Wait an year!!!

Herman,

so on every branch, just count from the inside of the branch up to the tip, 6 leaves and pinch or cut only the tip off?..........and just keep doing this on new growth?.

richard

Yes.
And,Pinching by hand is safer than using a cutting device so you do not spread deasese to new branches.

I know that this is too early to bump this up already. But a recipient of one of my figs says that she cannot open the link that I sent her.

The above link to the New Zealand site doesnÂt work anymore.

For newbies: This technique is for figs in climates that do not always ripen their figs before the cold weather sets in. Apparently it increases yield too, but IÂm not sure of that. As I said, itÂs too early for most people to start using this technique because figs in colder climates are just starting to grow this season. Unless your fig is already well established, do not start pinching at the first set of six leaves.

Here is the new link
Look around and see what you like.

Here is a link that might be useful: Incredible Edibles

Thank you, MrHappy, for the link. However, that is the general-info fig page that used to have a link to their fig-pruning page; that fig-pruning link is not there anymore. Here is a quote from that missing page, minus the illustrations:

"Summer tip pruning
This is possibly one of the most fundamental aspects of fig management as it directly alters the size and shape of the plant's development as well as the fruiting habit and quality of fruit produced.
This technique involves the removal of the growing tip when 5 or 6 leaves have developed (about mid December). This interrupts vegetative growth which diverts the plants energy into fruit development until the vegetative growth resumes. This results in earlier maturing fruit of a higher quality. Fruit shape may change slightly. Some experimentation in individual climates will help to find the limits of the summer prune timing but it must allow enough regrowth to develop and form buds for the following season's early figs since this method maximizes double cropping.
Overseas literature may sometimes recommend summer pruning as the breba figs are harvested, but in the NZ climate the mid December recommendation will fit best, especially where the autumn temperatures may drop off sooner with colder nights, effectively shortening the growing season.
This method will on average reduce the overall growth for the season by about 1/3.
The illustration below shows the summer growth tipped at the 6th leaf, and below it is the resulting summer-autumn growth with 3 tips which will potentially produce breba figs the following summer."

DonÂt forget that NZÂs December is the equivalent of June in the northern hemisphere.

Since it takes a couple of months of warm weather to ripen newly formed figs, I would think that itÂs already time to stop pinching for fruiting in my climate; however, I continue pinching for the purpose of controlling size and shape. For this purpose I pinch at 8 to twelve leaves instead. Removing those small terminals is the least damaging form of pruning.

Alfred,
You are right. They pinching part was removed. I scrounged around and found a link that may fit the bill.
Richard

Here is a link that might be useful: Royal Horticultural Society - Gardening Advice: Fig Pruning & Renovation

Thanks for the good reading mrhappy.
Martin

Using the Wayback Machine (archives.org) I found the original page on pruning figs minus the images. Hope this helps.
Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Incredible edible fig archive

On Friday morning, I was looking at my Jack's Quarter Pounder, grown from a dormant hardwood cutting I received form Jack back in Feb-Mar.

It had lots of good healthy leaves and has been growing up and up like a rocket but no side shoots.
I pinched the tip and it spurted out the milky sap for a few minutes like a stuck pig, and then stopped.

When we got home from our road-trip on Sunday morning there were side-shoots all over the place, some over 6" long!

Thanks Sue for your search and posting. It helps.

Herman, you are a doggone national treasure. Going out there right now and pinch back my new Joe Morle Paradiso. It is almost six feet high, has only three branches and is loaded all up and down the branches. I want RIPE figs.

I pinched a James Robin Kadota whip that was not branching. Got an offshoot branch at the pinch site and a cluster of figs right under the pinch.
Ox

Oo Thanks Ox.
Do not let it go any higher than 6 foot for this year.
Pinch it again and again,to stop it from growing and put all energy in riping the fruits.
Happy Gardening.

