Is your fig tree losing its leaves? You likely have fig rust. Not to worry, many fig trees including the very common Brown Turkey Fig are quite susceptible to this annual fungal disease in Florida’s heat and humidity. The fig tree here at our UF/IFAS Marion County Extension Service suffers from it every summer and always bounces back without trouble or treatment. There are no fungicides labeled for control of this disease, and once symptoms appear they would be ineffective anyway.

The best things to do to reduce disease pressure on your fig are to rake up and dispose of any fallen leaves which spread the spores, prune out any dense growth in the center for better air flow, use 2-3 inches of mulch under the canopy of the tree and to avoid overhead irrigation that sprays the leaves. The best time to prune fig is right after fruiting. Do not prune figs in winter since you’ll be removing next season’s fruit. Please call your UF/IFAS Marion County Extension Service at 352-671-8400 if you have questions about your fig, and for more info on fig rust visit: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/…/715…/pub3159FigRustHIGHRES.pdf

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