The fig borer is an incredibly distructive beetle that has the ability to completely destroy any of your prized fig tree. Fig borers have an incredibly long lifecycle which makes fig borer identification and treatment incredibly difficult. One of the best ways to prevent fig borer is through prevention and knowing what early attacks look like so you can take action. Once the fig borer has infiltrated a fig tree they are incredibly difficult to completely eradicate.
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Some of my other fig video that might benefit you:
Trunk chopping fig trees to lower height & improve structure - https://youtu.be/niTCTpCSRAY
Propagate your fig tree using cuttings - https://youtu.be/L1XCMXTRd_4
How to notch a fig tree - Detailed explanation with examples - https://youtu.be/0KmaIP6fDs4
How to balance growth in potted fig trees - https://youtu.be/Zwn-tRm3K0U
How to identify fig borer on your fig tree:
1. Look for roughly 1cm big T shaped cuts in the truck, or little holes. This is the earliest phase of identification. When you see these you need to take swift action to prevent the fig borer from getting into the core of the truck and settling in for the long haul.
2. Once the fig borer has settled in it will start to grow and mature. At this point it will start to push out an orange sawdust-like texture which will cause seeping of fig sap down the trunk. This is a more advanced stage and can be difficult to save a fig tree in the long run.
3. You see ring barking or big canals in and around the base of the fig tree. once you see this your tree has seen few generations of fig borer work their way through your tree and it is best to remove these trees altogether and burn them to immediately kill any possible new generations of fig borer larvae.
How to treat fig borer: Immediate treatment is the only way to effectively treat a fig tree with fig borer. Firstly, you need to remove any all trace of fig borer Then, you need to dig into the holes and canals to remove all the larvae and drench it all with neem oil. You can also take a wire and stick it up all the canals to kill off any possible larvae that may exist.
How to prevent fig borer: The best way to prevent fig borers from getting into your fig tree is observation. The second best way is to wrap the truck and root flare of your fig tree in hessian bags or shade cloth so that the female fig borer cannot reach the trunk to lay her eggs on.
Video timeline:
00:00 - Introduction
00:34 - What is a fig borer?
01:41 - 3 Ways to identify fig borer
05:51 - How to find and treat fig borers in an infected fig tree
09:42 - How to prevent fig borers from getting into your fig tree
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