Oh no, but I'm glad you found my video and managed to get some information to work with to hopefully kee the fig borer away! This video was someone's prized fig tree so I hope your tree doesn't have too much damage 🌻
It is o ly a pleasure and congrats on your first fig tree. I am addicted to fig trees and have 13 different varieties I am growing in pots that I have collected over the years. Just absolutely love them! Yes, keep a close eye on the fig borer because as you saw they can really wreck a beautiful fig tree to pieces 😕
Thanks very much for this, I heard about these fig borers but never saw one yet (holding thumbs for my tree!). Is there any way to prevent infestation? I think I heard of painting the trunk but I've got no details on what type of paint,when and how. Would a hessian bag work as prevention? Also about the neem oil, I buy mine pure as I also do cosmetics with it (it's great mosquito repellent when used in creams and soap). I know about bioneem which is what I use in my garden diluted, but it's not clear what's its exact composition as it doesn't look at all like the pure neem oil.
It is only a pleasure, Nadine, and yes, we need to spead the knowledge on the fig borer because of how silently it can kill fig trees with prevention being really simple. So yes, wrapping the base of your fig tree up to around 1m, or where the first beaches appear, should be good enough to keep the fig borer out. That being said it's best to keep checking for those little T shaped slits or holes, just in case. As for neem oil, I only used bioneem and that works like a charm. I unfortunately don't know enough about pure neem to give you an answer on that one. Wishing you years of awesome fig harvests ahead 🌻
Thank you for the video. The borers that have destroyed the main trunk of our old fig tree. I doubt that it sustain itself much longer. Maybe its time to try and air root a branch and start over. Could you do a tut on air rooting?
Oh no I'm so sorry to hear this 😔 it's so sad to lose a prized tree after the years of joy it provided! I am actually going back to this tree next week to air layer the big branches to get good sized trees from this one started, so I'll post this fig air layer video for you within the next week or 2 🌻
And I will also be doing a video once I cut this tree down as we will need to start a fire above the cut trunk to burn it down and kill any larvae. That will be another video soon, so hopefully I can help you navigate this challenge.
I have borers in my fig tree. We found one massive caterpillar and injected poison in all the places we found piles of fig sawdust and filled the holes with silicone. This was in our winter but we saw more signs of the borers Now in July I see many large neat holes in the trunk. I think the beetles have flown away! The tree is massive about 50 cm diam at the lower trunk and 6 meter tall. I’m sure the tree needs to be cut down What precautions should we take while and after taking down the tree
Thanks for the video, now I know why my fig tree died. I find some big tunnels inside. I'm going to see if I can find the larvae now. And get rid of the old tree... Do these fig borers attack other trees?
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and I'm glad my video helped you identify the cause of your fig trees issues 👍 Luckily the fig borer only attacks fig trees. That being said there are many different varieties of tree borers that have varying degrees of damage they cause.
Hi there, love the video. You used neem oil and used a syringe to spray the oil onto the tree. The neem oil I found comes in about a 40ml bottle and the oil is thick (Diskem). It bottle top has a "built in" syringe but I found that the oil is so thick and that syringe only sputters out small amounts. Where can I find neem oil that can be used in a regular syringe and spray into deep crevices in my tree. From Cape Town.
Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment and I'm thrilled to hear you loved this video 💚 Yeah, that neem oil doesn't sound right to me! I actually only use Bioneem. That brand of neem is the best I have found and you will be able to find it as any decent garden shop or nursery 🌻
Very interesting, is 7 in CT? I am really curious about the banana tree grown in the garden. Although I have seen lots of banana trees in CT, but I have seldom seen it fruiting successfully. Could you possibly do a video on that? Love your videos, very insightful, content is so practical.
Good observation there! However, in Cape Town there are A LOT of Strelitzia Augusta plants that look identical to banana trees so I am almost convinced those might have been the ones you are seeing. I will most certainly be doing a video on the banana tree as soon as the tree is bearing fruit and thank you so much for the complement on my content - it really is greatly apprecaited 🌻
Very informative video, thanks! What are your thoughts on painting the base of the trees? I have seen various videos where they recommend using a latex based paint. I see fruit trees painted in the agricultural sector but not sure if this is just a barrier paint or coupled with a pesticide of some sort. A non-toxic latex paint seems like it could be a good long term barrier for these pests? and no harm to the tree
Hey Angela, thanks so much for this great suggestion! The white latex that is usually painted onto the base of trees is mainly for sunburn. I know that citrus and figs are notorious for getting sunburn on their stems which could kill the tree. I am not sure if it would work against the fig borer though, but it is most certainly a really good idea and something to test 🌻
Hi! My question is about prevention. Can Diatomaceous Earth work to prevent these beetles from climbing up the tree if spread around at the base? Also, what about using tea tree oil with the neem oil? Also, what do you seal up the hole once you carved out the borer and the rotten remains of the tree?
