How to Prune Fig Trees for BIG Harvests, by Epic Gardening on YouTube. 12 min 28 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 28 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Prune in late winter while the tree is dormant and before new growth starts. Pick a dry day and sharpen your bypass pruners first so every cut is clean.
Cut out dead, damaged and diseased branches first. Follow each one back to healthy wood and remove it completely.
Remove branches that cross or rub together, plus any suckers coming up from the base. Keep the middle of the tree open to light and air.
Make each cut flush against the branch collar instead of leaving a stub. A close, flat cut seals over faster than a long stub that dies back.
Shorten last year's long growth to shape the tree and keep fruit within reach. Figs fruit on new wood, so cutting back pushes fresh fruiting shoots.
To reset an overgrown or neglected fig, cut it back hard to a low framework of a few strong main branches. Do this in one go and expect lots of new growth.
Keep the healthiest pruned branches as cuttings. Trim each to about 15 cm with a few buds, dip the base in rooting hormone, and pot it in free-draining mix.
Clean your blades with rubbing alcohol between trees. This stops disease spreading from one plant to the next.
Tips and common mistakes
Wear gloves and eye protection, since fig branches are springy and the sap can irritate skin.
Never leave long stubs, as they rot and let disease into the wood.
Avoid heavy pruning in summer, when the tree is working hard to ripen fruit.
Water the tree well after pruning but skip feeding until spring growth appears.
Questions
When is the best time to prune a fig tree?
Late winter, while the tree is still dormant and before buds swell. Pruning then means less sap bleed and faster healing.
Can I cut a neglected fig tree right back?
Yes. A hard reset to a low framework of main branches is the standard fix for an overgrown tree, and it regrows strongly the same season.
Will the cuttings root?
Often yes. Take healthy stems with a few buds, pot them in free-draining mix and keep them warm and lightly damp for a few months.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
