Kitchen Garden Forum

My fig tree is laden with hard unripe fruit as is a friend of mine who has a tree in her garden next to the allotments but we are both at a loss as to know why the figs are disappearing while still hard and green while everyone else is telling me of their bumper ripe crop this year.

Can't blame badgers this time, they would have made a trail of destruction. birds I feel would peck and maybe drop some could this be squirrels? If it is I hope they have an almighty tummy ache with the amount that have gone.

Beryl.

Dear Beryl, i should think it is squirrels, they are probably taking them and burying them somewhere.

The figs are late ripening here too, but once they do start, they ripen pretty quickly.

I shall be lucky to have any left OH, the little ............had all the carrots now the figs what next I wonder?

Beryl.

Well they have stripped my young tree of early rivers plums....

Oh dear OH is that why I have lots of clean plum stones under the Victoria? I put that down to badgers but now you have made me wonder.
surely they can't have hidden those, they must have been eaten.

Beryl.

Pretty sure it,s squirrels. Last year year a friend had a plum tree and an apple tree stripped while they were on holiday and anther person I know had an outdoor grape vine stripped.

is it worth hanging a wire peanut cage up near the tree to try and distract them away from the figs? .

Beryl wrote:My fig tree is laden with hard unripe fruit as is a friend of mine

Beryl.

I can really understand your concern Beryl, a most unusual thing to happen.

Has your friend been to the doctor about these figs that are growing on him/her ??

Good idea Primrose. Do you mean the sort of thing we hang up for the birds?

Beryl.

Yes, an ordinary wire peanut cage might distract them from the fruit.

Great in partnership with a hide and an air rifle.

Thanks Primrose and if only Geoff!!! Never see them during the day only hear them chattering in a huge great big oak tree on the edge of the site.

Beryl.

our hazelnut tree has been stripped by squirrels this week, not a single one left for us, just a huge pile of empty shells under the adjacent cherry tree.

I gave up on the nut trees several years ago. They always seem to know exactly when they are ready. Never did have any to eat myself.

Beryl.