Oh, more. Although the tree is great, I am willing to replace it with a different type if that will get the results I want. I live in Brooklyn, NY and would want a fig that is very hardy here in the winter, that I don't have to worry about covering.

I'm attaching that photo again. It was upside down before!

Hi,

You can train the new buds or new branches but may need to trim the old branches as they have already spreaded outward.

sad to say..it is difficult to change its nature...

With fig tree's you can stake and train a branch to grow anyway you want.

my black mission is doing the same thing. I took some string and looped it around the low hanging branches using an old garden hose piece as a buffer and pulled it along with another low hanging branch. now both branches are growing more vertical. I did this in early spring and my tree is three years old. if this doesn't work i'll prune them heavy in the fall and train the younger shoots.

Thanks for the comments, everyone! Should I wait till Fall to do pruning? There are branches that are in the way that I want to remove, but should I wait? Also, how do I turn the branches that I cut off into new baby fig trees? HOw do I propagate them?

Hi,

Before you cut your big fig tree, you can propagate them
by air layering:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhQJqzKc11w

This is a quicker way to produce another fig tree than from
a fig cutting.
Your old friends or new ones will be more than happy to receive those air layered fig trees!

Mission figs grow horizontal

In my experience growing fig plants over the years Mission plants included they grow

up Vertical and with horizontal branches of course.

But

look at the picture at top of thread posted 8 years ago and follow those horizontal branches to where they intersect with the main leader and see the stump it has been severed thus causing plant to spread its branches in a horizontal fashion.

Ficus carica <fig tree> can be pruned and staked to grow how you want it as they are very forgiving

Martin

I have a fig - of unknown type - that got to be 12 feet in two years. I couldn't begin to pick fruit above 6 feet, so chop it I did. I cut it off last Fall to a stump about 24 inches high. This Spring I have all sorts of new growth with one branch that wants to go straight up. Not going to happen. I'm liking that horizontal growth... and low picking fruit.

LOL make sure you keep it pruned, many might envy a zone 9 so send some warmth to the midwest please z5 ; )

Martin

I'll gladly send you about 20 degrees of today's 95. It's way too early for such temps... even here.

That 20 degrees will help with this wintry mix we are receiving today

Thanks.

Martin