Turkey Figs Are Still Green

 

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Either they ripen, or die.

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I have a turkey fig tree in my yard which should have ripened by now.

When they are ripe, they swell, become soft and juicy, and turn a purple color.

They usually are ready by mid-June, and are at their peak in July.

By August, the harvest is over.

It is a 3-4 month process from the first appearance of the hard green figs to the last ripe purple figs.

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My figs should look like this now:

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This is now July, and there has been no change for 6 weeks.

The figs on the tree are still small, hard and green, and some are dropping off the tree already.

This is bad.

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I called the local farm extension service, and told them I had given extra plant food, and watered them some.

One problem is that I am in the South of USA, and the heat is high here.

We have a lot of thunderstorms with rain, so I was hoping that was providing enough water for the figs.

I was wrong.

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After talking to the agent, I realized that my ground is still too hard and dry from the heat.

Heat stress and lack of water stopped the ripening process.

The tree cannot benefit from the plant food sticks I put into the ground, since the ground is dry and hard, and the roots cannot access the food.

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I have to dig up the ground and add mulch, to keep it loose, and to allow moisture to stay when watered.

It is getting late in the season, so I need to do this right away, or I will lose all my figs..

The tree will abort them if the problem not corrected.

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Facts about figs

Use Only Ripe Fig Fruit. An unripe fig fruit is not only ineffective but it can be toxic and allergic reactions may occur.

Also, if the figs are taken from the tree prematurely, the white milky fluid that discharges from the stem can transfer to a person’s hands, eyes or mouth.

Ficus elastica, otherwise known as the Indian rubber tree, common rubber tree plant, or the common fig tree (Ficus carica, F. Lyrata and F.benjamina) contains an irritating sap.

When pets are exposed to this plant, it can cause both gastrointestinal (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea) and dermatological (skin) irritation.

Wait until the figs are ripe to harvest.

Figs will not continue to ripen after they are picked like many other fruits.

You can tell that it is time for harvesting figs when the fruit necks wilt and the fruits hang down.

If you pick a fig fruit too early, it will taste horrible; ripe fruit is sweet and delicious.

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Parable of the Fig Tree (Luke 13: 6-9)

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.

7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

8 “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.

9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ”

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Meaning for us

From this parable, we see that an unfruitful tree has to be given care and fertilizer.

The gardener has been given one year to make the tree fruitful for harvest, then it will be cut down.

This means RIPE figs, not hard unripe ones.

If the tree is fruitless, it will be cut down.

If only unripe figs develop, they cannot be harvested, and the tree will naturally abort the fruit.

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Level One

Fig trees represent the Kingdom of God on earth.

Christ is the gardener.

The figs are the fruit of the tree, the believers.

God’s patience and period of grace has time limits

Repentance and salvation are the fruit of His tree.

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Level Two

The tree is the church.

If it does not bear fruit, it will be cut down.

If it produces only unripe fruit, it will be aborted during the tribulation.

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Level Three

The tree is our individual assigned worlds, with our work and influence.

We, like Christ, are the gardener of our own tree.

We are to bear fruit also.

Our future is based on our success or failure.

If our tree is cut down, we will be cut down also.

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Possible Warning

What I am musing about is the possible warning from my own tree.

Do we, as a body of believers, only have about year (maybe two) of grace left, to repent, witness to others and sow seeds of faith, before God’s harvest is over?

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It is possible, that spiritually, most of us have unripe figs, or no figs, on our tree.

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Our response should be more than say a prayer, and think that is enough.

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Like the gardener, and like me, if I want my fig tree to be a success, hard work is ahead of us.

We have to dig up the hard ground.

We have to mulch.

We have to water the fig tree daily.

We have to protect the tree from the heat and bad weather.

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We cannot just sit around and do nothing.

And we have to start NOW.

Once the harvest season is over, it is too late….

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A Prayer for Fruitfulness

https://www.moodymedia.org/blog/2013/01/prayer-fruitfulness/

By Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer February 24, 2013

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me… By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”—John 15:4, 8, 9

To abide means “to live or dwell.” In practical terms it means a constant and conscious dependence on Christ every day of our lives.

We yield to Christ in the morning, but then repeatedly affirm our dependence on Him as the day continues.

Through such submission and faith, the Spirit is free to work the supernatural changes within our hearts.

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Let Us Pray

Father, I pray that You might enable me to “abide in You;” that is, rest in Your provision and love. I pray that I might not only bear fruit, but much fruit for Your glory. May I not be a branch that is barren, a branch that is “thrown into the fire.”

And now I pray for _____ that they might come to know You and trust You with their lives and future. I pray that they might see that You are well aware that we cannot change ourselves; You do not expect us to bear fruit by our will power but by dependence on You and Your blessed Spirit.

Help us to confess every sin that stands in the way of abiding in Your promises. Help us to simply be clean vessels that rest in Your spiritual resources and strength.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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