So its been a couple months now since I pruned my Pachira. I'd recently ran into computer issues an have been unable to post photos but things seem to be working now. These aren't the most recent photos...wow, I just looked at the date and I took these on the 28th of May. I will definitely post newer photos possible tomorrow or next week. The prune job was a success! New growth is beautiful and flourishing! The one down fall to my prune job is that I didn't prune as far down as I should have, as you can see in the 3rd photo. I was afraid that new growth would not growth from the stems that were already hard with bark....but maybe next time I'll chop more....we'll see. Josh, here's a better shot of the pot you liked. Ours are very similar! I do like how yours is rounded at the base though, very nice. Thanks for looking! Ashley

Best time to repot F carica is in the spring immediately before or at the onset of budswell. They can be repotted after leaves fall if roots are fully protected from freezing temperatures. A full repot is inherently damaging because you will be removing 1/3-2/3 of the plant's root mass. If you're asking if it will irreparably damage the tree, the best answer is probably not, but it is much easier on the tree if you time repotting as herein described. If you're conflating repotting as potting up (a pot size), the answer is, potting up can be undertaken any time of year, so long as aftercare is appropriate. Potting up in the winter is somewhat concerning because the new soil volume will be recolonized by roots slowly, which means any soil saturation will tend to be a limiting factor for a longer period of time than if the plant was potted up while in active growth phase. Potting up is a half measure which ensures the limitations of root congestion are always in play, and these limitations can be immense as the congestion eventually reaches lethal levels. It would be helpful if we knew where you live. Al

James, Like Glenn said, it sounds like you have the idea. However, you mentioned doing the air layer at the "base" of the limb. I would suggest moving up higher...say about where the other branching of your tree takes place. I'm guessing if the branch is 3" at the base it's probably more like 2" or slightly less at the point I'm talking about. Also, 3 or 5 gal. pots are bigger than you need for this, and I would think they would be very difficult to manage as far as keeping them stable while the rooting takes place. I would think a 6" or so pot deep enough to allow enough soil to cover a couple of nodes on the branch would be fine. You want to be able to keep the pot stationary. You don't want roots to start to develop, have a rain that adds weight to the pot/soil, and have the pot start slipping down the branch thereby damaging the developing roots. As someone mentioned, don't be in a hurry to cut it. Two weeks is at the short end of the time necessary. You will begin to see white roots sticking up from the soil in the pot. My experience has been the stronger you allow the root mass to develop before cutting the airlayer the more vigorously the new plant commences growth. The thread fignut referred you to was my post earlier this year. When I cut it this airlayer consisted of a 14" plant with two branches (each less than 1/2" in diameter). Today, a little over 4 mos. later this plant has 3 new branches it grew out from the base (total of 5 main branches now). Two of these new branches are 5/8" in diameter, and one is over 3 ft. tall. Last week I had to pick off around a dozen or more new figs it popped out (too late to ripen). Bottom line: this is one healthy, thriving plant today and will no doubt produce a good crop of figs next year (it's first full year). Later today I'll try to get a good picture of this plant and post it. In contrast I have several other airlayers I did around the same time that I was somewhat overanxious to cut. I saw some roots, figured it was enough, and cut/potted the airlayers. One of these was from the same mother tree as the one I've been discussing. These plants are healthy and doing OK. If I didn't have this other one to compare them to I'd probably think they were a complete success, but I know better. My long, drawn out point: don't rush to cut your airlayer. If you cut and pot it with a really good root mass it will most likely take off like a weed. I'm assuming you will do this in the spring after your tree has leafed out. One other thing that I was a little hardheaded about learning is this: when you cut and pot the airlayer it is best to remove almost ALL the leaves. I was told to only leave a couple leaves at the very end - at the distal buds. When I followed these instructions the new plant invariably sprouted new branches and good healthy new growth from the existing distal buds. However, when I decided to see what heppened when I left more leaves on the airlayer than I'd been told to, the new plants did not produce nearly as much new growth - in some cases almost zero new growth. I guess the plant needs to be forced into producing new growth, and removing the leaves does this. Otherwise, too much of the new plant's energy is devoted to sustaining the existing leaves. Note: Al and others who really know what they are talking about please clarify/correct if my layman's explanation is in conflict with actual fact :) Good luck James. One last word of warning: this stuff can be habit forming. I started this year with 8 potted fig trees. Not counting rooted cuttings I now have around 60 - with more en route soon :) Henry

Not all varieties produce two crops. Furthermore, not all the varieties that produce a Breba crop, have a Breba crop worth worrying about. I can't attest to the trees you saw in Italy. It is possible that they were pruned in a pollard or some other fashion. If you read about topping trees, you find that the problem with topping is that you run the risk of injury/death to the tree. Proper training from a young age not only minimizes these risks, it also improves the efficiency of the tree. At this point in the season, heavy tree pruning will probably yield the opposite effect that you are looking for. The tree has stored energy for next season in the trunk and roots. If you prune heavily, the trees response in the spring will be to put on vegetative growth at the expense of fruit production. From an article by the North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture: ...heavy dormant pruning results in a yearly cycle with excessive vegetative growth and little or no fruit production. This statement may be a bit strong being as a fig tree will likely produce some fruit after a heavy pruning. Also given that a few varieties (Alma, etc.) are reported to respond favorably to heavy pruning. However, as a general statement, what you are proposing will minimize your fruit production next year. If it were me, I'd begin pruning now the dead, damaged and diseased limbs as well as those that are rubbing against each other. In the spring, remove about 2/3 of what grew this year (no Breba crop) and any limb damaged by the cold. After fruit production, do some of the heavier pruning to produce the shape and size you are looking for. Repeat the same process next year. I would expect a better crop in 2008/2009 than with what you have proposed. ~james Here is a link that might be useful: read this