What fig cultivar(s) are you talking about? If you have desert king and prune, you will get no figs since its a breba only type in the East. Zone 5 seems to be pretty difficult to ripen figs but there are many on this forum who get ripe figs in Canada. Also are they in ground or in pots?

You do not necesary need to prune your tree but you need to thin,it in order to get ripe fruits.
In the Spring no more than 3-5 Trunks well spaced should be left if plant grown as a bush.
If Plant is a one trunk,there should be about 10 inches between branches,before leaves grow.
If denser you need to remove some.
This thinning is a must outside ideal fig climate or else,they will not ripe.
Also If single tree make sure you form it with an open center so sun penetrate between,branches.
Of course,like the former poster asked,what tree do you have.
People in Canada get ripe fruits but only from a handfull of cultivars,as :Paradiso Nero,HaRDY cHICAGO,sAL gENE,mARSEILLES VS BLACK,Gino's,and other few very early ripening cultivars,not from all cultivars.
So if you have a late ripening cultivar,in the north east you are out of luck,because it will not get ripe,in time.

And If it drops,fruits in the hot season(August,September),then those fruits needed polination,and that is normal on Desert King,wich keeps and ripe only Breba without polination,but is not normal if your fig is Common,with a main crop,as main fruitting time.
Your fig might be a cultivar that needs polination,to have main ,crop persist and in that case ,there is no remedy,only discard and replace the tree.

ejp3 & Herman 2,
Most of my experience over the last 8-10 years has been with Brown Turkeys but have had very poor results. In the last year or two I've tried Celestes and Kadotas. This year my 2-year old Kadota produced 2 ripe figs which were delicious beyond delicious, even though the nursery where I bought it said it was recommended for zones 7/8. Go figure! All my trees are in containers which I bring into my basement every winter. As far as I know, none of my trees are breba only.
Herman 2, Of the cultivars you mentioned, the only one I have is a baby Paradiso in it's 2nd year (from a cutting). Do you know where I can buy a Hardy Chicago or any of the other cultivars you recommended?
I appreciate all of the suggestions.
Pasquale

Best is to grow your own,from cuttings,if you can.
I have cuttings listed on Ebay,and also other people on the Fig forum do,so search for Fig cuttings on E bay,and you will find more than one vendor,most but not all have very good record,and experience growing figs in cold climates.
Best Regards

Hi Pasquale,
what Herman says about ebay is very true, look at "both" forums and you can see Hermans, myself, and several others profiles and how long they have been members.
Also important look at the pictures they have posted in past and recently "Pictures" of there trees and fruit.
Most members are honest and know what stock they have and where it came from.
Best Health
Martin
EBay Id. - Dieseler6z92

Does anybody have advice for pruning in the South? The problem here is that they get huge. How much can you take off at once? Does that sap ever stop running? (ouch) and do you just lose your breba crop that year? Do they sprout like mad and need thinning for years?
Thanks!

Thanks for the great advice I've received from this Forum over the past couple of years. I've been growing figs for about 4 years here in Northern VA., Brn Turkey, Celeste, Chicago Hardy, Marcelles and LSU Purple. I learned about pruning when my first ( Brn Turkey) was not producing ripe fruit before frost (thanks Herman).
I just winterized with burlap wrap and will pile mulch at base this week. I cut a few branches and would like to know the best way to turn these into new trees for next year. They were cut today and are currently in standing in a bucket of water. I do prune in the spring to rid some of the small or dead shoots. See my 1st fig grows like a bush with about 6-8 older thunks and i let the new shoots go thru the winter as well and cut the bad in the spring. I then have been letting about another 10 shoot up top them when they have 6-8 leaves and then wait on the fruit. Each year i have better production. I would appriciate any other suggestions. I will also be looking to get some more established fig trees, cuttings, varieties, in future. I also did bring one small Celeste in the basement this year, should i let it go dormant as its doing now, water it? or is it advisable to put some sort of grow lite on it?
Thank you,
Rickc_2010