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Fig pruning

gaynorryan123gaynorryan123 Posts: 9
in Fruit & veg
Hi fig carica planted last autumn. Leaves only at top 1ft , 6ft stem bare. Checked pruning advice but all are for older trees. Do I need to do anything now to encourage bushier grown lower down. So few leaves at the top reluctant to do anything drastic  . Any suggestions please (this is my only fruit tree so basic )

Posts

  • gaynorryan123gaynorryan123 Posts: 9
    Forgot to mention I covered it with a fleece all over until frosts had gone to protect it from wind and cold.has this stopped side growth  . 
  • strelitzia32strelitzia32 Posts: 758
    I'm not familiar with that specific fig, but generally you need to prune them back in late autumn/early winter to create the structure you want (and remove unripe figs). They won't grow off old wood, hence the appearance of yours.

    Wait until later this year (don't prune it now) and reassess, but you'll probably want to prune it right back, 2/3 of the new green growth, to get it as short as possible. Then next year it'll send multiple shoots from the pruning point, and start to give you the "canopy" look you're probably after.

    If you don't, you'll get an ever increasing long stick, like what's happening now!

    Someone else may be able to confirm better on this variety, and if you can cut back into old wood.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited June 2020
    @gaynorryan123 see this old thread I posted 2 years ago:
    Below are photos, just taken today, of the results:
    Original 'bottom' half:


    The top section which was rooted is now this size in my greenhouse:


    So don't fear pruning it hard.  :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • strelitzia32strelitzia32 Posts: 758
     :o@BobTheGardener on that linked thread you just rewrote everything I thought I knew about figs. 

    Not saying that I actually knew anything to start with, apparently! But wow I can't believe that's a cutting after 2 years. Incredible.

    I'm off to regret throwing out my pruning of my mystery fig tree.
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