I have a 3 year old white fig tree that was in a pot untill this year when i planted it. It was in trunk form and now grew huge shoots from the bottom and did not bear any fruit. should I let it grow in shrub form now? what pruning shoud I do to get it bearing fruit again, I need help

Well Viza:you can shorten it now if you need to cover it for the winter.
Yet do not cut any trunk at the soil level Now.
Only in the Spring you thin it to 3 trunks only ,That will Help it fruit.
BR

The technique described by Herman is now located at the following site. Make note that the timelines mentioned are for Southren hemisphere (incl Newzealand & Australia etc) so add 6 months to the schedule for Northern hemisphere (i.e. they start pinching in December and we start pinching around June (+/-):
http://www.tharfield.co.nz/varieties/figgrowing.htm

I have a Texas Everbearing that I planted 7 years ago. It is about 20 feet tall. I had to cut off several low limbs after hurricane Ike. I'm not sure it survived the storm as the tree currently has no leaves on it. Is it okay to cut off the tallest shoot at this point or should I wait until spring?

hubbaj:No Storm will kill a fig tree.So this is the good news.
Maby a very hard frost,,rarelly can do.
Do not cut any trunks at the soil level now.
You can shorten the tree,let's say to 10 foot now,if you want,and if it loolks very ugly now.
As for making the shape you want ,do it in May not now.
Best Regards

Herman my question pertains to your answer to Hubbaj where you advised him to shorten his tree from 20 feet to 10 feet now but wait until May before shaping the tree. If he were to do that I'm guessing he will not have any figs this year as it will leave him with long stumps and no branches. Am I correct?

I have a similiar situation in that my fig BUSH is about 10 feet tall. I could just reach the top figs standing on a ladder last year so I don't want it to get any taller. Being a beginner, I didn't know a fig bush would grow that tall. After reading all your posts, I plan to pinch back new growth this year to maintain its current height and then in late June cut back approximately 1/3 of the thickest stumps to ground level (2 inches) to encourage new shoots. I hope to maintain the new shoots at about 6 to 8 feet and in several years after again cutting back 1/3 of the thickest stumps I hope to have a 6 to 8 foot bush. Does that make sense? I'm just afraid of winding up with no figs for for several years. Thanks for you reply and obvious patience in dealing with beginners like me.

Incidentally, I got a ton of figs last year! I and all the neighbors were very happy.

Herman,

I live in southern NY, I've had 3 trees in containers for about 10 years now and I have never gotten good harvests because I didn't know about pinching. Every year I would have 20-30 figs left on each tree that never ripened in the fall. This year I will start to pinch back after the 6 leaf and see if I can do better.
Here are some photos of my trees currently tied up and in the garage.

They are still dormant, is it too late to prune the branches back? Should I even prune them back? I have many smaller branches as you can see, some only 10-12" long, should these be pruned to let the bigger branches do better?

I would appreciate any help.

Thanks, Rob

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hvpcno1/P3300005.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hvpcno1/P3300007.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hvpcno1/P3300006.jpg[/IMG]

Sorry, I read that this forum used HTML for pics but apparently not.

recoil rob,
dont give up yet on your pictures,the forum does use the HTML code for pictures.
You copied the image code from photo bucket which is the last of the four under your picture, the html code is right above it or its the third one down below your picture try it again on forum but hit preview button instead of post button to make sure once you copy and paste it here.
Best Luck
Martin

Rob's pics:

{{gwi:785771}}

{{gwi:785773}}

{{gwi:785775}}

This answer is for the 2 gentelman from New York.
The first poster.
If the tree is cut from 20 foot to 10 foot,it might look ugly now,but in June it will grow young lateral branches at every knott,that will be producing branches,full of fruits.
Thre are dormant buds down the stock waiting for years for a chance to grow ,so now will be the chance.
The guy with the 3 figs in pots.
You can use the pinching method and prune ,as much,as you want,with success,and have a lot of fruits this year if your fig is a main crop fig.
If it is Desert King,or other breba type fig,then this method do not work very well.
Antonio Espo,on this forum perfected a method for keeping Desert king productive.
Best Regards

To all,
gorgi, thanks for posting my pics, I'm used to the IMG method and screwed up. Good of you to correct it for me.

