Hi, I was hoping someone could help me out. I have a Celeste fig tree, potted as of now. I recently moved to this house so I kept it potted until I can plant it in the fall. And then I am sure I will have to protect it being in a 6b/7a zone.

Anyway, after the leaves fell off last fall, I brought it in to an unheated basement for the winter. Even though there is really no natural light source down in the basement, I still covered it just in case so it would stay dormant.

Well, I do not know why, but in late winter, maybe January? I think, the tree started to send out new shoots. I guess my basement was not as cold as it should have been? SO because it was obviously too early to bring out, I started to give it a little water, and gave it some light from a plant lamp so it would not die.

Once March came, I did get it outside, however, even though I tried to harden it off as best I could, it still was not easy for the fig, I guess from being in the basement.

So, now I am puzzled on what to do to the tree. It has a bunch of long, lanky shoots that are about 2 feet long each, and the leaves are growing from the very end of the shoots. I would like to prune the shoots off, but that would remove a lot of the leaves, but I cannot see the tree doing well if I leave it this way. Should I prune the shoots? Or maybe root the shoots if I do? How can I fix my poor tree? I do plan on planting this fall so this does not happen again. Thanks for your help! Christy

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bonechickchris/100_1784.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bonechickchris/100_1778.jpg

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http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bonechickchris/100_1776.jpg

Sorry to make you look up the pics, but I cannot figure out how to post pics on my post