A few days ago, I helped a friend prune a fig that had not been properly pruned for years. The multiple trunks of the tree (it was originally in bush form)topped out at about 20 to 25 feet high. Most of the figs were out of reach last summer. We cut the trunks back to around 6 ft. in height. One of the trunks had blown over, so we left about 12 ft of it growing recumbently. The 6 ft. remnant trunks will quite probably sprout new growth. If they sprout enough branches, then we will train those branches into a desirable form. Almost certainly, numerous suckers will grow from the roots at the base of the shortened trunks. If the trunks do not produce adequate growth, then choose the best suckers and keep the rest trimmed back. In a few years, you will have a fig tree with fruit that you can enjoy!

hello all, I have a couple of fig trees that are single trunk. I wanted to have them grow in a bush form. How do I prune them to acheive this? Do I just have to take a inch off the top? My tallest fig is about 6 feet tall (katoda). The rest of them are around 3 feet tall (chicago) (celest) (negronne). I grow them in pots and store them in the shed for winter so I want to restrict the height of them. Any pointers will greatly be appreciated. thank you, Rob

Based on my experience, in order to encourage branching, cut off about 1/2 the length of the trunk (ex. reduce the height of the Kadota from 6 ft. to 3 ft. Trim your other figs proportionally, going a little easier on the younger figs, since they do not have as much energy in reserve. Ray Givan's fig booklet illustrates with a drawing this type of pruning.

Where can a person get this booklet on growing figs by Ray Givens?

> Where can a person get this booklet on growing figs by Ray Givan?

Here is a link that might be useful: The Fig Booklet

I have 1 12' tree which is gong to be stumped to about 4 feet next season. There is some very small possibility that it will kill the tree, but not likely. I grow all my tree as bushes, now, but this one tree was not trained that way, originally.

Look these pictures, they show how was my fig tree before pruned (15' tall), once pruned in January 2006 and, at last, in September 2006.

In any case, it was continuously disturbed after pruned on account of lot of grafts that I did in the spring-summer 2006. If I had left it alone, it probably had grown taller.
(sorry for the bad quality of the first picture, it was taken with a mobile phone)

Before pruning:

Just pruned in January 2006:

In September 2006:

Just as an update, we did go ahead and cut down one of the two 20' branches of this tree to about 4' (on the theory that if it totally failed, we'd at least have the other!) We will monitor and post progress/problems later in the season--thanks for the advice!

...and a final update: this worked beautifully! Thanks for the advice. We have one big bushy fig tree within arm's reach, and will be cutting the other branch down to 4' as well next winter to match. :) (We don't have fruit on the low branch, but didn't expect any on first-year growth; I presume it will return in future years.)