Herman, thanks for your response. I'm not sure what kind of figs I have, they were given to me years ago. I know that one plant gives dark brownish purple figs with a purple interior (Turkish) and the other two give green figs with a yellow interior.

So, it's not too late to prune the branches back now, in spring?

Here are some more photos of my plants, the garage jungle. Buds are beginning to form at the tips of my branches so would it be counter-productive to prune now?

Thanks, Rob

{{gwi:785777}}

{{gwi:785778}}

Rob:If you do not know if this is a breba ,fig or a main crop fig,or both,then:
Pinch off the sharp buds at the ends of the branches only.
That will make your tree more productive and more compact,as it should be when in container.
You have 2 kinds of buds,round and sharp,angled.
The round buds are breba fruits,and the sharp buds are the new end growing tips.
Best Regards

This looks like the perfect place to find an answer to end or confirm my fear. I agressively pruned my 7 year old fig tree last fall, unfortunately, I have no idea the variety. It was about 7 x 7' and produced tasty green fruit. The branches were so long and leggy that I just whacked it back close to the trunk....I am now concerned I was too brutal and it will not revive. It's still early in the PNW, but most other deciduous trees & shrubs are showing signs of new growth-just not my fig. Should I start looking for a replacement? Thanks!

I am a beginner and still confused after reading many threads of this forum. Attached link (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14966915@N06/3426181112/) is my fig tree picture. It was not pruned from the last season. Most branches are long and have

Garden 98...You could cut some fruits buds out,if it is Desert King(breba fig)but that is all damage you can do.
Yifu:I did not see the picture but I assumed your fig is unpruned for a long time and now it only makes leaves at the end tips,while the rest of the branch is bare and void of leaves.
If it is like that you are too late for pruning this year.
You suppose to prune it before the growth of the leaves.
Next Year prune it the shape you want,in winter, and then when new branches grow,then you pinch the tip off after sixth leaf.
VS

Herman;

My little last-year's fig trees are coming on with a top knot and little or nothing below.

Would I be wrong to pinch out the terminal buds this early to make them branch out in a bushy shape?
Ox

Oxancle:Live them alone for about 3 years.
You are wrong lf you pinch a very young fig.
You will weaken it.
H

Thanks, Herman;
Glad I waited for the answer!
Ox

oxankle, never leave a fig tree for 3 years unpinched if you want your fig tree to branch out in a bushi shape, particularly containerized trees.

even one season could be to long for some trees, you could grow a single fig stick 8 feet tall without a single side branch and that would be a disaster for you if you grow your figs in containers. do it early.
i rooted my cuttings before Christmas and they are 23 inches high, tip is pinched, got 3 new side branches and started tiny fig formation already.
that's my practice and my experience for growing figs in containers.

Good Point Radovan:I was assuming his trees are inground.
In container,yes you can pinch any time,but it will still weaken the tree by producing too many fruits at a too younger of an age,if all the fruits are left on.
Yet,yes it can be done,but I do not pinch very young trees anymore for the above reason.
Hope this will help
H

Herman,
So you would recommend leaving a young tree to grow without pinching or pruning for the first season or two? Even if it is not branching much by itself?

Radovan, Herman: Thanks to you both. I apologize for not making my question clear.

My in-ground trees were cut back in the fall both for cuttings and to get them under cover. Of four, two seem to be coming out from the roots, one was sprouting and got nipped by the late freeze, but it is pushing new buds now from its branches AND its base. Too early to tell about the fourth, but I am betting it too will come out.

The trees I want to nip are those still in pots from last year. Some got frosted and lost their terminal buds so are coming out along the stem. Others are three feet tall with only a top knot. Those I want to bush out along the main trunk. I will nip them a little later in the season and not allow them to carry more than a handful of fruit.

I thought I had lost my two Kathleen's Black, but both are coming out from buds low down on the stem.

Unless I get medical attention I will have to hire a freight car to carry my figs to shelter this fall. This stuff is addictive. I am actually out looking for warm spots here in which to plant figs. '
Ox

Thanks Herman! And the rest of you for your contributions....

