Hi
I have a fig tree 1 year old not yet produced but this summer put on lot of growth.
Problem is its a long 1 metre trunk with top growth.
In the past i had success with others by " ringing round bark at a node"
Before i do this again are there any other ideas out there?
I know i could air layer and would grow from trunk but i would prefer not to
Thanks

One way is to just cut it off this winter. Next spring you'll get lots of shoots.

If you don't want to head back then try notching above the buds next spring.

I know the first works great. The second I'm not sure.

You could lay the plant on its side to encourage dormant buds to break.  It only took a couple/few weeks for a Violette de Bordeaux to break buds at almost every leaf node along the stem when I pinned down the main stem.  The stem was still bendable, though.  If yours is older and the trunk is too stiff to bend down, lay the whole plant in a horizontal position.  The science behind it is that you're interfering with apical dominance.  It works.

I had the same question before this past season.  I pruned three trees back 6 to 12 inches from the soil and got plenty of side growth.  I'd recommend that's what you do, simple and effective.  Do it right before they wake up in spring.

I would second what Cheryl said.  I accidentally did that to one of my fig trees.  A few months back, the wind blew the stem down,  forming a 45-60 degree angle with the ground, and since I didn't straighten it,  I find that now I have all these branches on the lower part of the tree.  Once I up potted the tree I put it in the pot so that the tree was straight.

Thanks everyone for your input 😘

I have the same problem with a few trees that are like a broomstick.  They all have around 1 to 2 foot round tops of green, but there 50" to 60" in height.  there all in 10 gal pots, I was going to cut them at 24" in height and put them in 20 gal pots this spring to encourage lots of new growth.  I was thinking of having lots of cuttings to root too, :)