I you want a tree shape, remove everyting but the branch/shoot that will make the best trunk. Personally, I like mine in a bush shape. Shorter, easier to pick fruit, etc.

Heidi: Please don't prune yet--e-mail me at rebsorgarden@aol.com for specific instructions for our area.
I'm in Maryland, too, as you can probably tell from the name.

marylandmojo

Jeez--can't even spell my own e-mail address:
rebsorggarden@aol.com Two "g's".

thanks so much for the feedback. My tree is still young, but it has grown like crazy and I want to get control, I hope that will help with the fruit issue. I got a lot of fruit last year that never ripened.

H: It may not help with the fruit issue, but it will help with the "dead or alive" issue.

There is no better way to kill an outdoor, inground fig, in a cold climate, than through improper pruning.

I’m resurrecting this post because my fig bush got wild last year with a lot of growth but not as many figs as I think should be produced. Also, they ripen late, and many don’t ripen as the weather cools. Mid summer 1/3 of my fig bush was knocked over during a storm. The stems/trunks were too close to each other and just broke off. When and how should I print this fig?

As pitangadiego mentioned, it depends on what shape you want your fig in. If you want more of a classic tree shape, pick on central leader and prune the others off. However, the fig will be harder to winterize if it gets too big. If you'd prefer a bush type, I'd pick 3-4 main branches and remove the others. This keeps them away from each other and the open portion of the tree open to promote air flow. You can have more or less branches as you wish. Figs produce their main crop on new growth, so pruning while dormant shouldn't reduce your fig crop. Late season, if it looks like the crop will not ripen in time, prune away the smallest figs, allowing the tree to put its energy into the remaining fruit. People will also tip prune. After a branch has put out 5 or so leaves, prune away the lead tip. This will promote branching but also fruiting is the theory. Can't say I had much luck with it this year, but I'll probably try again.

You may also want to invest in an early season variety, like Chicago Hardy.

I do want to keep the bush shape. Should I prune that drastically all at one time? I guess that would severely cut back on the number of figs I would get as well, wouldn’t it? Thanks so much for all the good information. One more question. Should I prune the largest trunks or what should be my criteria for which stems to prune out?

Figs are tough, unless there is an underlying issue that has weakened the tree, go ahead and prune away. A lot of people prune significantly I the fall so that they are easier to winterize. See the ourfigs forums for more

I looked through the fig forum but there is nothing I could find on bushes, only trees. Totally different issues since there are are so many sizes of “trunks” as you can see in my picture. Not sure if I should keep the bigger ones or cut them back. And if so, how close to the ground. It would be hard to cut those big trunks at ground level with so many of them.

I wouldn't cut them all the way down to ground level. Take a look at the www.ourfigs.com forum, that is one of the places to find out anything about figs. Lots of very helpful people there. They can give you more useful information than I can.

This Clemson Ag website has some useful information:

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/tree_fruits_nuts/hgic1353.html