I would like comments on the following, especially from Herman and others who have long experience with pinching.

I have two nice trees in front of my house in a bed by a South-facing wall.  I cut them back and covered them with barrels last winter, their first winter in the ground.

This spring I uncovered them, watered, fertilized and watched them grow.  They are now eight feet or so high.,  One is Celeste, the other a Joe Morle Paradiso.

In early June, perhaps the second week, I noticed that they had no figs, not more than half a dozen anywhere.  I was afraid there would be none so I pinched back every branch I could find.

Now, at the end of July, I find that there are not only figs on every branch, but there are figlets growing and showing on  each of the shoots that developed at the pinch sites, from the pinch site to the end of the new shoots.  The only branches without figs are those that I considered too small or that I was unable to reach.

Does this comport with your experience?  Those figlets on the new branches here have a good chance of ripening if the 70 day rule holds.
Ox

Hi Oxankle good to hear from you.
From my experience after i pinch any new growth i also pinch in my climate.
Also for me its takes a little longer when i first see figs emerge than 70 days.
Mine came on right around June 1st some a few days earlier so been on about 60 days so far.
The ones im talking about are my 2 oldest trees.

I hope I'm not to off topic, but being on the other side of the spectrum I think my figs are ripening to fast and the quality has been diminished on certain varieties.

In my zone, I am not able to get ripe figs in 70 days. I think Herman once cited it takes more than 90 days. Perhaps Herman can refresh this
point.  Pinching has certainly helped in giving me lots of figs. I also used it as a form of hardening new wood. Certainly, I would be with-holding
the frequency & volume of watering starting mid August.

From july 15th on all new figs in my zone do not stand a chance of ripening so they get taken off allowing the older figs to mature..

Fellows, I am not concerned about the figs that ripen or do not ripen. 

My question has to do with the fact that AFTER I PINCHED, figs appeared on the old growth where there were none before AND on the new growth that came when the plant branched out at the pinch sites. 

The trees had only a handful of figs.  After I pinched figs appeared everywhere, including on all the new growth, all the way out to the tips.  Those on the pinched branches, wood that grew early this spring are large and should ripen within a month to six weeks.  Figs on the sprouts that came from the pinch sites range from small marble to BB size to just bumps.

Is that what you see when YOU pinch?
Ox

Yes both in volume & frequency....it may stressed the tree but it will harden(prepare) them to survive the harsher cold weather to come. I stop fertilizing too by end July. In my zone 6/7, the bitter cold artic winds is bad for most variants of figs. Unfortunately such cold will kill all tender growth this year and that means no figs and in many younger plants, it would mean re-growing from ground up the next season.

The comments strictly applies to my zone in Canada.

Ox, figs grow on the current year branches and that include the branches that come out after pinching (as a result of pinching) and also the current year branches that you pinched.

Yes;
I KNOW that, but does pinching stimulate the fig-forming response?   Before I pinched there were almost no figs on the trees.  Within days AFTER I pinched there were figs forming all along the branches.

It was my  understanding that Herman's experience in NJ was that pinching limited the number of fruit, but ensured their ripening in time.  Now, here on the cold edge of zone 7 it apears that it also stimulates the formation of new figs.

Does this match anyone's experience?
Ox

Ox its been my experience in a zone that colder than yours that pinching will promote figs not next day sort to speak but in reasonable time.
I feel in time but not instantly - when one pinches that end of branch it stops the trees vegatative growth withing that branch and therfore starts the next process - production of fruit.
Thats my experience.

Also you mention this

 Figs on the sprouts that came from the pinch sites range from small marble to BB size to just bumps.

Thats also my experience and i pinch those newly formed sprouts (shoots) off in my zone.
I pinch those new sprouts off because here in my climate its a waste of energy.
In short i want the energy withing that pinched branch and not to continue outwards by new growth and more tiny figs to emerge, for me those newer emerged figs wont ripen in time.
Hope this helps.

Ox in my area zone 7 nj I have the exact same results as Martin when I pinch my trees. I pinch my trees to force fig embreyo to start to produce and for branch formation. I have cuttings from march that I started, that currently have large figs on them right now from pinching.. SO i have a 5 month old tree with two figs that might ripen this season..

OX:You are limiting the number of figs,by removing growing tips,and extra figs you decide the plant can't sustain them.
Right now is the time to evaluate what the tree can ripe and if the tree produced more than it can mature remove some of them.
Leaving them all on,will result in poor quality tasting figs,and only some will ever ripe.The tree produces more embryos,and SOONER,if you pinch,but,is up to you to decide for your tree,how many it can ripe in your particular climate.
In other words,you are the brain,and the father of your fig,and you manipulate that plant like you would manipulate (educate),a child to do what is right,and produce ripe fruits sooner,and if too many Embryos,it can't sustain,you jump in and remove some,the same way you will stop a son when doing bad behavior.

PS:And it is much Easyer to manipulate a bad fig ,than a bad son,in doing what is right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(in my experience)
 

New poster here, but have been reading posts and advice for a few years.
I have been pinching my golden celeste trees (1 in ground and 1 potted) according to Herman's tips with good results, but have a few questions. Have about 2 dozen figs on each of varying sizes (some the size of quarters, some marbles, some peas). Should I remove the smallest figs in hopes of getting the larger ones to ripen? Also noticed that after pinching, not only fig production increased, but new buds keep appearing at pinch points. Should these new buds also be removed? These trees are in their 3rd season. I also have a couple of Sal's Fig trees (EL) in containers and they seem to be doing well, even in this heat here in NJ. They are 2 years old and are producing a dozen or more good sized figs each. Hopefully they will ripen. Is there a time frame for when these figs should ripen? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

jgroxbury :Pinch off all new fruits appearing,(or existent) from Last week to the end of season.
If fruits are removed as sugested,you do not need,nor do I recomend pinching off new growing buds.

ha ha ha Herman. I like your analogy on >>>> "bad son".

I have noticed different results on different plants the majority did start showing little figs withing 3 weeks after pinching and some new growth right where the it was pinched. My lsu gold when pinched formed a new branch at every node and no figs.

Yes I agree LSU Gold remain,juvenile longer and start producing well,only when older.
Especially these man made cultivars do that.

Thanks for the responses fellows.  Herman, figs I do not tear my hair out over;  but the son gave me fits.  Even so I'd rather raise ten sons than one daughter----now THEY can really make a man lose his hair.  Fortunately they all grow up and eventually they tear their hair out over their own kids while I sit back and give advice.  How sweet it is to have the kids admit that I was not totally a dummy when I was raising them.

Back to the figs; we have perhaps a hundred days here before we can expect a frost; August, September, October and probably part of November.  I think I will let the big trees carry what they will.  I have quit fertilizing but will water until frost.

I like your answer OX.
Like I say it is up to you,if you want to remove some or not.

Thank you Herman for your reply I forgot to mention my Excel did the same thing as the LSU Gold another man made variant with the same exact result both the Excel and LSU Gold are in their second season.