.
What animals like to eat figs? ›
Tree-dwellers like monkeys, birds, and fruit bats enjoy the sweet fruit. Many other animals, including apes, elephants, rhinos, tapirs, and giraffes, eat ficus leaves and stems.
How do you protect fig fruit? ›
Fig trees need a warm, sheltered, sunny site, ideally against a south-facing wall, and the fruitlets need protection from frost over winter. As soon as the fruits start to ripen, cover the plant with netting, held away from the fruits with canes, to protect them from birds and squirrels.
How to control fig pests? ›
To combat these beetle pests, set bait traps prior to figs ripening. When the traps have done most of the work of ridding the tree of beetles, spray the tree with an insecticide containing malathion in a sugar/water solution according to the manufacturer's instructions.
What do you spray on figs? ›
There are lots of good options for a dormant spray on fig trees, including neem oil, copper fungicide, and several other fungicides labeled for fig trees. We'll be using our BugHut Plant Booster which contains a beneficial bacterial (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) to help combat the rust.
What can I spray on my fig tree? ›
You don't way to spray fig trees when they're loaded with figs, but you can apply a fungicide when they're dormant and before figs start forming. There are lots of good options for a dormant spray on fig trees, including neem oil, copper fungicide, and several other fungicides labeled for fig trees.
How to protect your fig tree? ›
Other growers will go a step above simple foam insulation and wrap the fig tree to protect it. They'll use string or rope to bundle the branches of the tree tightly, then wrap the tree in tar paper, burlap, or some other breathable fabric.
How to keep raccoons from eating figs? ›
Sprinkle a granular repellent around the base of fruit trees and berry bushes so the raccoons associate the repellent's irritating scent with your fruit. Prevention Tips: Clean up fallen fruit as soon as possible so raccoons aren't attracted to your trees.
What wild animal eats figs? ›
Tree-dwellers like monkeys, birds, and fruit bats enjoy the sweet fruit. Many other animals, including apes, elephants, rhinos, tapirs, and giraffes, eat ficus leaves and stems.