I just bought a home in Atlanta, GA and it came with two 15 footers , variety TBD, very leggy, and need some attention...I have 6 very large figs on one and about a dozen of small figs on the other..... we are going out this weekend to do some pruning per all your recommendations.

My folks have two 40'w x 20'h granddaddys in Macon GA that we pull approx 50 lbs of fruit each July...and that is just one day of picking! I'll try to get a photo uploaded for you all...they are amazing!

I am still a bit confused about where to pinch. I have read this through several times and also looked at the Tharfield diagram but still have questions.

My 3 trees are container figs in NY. This spring when I took them out they had both sharp (leaf) and round (fruit) buds. I know that it is the leaf buds that are to be pinched after the 6th leaf appears.

My trees are gangly, the stems are average 4 feet long and are mostly woody with the last 6 inches being green. I am beginning to think they should be severely pruned back come winter but for now I'll stick to pinching and fruit questions.

Here are pics of my plants.

{{gwi:780100}}

{{gwi:785782}}

Am I supposed to count 6 leaves on the entire stem and pinch or 6 leaves on each green growth and pinch?

Here are some pics with specific questions, I am sorry but I am not sure of the varieties, just the color of the fruits.

For example, picture 4 shows a lot of stems coming off the main stem, each with a group of 4-5 leaves at the end, some with a fruit bud just below. These are brown figs, probably Turkish but I'm not sure, the flesh is purple. Am I supposed to pinch each grouping back to 6 leaves or are there only supposed to be 6 leaves on the entire stem?

{{gwi:785783}}

Picture 5 shows a plant that bears green fruits, here is a grouping of leaf bundles. Should the entire stem be pinched back to just 6 leaves or should each grouping get 6 leaves?

{{gwi:785784}}

Here's picture 6, it shows a dead woody stem that is left over from pruning a few years back. I thought when I pruned it it would branch out on the sides but it just died. Should I trim it back now or wait? How can I prevent killing the entire stem when pruning and get it to grow side shoots?

{{gwi:785787}}

Thanks to all...

Rob in NY

ttt, could use the help.

thanks, rob

Herman is the expert on this topic but I believe he would agree that you should pinch after 6 leaves on each shoot. You should also make sure you thin out the shoots to make sure that the buds get enough sun. Your trees seem fairly mature so I would cut back hard in the fall on half of the branches this year and half next year.

Thanks Steve, what constitutes "cutting back hard"?

Rob,

When I say cutting "hard" i meant cutting back far or deep. So, I would cut those branches back to within 2-3 nodes of the main stem.

Hi Guys:Steve you explained it perfectly.
Personally I am not answering anymore on this thread because it is too large and download very late on my dial up.
H

After three years of commits, the 6 leaf pruning technique is still going strong.
Good job, herman2.

this spring I planting a 4 foot black mission twig that was rooted and only had a single limb. the base is only about 1" in diameter. It has grown up to about 6' now and has leafed out nicely. Problem it is it now end of August I have have not seen any fruit. the main branch below the first limb has many nodules but no growth. How do I prune this back to stimulate lower limb growth so that it bushes out and produces in the spring? If I cut off the upper part of the main trunk, can I replant the portion that I cut off? I have included a picture. I should also add I am in the Ft. Worth, TX area zone 7b I believe. Not sure when or how to prune.

This post was edited by CajunTex on Sat, Aug 24, 13 at 16:07

Cajun:Too late to pinch or trim down your tree.
If you do the new growth will all die next Winter.
What you can do,next Spring is cut the upper stem and start a couple of new tree with the cuttings.
Or:Reaserch ,Layer procedure,and create a layer on the existent upper stem.

how far up should I cut it? Just above the 3rd small branch about 1/2 way up?

Yes,Perfect,good idea,a good place to cut or make a layer.

Pinching question...Have a brown turkey in ground. It started new shoots from the bottom. They are now about 18" talk and have about 5 leaves on them. If I pinch the tree will only be 18" talk...is this correct or am I missing something?