cfox,

Where do you garden n in zone 3/4?

The Mission fig is very delicious and prolific.

Under pot culture you can grow the most winter tender figs, because they are out of the severe cold over winter. You must however, be careful to grow varieties that tolerate humidity and ripen quickly to prevent fruit rot, and figs not ripening in time before fall frosts.

I don't think your fig tree is ready to be bumped up to a bigger pot going by the size of the trunk.

You can easily slip it out of the pot and check the roots. If tightly compacted, just use a serrated knife, and make vertical slits into the root mass from top to bottom, to a depth of .5", every 2" around the root mass. You are disrupted any future root circling by doing this. Then pot it into your larger pot.

If it is root bound, there is no good reason to root prune it (the above procedure is not root pruning, root pruning is cutting away, removing roots), if it is going into a larger pot. Just disrupt the fig tree's root circling pattern, if there is one present, by the means I outlined above.

Root pruning is only done when the fig tree is returned to the same pot after the roots are pruned, generally not when it is bumped up to a bigger pot. Only the root bound, circling roots are slit to stop the circling root activity, which if unchecked, will choke the tree in time.

If there is still room for more root growth, just return it to its current pot. You can check it again next spring.

Now is the time to branch prune.

Reduce the two lowest branches to app. 10" each, cutting 3/8" above the highest remaining node . This will cause branching. Trim the leader to about 16" from the highest up lower branch. Again, make the cut 3/8" above a node.

Your fig tree will branch out very nicely.

I like my pot cultured fig trees to grow multiple trunks, and branch down low for a number of reasons. It keeps the center of gravity low down so that the tree is more stable in winds. If blown over, the trunk(s) and branches are less prone to get damaged. Plus, closer to the ground the heat generated by the ground around the tree will promote faster growth.

Heat, full sun, and low humidity are a fig tree's best friend.

Your fig tree will break dormancy in its own time, as it warms up.

If you still have late frosts, you can put your fig outside as long as the temperature is above freezing. Bring it inside every single time it freezes. This is called, "the fig shuffle.". Figs tolerate "0," frost, zero! They are extremely frost sensitive, especially new, spring growth.

May I direct your attention to a recent Fig Forum post placed by Tropic of Capricorn, "Fig identification help," March 27, 2018. You may find the post helpful for your particular growing zone.

Moses

Thank you for your reply! I thought for sure it was ready for a bigger pot. When I slipped it out of the pot it's in it's almost more root than soil. The pot is actually cracked from being dropped - will it hurt it to go into the bigger pot, since that's what I have? Or should I go buy a same sized pot?

I live in St. Paul, MN. I got one fig off this guy the year I got it when it was just a little 16" cutting - I know I should have cut it off but I was so excited. I got none last year because the apartment balcony it grew on was deep shade 100% of the time. I have lots of sun now, though! We have a deck that will get east and some south sun for most of the day.

I'm all too familiar with the plant shuffle! I have potted citrus I do the shuffle with too. That said, it's still snowing here - snow on the ground and snow in the forecast so it'll be inside for a little bit yet.

I can prune the tops now with no ill effect? Even if I cut off all those hard green buds at the tips?

cfox,

When you remove the apical bud, the energy goes to the side buds. That's what you want.

Yes, do your pruning now. You can root your trimmings to make more figs.

Remember: heat, strong sunlight, and low humidity are the best recipe for success. You want strong, vigorous growth.

My thoughts are that a fig tree should be potted in the size pot in which it is reasonably expected to expand its root system to fill the pot with not too much root binding in a two year period. Over potting is almost always a death sentence because the fig tree surely will get root rot. Too much soil mass, even an excellent, good draining one, staying water saturated that the roots cannot possibly absorb, will rot them.

It is actually better for a fig tree to be a bit pot bound than over potted.

I would purchase a black plastic nursery pot equivalent in size to your cracked, decorative one, no bigger. Gro Pro nursery pots are good value, and their wide pot base is preferable to decorative, narrow based pots....far more stability. Amazon is a good shopping place for them.

You are to be commended for your venture into fig growing in Minnesota.

Moses

cfox: Here is the post that Moses referred to earlier. He has given very detailed advise on fig pruning, caring, etc. https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5216556/fig-identification-help?n=11