What a great set of questions you have here! I have numbered the answers for you below 😁 1. I am not sure if diatomaceous earth will work. It's. Mostly used against insects with exoskeleton and not larvae. Neem oil will be more effective. 2. Yes adding tea tree o could most certainly help at prevention but neem oil would be the more effective ingredient along with wrapping the trunk and base of the tree. 3. I wouldn't seal up the woulds until you are 100% sure all fig borer larvae are dead. I wound add regular doses of neem and digging into the tunnels with wire for some time. Once you are completely sure you have none you can close it up with wood glue or tree sealant. I hope this helps 🌻
Can I use tree prune sealer on the areas I carve out? Its like a thick black sealer that I buy from the orange box store. I have a 12 yr old fig and noticed a few dead branches with termite holes and spliting.
Thanks for leaving me a comment with a good question 😁 Personally I wouldn't add anything that seals it up. The reason being that if there are any eggs or larvae then you are keeping them inside (like bark) and it makes it harder for you to flush or clean out. Termites might be different and they will just make new holes, so what I would do if I were you is add lots of diatomaceous earth around the base of the tree as this gets into their exoskeleton and suffocates them. Just remember to reapply after every watering. Hope this helps 🌻
I’m hearing a crunching sound coming from under the bark in a ficus that was brought inside last fall. I live in Utah so it is dry climate. Powdery particles come out when I loosen the bark and a ring has been created around the upper stem of the tree. This tree is under five foot and is composed of seven 1” or less trunks. I assume I cut off the dead growth. Then, what?
If you think that fig tree is impressive, you should check out my grandmother’s 13+ year old fig tree. I’ve never seen any other fig tree so big and full. Unfortunately we have been having this problem, and I fear it has become so severe this may be its last year. Should we just cut it down to the base? Will this help? Or only speed up the inevitable?
Oh wow, that sounds like a majestic tree with such a beautiful story behind it. I can imagine why you want to keep it alive and thriving. You have 2 options. Your first is to air layer a few of the branches so you get clones of the exact tree and start again. Fig trees grow so quickly that you will have a good sized tree in a small amount of time. The other option is to trunk chop. Now this is risky as you never really know how far down the larvae have gone and if there are any eggs in the soil at the base of the tree. If you want 100% certainty that you won't have fig borers again then air layer it to clone, chop the tree down and burn it, then burn the trunk in the ground and surrounding around at the base to kill off any eggs. I know it sounds brutal, and it is, but this fig borer really is a menace. I hope you come right and are able to restore that beautiful tree of yours 🌻
Nope, unfortunately they are all over. I'm in South Africa and they are a huge problem here too. I know they struggle with then in Europe as well. A really terrible pest as they live and bore in the trunk for 2 to 3 years before you realise you have a problem 😭
Haha, wow, you are very brave 😂 did you see how it grabbed my knife with those pincers? Those things can really hurt if they get you good. Hope you got done what you needed to 🌻
Yeah, you are spot on! They are not interested in the new growth. They bore into the base of the truck and sometimes even enter through the roots so it sounds like you are doing the right thing 🌻
Good point and I am sure you could give it a go. I'm just not sure where you would find them or it get the right kind of nematodes that would attack the fig borer but I would be super keen to see if and how this works 🌻
Such insects (Cartipilars )have destroyed my 3 big plants of figs,,, its starts from roots and comes to the middle od tree,,, such insects destroying many types of types of dry wood too,,, such insects are silent killar's of fig trees,, there is no treatment,,, from Pakistan Amjad Ali khan
Thank you for taking the time to leave me a comment with your experiences and I'm so sorry to hear how this fig borer ruined so many of your trees. There arent really cures, besides wrapping the trunk and roots at the base of the tree so the beetle can't get close enough to lay her eggs. Good luck 🌻
Just found this problem at the base of my tree...I am so pleased to find ghis video and will try your suggestion. My tree is so precious ...thank you
Oh no, but I'm glad you found my video and managed to get some information to work with to hopefully kee the fig borer away! This video was someone's prized fig tree so I hope your tree doesn't have too much damage 🌻
Thanks for the video. Had no idea about Fig Borer. Just purchased my first tree. Atleast now i can keep an eye and hopefully prevent an investation
It is o ly a pleasure and congrats on your first fig tree. I am addicted to fig trees and have 13 different varieties I am growing in pots that I have collected over the years. Just absolutely love them!
