MY NEIGHBORS FIG TREE

When we first bought this house in Bakersfield we had delighted in seeing this large, beautiful tree right across the fence in our neighbors back yard. The leaves were large and tropical looking and upon closer inspection realized it was a Fig Tree. And sure enough, within months it produced a nice crop of delicious figs, many of which we were able to enjoy due to the large branches hanging over our side of the fence. Last summers crop was even more bountiful as the tree had doubled in size over the year. So we ate fresh figs, had figs in salads and I made fig jam. However, soon enough I was to learn of a discerning downside to the Fig Tree.

Alas and alack, come June of each summer I was to discover the large, irridescent, flying, aptly named "Fig Beetle" made this tree their summer home, and all too often was responsible for driving me from my veggie garden and lovely back yard into the house! Their large size, thunderous BUZZZing noise, and flight path, back and forth across my yard, filled me with dread. Because of the abundance of fruit on the tree last summer in particular, the beetles hung around until the very last fig had either been eaten or had dropped to the ground, into early September, before they either set off in search of other soft fruit or fig trees in the neighborhood, or perished. I like to hope more perished than not, and before laying their eggs in the ground nearby... the young larvae apprently emerge in the late spring as the figs ripen. This summer I am expecting a rather LARGE emergence, considering the numbers of the population last summer. The bigger the tree, the more figs, the more Fig Beetles!

This morning I noticed the small, initial leaf buds sprouting forth on the tree, and ALREADY the first crop (there are two crops per summer) of figs appearing! So with a strong resolve I set off to talk with my neighbor (whom I've never met) and see if we could find a solution or compromise on the issues I face this summer with HIS fig tree. I had recalled at one time, it was shortly after we'd bought our house, he and my husband had a short conversation over the fence, in which he'd mentioned his fig tree was becoming a nuisance, getting way too large and hard to control. Well, at THAT time I thought the tree lovely, had not yet met the Fig Beetle (!!), so had hoped he would NOT dispose of the tree. silly, uneducated, uniformed ME! Anyways, bearing that in mind, I walked around the block and knocked on his door. Long story short, he was very understanding and ammenable to 'cutting back' the tree, though not yet ready to completely destroy it. A good start. It is my hope that he will cut it back severly, and hence fig production will be greatly lessened, meaning the Fig Beetles that WILL come on scene this summer, will not linger as long. I'll keep you posted.