Given the location of the tree (under the utility lines) and it's current condition (dead wood, leaning growth, nearness to the fence, and lack of sufficient pruning and training up until now), I could agree with butterfly4u's last recommendation. I've grown a number of these, both at my home and at my arboretum. I've also pruned and cared for them for clients. Thankfully I haven't had to deal with one in quite this shape before. Some of mine have succumbed to Verticillium wilt. From my experience, this genus seems somewhat more disease prone than many other alternatives. If you do want to keep this tree, there are at least three options. One is to coppice the tree. I guess that was butterfly4u's first recommendation, although I'm not positive about that. That option was already discussed above. Another option would be to stool the tree and select one or more shoots (originating from below the root collar) as the new trunk or trunks (depending on whether you preferred a more tree or bush form). This would be done in late winter/very early spring and would be done by cutting the entire tree down to within about an inch of the ground. As with coppicing, this would produce long, lanky growth. In this case, that growth would be desirable because it would form your new trunks. Assuming the tree was healthy, new sprouts should shoot up quickly. Attention to excess shoot removal and training would be required for a few years. The third option, to keep the tree, would be gradual pruning and training. If you decided to go with this method, I'd start by properly removing the stubs in the lower part of the tree. These should be cut to just outside the branch bark ridges and collars. I would consider removing "E" completely to reduce the leaning look of the tree. Branch "D" could be reduced back to just over position "2" on "E". This would also reduce the leaning effect. Be sure to perform proper reduction cuts here, as shown in the link below. There may be no prefect solution for the branches on scaffold "A". A few heading cuts (usually not recommendable) may be necessary to bring the canopy down away from the utility lines. Careful and detailed maintenance (removing excess shoots and followup pruning) for a few years following this pruning might lead to a satisfactory result. As with routine coppicing, this will lead to lanky growth. It would also produce wounds that won't be covered over for a long time (one of the main problems with heading cuts). Since this is not a large tree, that would pose a significant danger if a major limb failed, heading branches on "A" back may be acceptable. Of all of these options, I'd personally go with either butterfly4u's last recommendation or stooling, depending on how much I liked the tree and how much time I was willing to spend on it in the next few years. Here is a link that might be useful: Proper Reduction Cut

It is hard to kill a fig tree by pruning, or by anything else. Anecdote: An old Greek guy died in August here in Florida. He had a small black fig tree. His heir, a friend of mine, tore out the whole yard including the fig tree. It sat in the pile of waste cuttings out in the Florida sun, roots exposed, for three days. When I went by, I grabbed it and brought it home and planted it in my sandy yard. My friend scoffed, as did my wife. I never watered it a second time. But come late November, the top of that dried-up-stick of a tree put out a leaf. Today, in mid-January, it has several leaves. That tells you how hardy fig trees can be. But for you, with these ancient, wonderful trees, pruning back will indeed bring you great results. Cut away to your heart's content. Top them at will to keep the fruit down where you can reach it. You are a lucky person to take possession of this property with these trees. Please do water and fertilize these trees, and you will reap the rewards for years to come.

Hi Map1e, I'm doubtful that your tree was grafted. Although your tree could've been grafted its more work for the nursery and why would they do that when a fig does fine on its own roots? I would suggest that you try to root some of your cuttings or if you have any suckers come up pot those up and compare them to the mother tree. If its grafted the suckers and the cuttings that you took will be different. Either the fruit color or leaf structure would be different. Would it be a robust plant if you air layered.... Yes, the fig would have a good headstart if you air layered a section of your 10 ft tree and cut it down to 6ft you would have a 4 ft tree instantly...well almost, you'd have to have roots develop first. I guess that your current option for propagating more trees would be to root some cuttings. Good luck, Little John

1) Since I am happy with main crop figs only, I routinely prune 10' bushes to 18 inches (I don't want to pick fruit from tall trees on my hill). I will typically leave only 2-3 leaf nodes of current years growth on a any branch. So, you can prune them as much or as little as you want, to control size. If you are relying on Breba crop for your figs (formed on prior seasons wood)you can only prune lightly. 2) If the cold is not a problem, and the trees don't need protection, you can prune early Spring beefore budbreak. 3) If cold/freeze damages/kills portions of the tree, and you want wood for propagation, take it in the Fall. otherwise wait till you prune in late winter/early spring. See http://figs4fun.com and read the Festival of Fruit Handout for some basics. I hope to add accompanying pix soon.