Yes, keep a close eye on the fig borer because as you saw they can really wreck a beautiful fig tree to pieces 😕
Thanks very much for this, I heard about these fig borers but never saw one yet (holding thumbs for my tree!). Is there any way to prevent infestation? I think I heard of painting the trunk but I've got no details on what type of paint,when and how. Would a hessian bag work as prevention?
Also about the neem oil, I buy mine pure as I also do cosmetics with it (it's great mosquito repellent when used in creams and soap). I know about bioneem which is what I use in my garden diluted, but it's not clear what's its exact composition as it doesn't look at all like the pure neem oil.
It is only a pleasure, Nadine, and yes, we need to spead the knowledge on the fig borer because of how silently it can kill fig trees with prevention being really simple.
So yes, wrapping the base of your fig tree up to around 1m, or where the first beaches appear, should be good enough to keep the fig borer out.
That being said it's best to keep checking for those little T shaped slits or holes, just in case.
As for neem oil, I only used bioneem and that works like a charm. I unfortunately don't know enough about pure neem to give you an answer on that one.
Wishing you years of awesome fig harvests ahead 🌻
Thank you for the video. The borers that have destroyed the main trunk of our old fig tree. I doubt that it sustain itself much longer. Maybe its time to try and air root a branch and start over. Could you do a tut on air rooting?
Oh no I'm so sorry to hear this 😔 it's so sad to lose a prized tree after the years of joy it provided!
I am actually going back to this tree next week to air layer the big branches to get good sized trees from this one started, so I'll post this fig air layer video for you within the next week or 2 🌻
And I will also be doing a video once I cut this tree down as we will need to start a fire above the cut trunk to burn it down and kill any larvae. That will be another video soon, so hopefully I can help you navigate this challenge.
I have borers in my fig tree. We found one massive caterpillar and injected poison in all the places we found piles of fig sawdust and filled the holes with silicone. This was in our winter but we saw more signs of the borers Now in July I see many large neat holes in the trunk. I think the beetles have flown away! The tree is massive about 50 cm diam at the lower trunk and 6 meter tall. I’m sure the tree needs to be cut down What precautions should we take while and after taking down the tree
Thanks for the video, now I know why my fig tree died. I find some big tunnels inside. I'm going to see if I can find the larvae now. And get rid of the old tree... Do these fig borers attack other trees?
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and I'm glad my video helped you identify the cause of your fig trees issues 👍
Luckily the fig borer only attacks fig trees. That being said there are many different varieties of tree borers that have varying degrees of damage they cause.
Hi there, love the video. You used neem oil and used a syringe to spray the oil onto the tree. The neem oil I found comes in about a 40ml bottle and the oil is thick (Diskem). It bottle top has a "built in" syringe but I found that the oil is so thick and that syringe only sputters out small amounts. Where can I find neem oil that can be used in a regular syringe and spray into deep crevices in my tree. From Cape Town.
Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment and I'm thrilled to hear you loved this video 💚
Yeah, that neem oil doesn't sound right to me! I actually only use Bioneem. That brand of neem is the best I have found and you will be able to find it as any decent garden shop or nursery 🌻
@@MySustainabilityJourney Thanks for the reply. 👍🏻
Very interesting, is 7 in CT? I am really curious about the banana tree grown in the garden. Although I have seen lots of banana trees in CT, but I have seldom seen it fruiting successfully. Could you possibly do a video on that? Love your videos, very insightful, content is so practical.
Good observation there! However, in Cape Town there are A LOT of Strelitzia Augusta plants that look identical to banana trees so I am almost convinced those might have been the ones you are seeing. I will most certainly be doing a video on the banana tree as soon as the tree is bearing fruit and thank you so much for the complement on my content - it really is greatly apprecaited 🌻
There was a bunch of bananas, go back to the video at the beginning of the video.
Very informative video, thanks! What are your thoughts on painting the base of the trees? I have seen various videos where they recommend using a latex based paint. I see fruit trees painted in the agricultural sector but not sure if this is just a barrier paint or coupled with a pesticide of some sort. A non-toxic latex paint seems like it could be a good long term barrier for these pests? and no harm to the tree
Hey Angela, thanks so much for this great suggestion! The white latex that is usually painted onto the base of trees is mainly for sunburn. I know that citrus and figs are notorious for getting sunburn on their stems which could kill the tree. I am not sure if it would work against the fig borer though, but it is most certainly a really good idea and something to test 🌻
Hi! My question is about prevention. Can Diatomaceous Earth work to prevent these beetles from climbing up the tree if spread around at the base? Also, what about using tea tree oil with the neem oil? Also, what do you seal up the hole once you carved out the borer and the rotten remains of the tree?
