Is it just me, or are people everywhere growing figs across all growing zones? I’m seeing this trendy fruit tree pop up everywhere. If you’re new to growing and pruning figs, don’t worry; it’s not complicated. It is, however, vital that you complete this task for big harvests.
Even cold region growers can grow figs with cold-hardy varieties like ‘Chicago Hardy’ and ‘White Marseille’ and a little added winter protection. Even large varieties can perform well in containers and fabric grow bags with proper pruning and training. Don’t avoid growing this delicious fruit even if you’re a small space or patio grower. It’s great for all levels of gardening, to boot.
Let’s discuss why it is essential to prune your fig tree, when you should perform this chore, and how to do it to get big harvests. Don’t forget quality gloves, since the sap can be irritating to your skin.
Felco 701 Garden Gloves
Lightweight and comfortable, these gloves made of knitted HPPE fiber guarantee high resistance to cutting. The fingers and palm are coated with nitrile rubber to provide excellent grip and greater strength. Ideal for precise pruning work by winegrowers, landscape gardeners, fruit growers or nurserymen.
Why Prune?
Pruning sometimes gets a bad rap as a time-consuming and unnecessary garden chore. But with proper care and timely pruning, all your fruit trees, including figs, will be healthier and more productive than if you left them to fend for themselves.
Benefits of Pruning:
- Stimulates new growth and encourages more flower and fruit production
- Provides healthy airflow and circulation
- Allows sunlight to penetrate
- Harvesting will be easier
- It’s a chance to remove damaged or diseased limbs and suckers
- Keeps container-grown figs longer-lasting
- Extends your season
- Allows growers to choose one prominent leader of the several main trunks
- It gives the tree the desired shape
- You have a chance to monitor pest and disease issues
When you prune fig trees, it also helps reduce the risk of a dangerous disease you may encounter, Fig Mosaic Virus (FMV). While many fig experts will tell you not to worry about it because most trees will outgrow it, it’s best to keep young trees as healthy as possible so they live a long, productive life. Removing affected buds and unhealthy limbs early on will help decrease symptoms and encourage the plant to produce new, healthy growth.
When you’ve planted a new fig tree, prune it in its first winter to develop the habit and give it the shape you want.
When To Prune
Prune fig trees during their dormancy in winter so they have enough time to heal before spring arrives. Early winter before trees begin leafing out in your region is appropriate timing. There should be no new growth or leaves present.
Pruning during the first winter is vital to establishing a growth shape and pattern. If you want your tree to be compact, cut back the size to half. It’s much easier to create a shape when the tree is small.
Supplies Needed
Grab these supplies and get ready to prune:
- Clean, sharp shears or loppers
- Optional pruning saw
- Gloves
- A cart or wheelbarrow to transport cuttings
- A camera to capture before and after photos
Having the right-sized tools on hand is essential to prune correctly and quickly. Sanitize your tools with a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution before and after pruning jobs to prevent disease transfer.
How To Prune
Fig trees produce fruits on new wood, so remove last year’s wood and unproductive growth when you prune. Here are a few ways and reasons to do this.
Re-Shape The Tree
If you acquired an unruly fig tree or did not train it in its younger years, re-shape it by pruning it to the desired shape. The lack of leaves in dormancy makes the shape and branch growth patterns easy to see.
Remove Suckers
Suckers are new, slender shoots emerging at the base of the tree from the ground. These will compete with your tree for water and nutrients and will not get you additional fruits.
Remove Unwanted Branches
Branches growing toward another tree, wall, or fence are unwanted. Low-growing branches are also undesirable because they will be blocked from sunlight when the above branches fill in. Fruiting branches grow laterally, so remove any branches growing straight up.
However, you should remove laterally growing branches that are too close to the ground because low-hanging fruit can attract critters and invite disease. Cut these flush to the main stem so there is no chance of re-growth.
Prune off any branches that don’t fit into the shape you’re going for. Use a saw, pruners, or loppers based on the size of each branch. Trimming branches off from unwanted areas aims to force growth in more desirable areas. I know it can seem painful to remove branches, but I promise the result will amaze you, and it will be worth it. Kevin discusses this at length in this video.
Pro Tip: Make more fig trees with young cuttings after your pruning session. Discard shriveled and damaged stems, using only the healthiest ones. Trim them down to a foot long to include six or so nodes.
Pot them up or add multiples to a large grow bag filled with high-quality potting mix, leaving about ⅔ of the stem above ground. Water well and keep them indoors for several months. In about three months, each cutting should have leaves and fresh roots. Grow your orchard by planting the new, young plants, or give them away to friends!
