Routine trimming is crucial for maintaining a vigorous and fruitful fig tree.
Fig trees (
Ficus carica
) thrive in
USDA hardiness zones
8 through 10; however, they can still thrive in cooler regions provided they receive adequate protection. Besides offering shade and enhancing the aesthetics of your property—with the bonus of producing tasty fruits—fig trees also play a role in preventing soil erosion and maintaining soil stability.
Annually pruning a fig tree is key for gardeners aiming to keep their trees vibrant and robust. This practice encourages fruiting and fresh development, ensures the plant remains within a controllable scale, and supports general well-being. By cutting off withered or infected limbs, one can improve ventilation, reduce the chance of mold issues, and increase productivity.
Next, experts share their insights on pruning a fig tree to keep it robust and fruitful.
Meet the Expert
-
Becky Sideman
, a horticulture professor at the
University of New Hampshire -
Lorin Nielsen
, head horticulturist at
Epic Gardening
a provider of seeds, living plants, and garden supplies
Related:
9 Indoor-Friendly Fruit Trees You Can Cultivate at Home, Say Experts in Horticulture
When Should You Trim a Fig Tree?
According to Becky Sideman, a horticulture professor from the University of New Hampshire, fig trees should ideally be trimmed in early spring while they remain dormant and prior to initiating their seasonal growth. This optimal timeframe for pruning falls around late February through early March, ensuring no fresh development has started yet. Pruning within this interval helps reduce sap flow significantly, thereby decreasing potential risks such as diseases or injuries.
Ways to Trim a Developing Fig Sapling
It’s crucial to trim young fig trees to establish their structure, particularly when they’re grown in containers, according to Sideman. Hold off on pruning recently planted fig trees until after their initial growing period. Once the first year has passed and new growth appears, routine trimming aids in fostering a robust main stem and encourages an attractive form.
Identify Scaffold Branches
Prior to trimming, select several scaffold branches to uphold upcoming fruit production. These scaffold branches serve as enduring limbs that establish the primary structure of the tree.
Reduce Last Year’s Overgrowth
Reduce about half of last year’s new growth. This helps the tree channel its energy into establishing a strong root system.
Eliminate Deceased, Infected, or Intersecting Limbs
Remove all dead, sickly, or intersecting branches while keeping the strongest scaffold limbs intact. As fig trees bear fruit on new growth, it’s important to eliminate dead or unhealthy branches and trim back overly lengthy shoots from the prior year. Doing so promotes robust development from the surviving buds.
Related:
8 Delicious Fig Recipes to Try This Season
Ways to Trim an Established Fig Tree
Similar to a young fig tree, even an adult fig requires pruning when it’s dormant and devoid of leaves rather than during periods of vigorous growth. As Lorin Nielsen, the chief horticulturist at Epic Gardening, explains: “Pruning during dormancy lets you inspect the branches thoroughly since they won’t have any foliage or fresh shoots obstructing your view.”
Tips
If you’re trimming an established fig tree, make sure not to remove over 30% of its foliage annually. Allowing adequate healing time for the tree is crucial; excessively pruned trees can become strained and might generate unpredictable shoots that could lack durability,” warns Nielsen. Additionally, severely cut limbs might yield fewer fruits that season because they have diminished room to grow, hence it’s best to only prune a handful of branches per year.”
Eliminate Dead, Damaged, or Intersecting Branches
Seek out crossing branches and eliminate the thinner ones to create an airy and well-opened canopy structure. As Nielsen advises, “If you notice any dead or sickly limbs, this is your chance to cut those away and retain solely vigorous, thriving wood.”
Prune for Overall Structure
If branches extend outward in an undesired direction (like toward a close wall or fence), Nielsen recommends trimming them back to be level with the trunk. This stops the fig tree from generating new shoots from the cut end of the branch.
Prune Tall Branches
If your fig tree features long branches where much of the fresh growth occurs near the ends, these can become difficult to access when they get too high up. As Nielsen suggests, “It’s beneficial to prune back the elongated limbs periodically—typically every few years—to bring them down to an easier-to-reach level.” This encourages renewed development along the remaining sections of older branches; therefore, aim to retain roughly four inches as stubs for each trimmed limb.
Leave Young Branches
Nielsen suggests retaining young, short branches unless they’re extending in an undesired direction. She explains, “A number of these younger branches might have ‘fruitlets’ or tiny fig embryos at their tips.” These tear-drop shaped developments on the younger limbs could develop into full fruits over time, hence maintaining them would boost future yields.
Related:
How to Trim an Apple Tree to Ensure Fruit Production for Many Years
How to Look After a Fig Tree Following Trimming
Although there aren’t particular guidelines for what to do right after cutting, several steps can be taken to maintain the health of your fig tree following pruning.
Monitor Cut Edges
Nielsen recommends keeping an eye on the pruned edges of your fig tree. If significant rain occurs before these cuts have healed completely, watch out for potential bacterial problems or signs of decay.
Keep the Soil Moist
To keep fig trees thriving (whether they’re in active growth or not), make sure the soil stays damp. “While mulch can be helpful, remember never to use volcano mulching around any type of tree,” advises Nielsen. Placing mulch directly next to the trunk traps excess moisture which may lead to decay or fungus issues.
Fertilize Regularly
Nielsen recommends regularly fertilizing your tree with a well-balanced formula. “While younger trees require additional nutrients, older ones typically benefit from it mainly during early spring and when their fruits start growing larger,” she explains.
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Martha Stewart