What a great set of questions you have here! I have numbered the answers for you below 😁
1. I am not sure if diatomaceous earth will work. It's. Mostly used against insects with exoskeleton and not larvae. Neem oil will be more effective.
2. Yes adding tea tree o could most certainly help at prevention but neem oil would be the more effective ingredient along with wrapping the trunk and base of the tree.
3. I wouldn't seal up the woulds until you are 100% sure all fig borer larvae are dead. I wound add regular doses of neem and digging into the tunnels with wire for some time. Once you are completely sure you have none you can close it up with wood glue or tree sealant.
I hope this helps 🌻
Can I use tree prune sealer on the areas I carve out? Its like a thick black sealer that I buy from the orange box store. I have a 12 yr old fig and noticed a few dead branches with termite holes and spliting.
Thanks for leaving me a comment with a good question 😁
Personally I wouldn't add anything that seals it up. The reason being that if there are any eggs or larvae then you are keeping them inside (like bark) and it makes it harder for you to flush or clean out. Termites might be different and they will just make new holes, so what I would do if I were you is add lots of diatomaceous earth around the base of the tree as this gets into their exoskeleton and suffocates them. Just remember to reapply after every watering.
Hope this helps 🌻
I’m hearing a crunching sound coming from under the bark in a ficus that was brought inside last fall. I live in Utah so it is dry climate. Powdery particles come out when I loosen the bark and a ring has been created around the upper stem of the tree. This tree is under five foot and is composed of seven 1” or less trunks. I assume I cut off the dead growth. Then, what?
Definitely sounds like a fig borer, unfortunately 😢
If you think that fig tree is impressive, you should check out my grandmother’s 13+ year old fig tree. I’ve never seen any other fig tree so big and full. Unfortunately we have been having this problem, and I fear it has become so severe this may be its last year. Should we just cut it down to the base? Will this help? Or only speed up the inevitable?
Oh wow, that sounds like a majestic tree with such a beautiful story behind it. I can imagine why you want to keep it alive and thriving.
You have 2 options. Your first is to air layer a few of the branches so you get clones of the exact tree and start again. Fig trees grow so quickly that you will have a good sized tree in a small amount of time.
The other option is to trunk chop. Now this is risky as you never really know how far down the larvae have gone and if there are any eggs in the soil at the base of the tree.
If you want 100% certainty that you won't have fig borers again then air layer it to clone, chop the tree down and burn it, then burn the trunk in the ground and surrounding around at the base to kill off any eggs.
I know it sounds brutal, and it is, but this fig borer really is a menace.
I hope you come right and are able to restore that beautiful tree of yours 🌻
@@MySustainabilityJourney thank you for your advice! I will let everyone know, and we will see how it goes. I’m hopeful!
All the best, please let me know how it goes 🌻
Are these pests mainly in Asia?
Nope, unfortunately they are all over. I'm in South Africa and they are a huge problem here too. I know they struggle with then in Europe as well. A really terrible pest as they live and bore in the trunk for 2 to 3 years before you realise you have a problem 😭
TH-camr: don't put it in your hand
Me, watching with the grub in my hand: 😯
Haha, wow, you are very brave 😂 did you see how it grabbed my knife with those pincers? Those things can really hurt if they get you good. Hope you got done what you needed to 🌻
You just gave me a whole new nightmare. That was horrifying.
Right!? These things are seriously creepy looking 👀
I have these
Oh no! That's not great to hear as they are utterly devastating! I hope you manage to get it under some kind of control 🌻
@@MySustainabilityJourney they seem to damage the main trunk, not the new growth where the fruit is.
I trim them back so they are more like bushes
Yeah, you are spot on! They are not interested in the new growth. They bore into the base of the truck and sometimes even enter through the roots so it sounds like you are doing the right thing 🌻
im suprised you cannot inoculate the tree with nematodes
Good point and I am sure you could give it a go. I'm just not sure where you would find them or it get the right kind of nematodes that would attack the fig borer but I would be super keen to see if and how this works 🌻
Such insects (Cartipilars )have destroyed my 3 big plants of figs,,, its starts from roots and comes to the middle od tree,,, such insects destroying many types of types of dry wood too,,, such insects are silent killar's of fig trees,, there is no treatment,,, from
Pakistan Amjad Ali khan
Thank you for taking the time to leave me a comment with your experiences and I'm so sorry to hear how this fig borer ruined so many of your trees. There arent really cures, besides wrapping the trunk and roots at the base of the tree so the beetle can't get close enough to lay her eggs. Good luck 🌻
That was a nasty creature 😂
Haha, it is indeed and it really caught me off guard being sooooo big 😂