How To Top And Stake (An Alternative)
Some fig experts argue that topping and staking when trees are young will reduce the need for future pruning and encourage fruits a year earlier than if the apical bud is left on. The apical bud is the main growing tip in the center. This method works exceptionally well for potted trees. Grab some limb spreaders and stakes (bamboo is popular) and get your young fig trees off on the right foot.
Year One
Select one to three of the healthiest shoots to keep as the leaders and prune the rest out. Keep seven at most to yield good results, and designate the most vertical shoot as the trunk. Your plant should spend the first year of its life focusing on stabilizing and growing.
The first summer, you can pinch, top, or summer prune; doing so sends energy to branching and forming buds and fruit, adjusts the hormones, and assists in forming scaffolds. Scaffolds are the new branches that emerge from the main growing point that grow diagonally.
When you remove the main growing tip in tomatoes or peppers, the side shoots become leaders, whereas, in figs, they’re called scaffolds. Your job in the first year is to stake these scaffolds to create a canopy with good light penetration and airflow. Train scaffolds to grow at a 25 to 50° angle, as insufficient sunlight can lead to premature fruit drop and low productivity.
Pinch off the apical bud in midsummer by pinching it off once the upper leaves are wider than your hand. Large leaves are a sign of health and vigor, so at this point, the plant can tolerate pinching. Removing the apical bud encourages a rounded crown shape and scaffolds to form naturally.
Limb spreaders help train the scaffolds to remain at the desired angle. Then, steady them in place with your bamboo stakes. Larger trees may require something sturdier than bamboo, but this is an expensive way to get started.
Pro Tip: Keep young fig trees in grow bags or buckets close to home to ensure proper first-year growth. Doing so sets them up for long-term success once you plant them in the ground or a raised bed.
Years Two and Beyond
Fruiting will begin at multiple points on the healthy scaffolds you helped create and train in year one. Continue training your scaffolds to grow at a 25 to 50° angle, stake branches if necessary, and pinch any new center growth if you’re happy with the tree’s shape, height, and productivity. Your tree may reach its mature height by year three.
Studies show that fig trees respond well to intentional and consistent pruning, and fruit production increases around year four.
Root Pruning
Revitalize your fig tree by removing about a third of its rootball and adding a nutrient boost to its container or growing area. Do the pruning with a pruning saw or a sharp, clean knife in late winter or early spring during dormancy to encourage new growth in the coming season.
Root pruning may help reduce transplant shock if you’re planting a potted fig tree into ground soil that may be rootbound. Freshening up the root system will allow it to uptake water and nutrients freely and acclimate quicker to its new home.
A Note About Breba Crops
Several fig cultivars produce a breba crop, which is a second crop that develops on old wood in the spring after you’ve harvested a fall crop. They are born from the same branches as the fall crop when spring leaves sprout. Breba figs are not typically as flavorful, sweet, nutritious, or abundant as the main crop, so many growers remove them so the plant will focus energy on the main crop.
Research varieties before selecting one, as some are known to produce or do not produce breba crops. Select ‘Black Mission,’ ‘Marseillas,’ or ‘Palermo Red’ for their rich, flavorful breba figs. Allow breba figs to mature to extend your season, and have fresh figs available during the off-season. To enjoy the breba crop, avoid spring pruning.
If they’re unwanted, remove breba figs when they are the size of a fingertip. Alternatively, you can remove the terminal buds while the tree is dormant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just like with overgrown blackberry, raspberry, and blueberry bushes, if you don’t prune, your plants won’t be as productive, they’ll quickly take over the garden, and harvesting will become a nightmare. Diseases and pests recognize a plant’s vulnerability and will most certainly target an overgrown patch of figs to infect them.
Yes, just do not prune off too much in one session. Pruning overgrowth will improve the quality and production of fruit and keep the plant healthier.
Your tree should start producing in two to three years.
‘Black Mission,’ ‘Brown Turkey,’ and ‘Celeste’ are very productive options, with ‘Black Mission’ being the best for drying. Check out ‘Little Miss Figgy’ for a true dwarf variety. She only reaches four to six feet tall and three to four feet wide at maturity.
Tips For Growing Figs Successfully
- Protect trees in winter in USDA growing zones 5 and below, where winters reach cold temperatures and hard frosts.
- Prune during the first dormant winter to establish your desired shape and each subsequent winter to keep trees healthy and productive.
- Place your trees in full sun and well-draining soil for the best results.
- If growing in pots in colder regions, take them inside for the winter and store them in a cool, dry, dark place during their dormancy.
- Propagate new trees from stem cuttings once you get the hang of caring for them!
Figs are the perfect beginner fruit tree because they’re easy to establish, prune, propagate, and enjoy!
