I don't think we are going to have much of a winter...LOL   I started some air-layers and one of my recent ones (Celeste) is more vigorous than my Panache trees. I used the wrong mix, I put some generic cactus mix for drainage, and then I bought a new bag of miracle grow cactus mix with my Celeste and its doing well....I just wanted good drainage to avoid it being a wet sponge and maybe have mold set in.  I had some mold on an air-layer last year.

Paul, from all I have learned from my zillion of pages of reading materials, (mostly how fig culture is done in Brazil) it is the consensus there that you 'choose the stronger shoot' of the first year. Meaning... you would do the airlayer on the older growth and let the new strong shoot be your leader.... you will have a much stronger plant (according to them).  I have been experimenting with my younger plants and feel awful removing the older growth to allow new strong shoot...but I can tell already... there is no need to reinvent the wheel... the stronger shoot then is trimmed to branch out again...and it branches out with a lot more strength than the others I removed the suckers...   It is all your call. Good luck.. and since you are in paradise (warm) you can airlayer anytime... Good luck.

Hi cyberfarmer,
When I airlayer, I give two months for the new tree to establish as a true tree. The young tree takes a hit or shock when  tared apart.
So I airlayer in July to have 2 months of rooting and 2 months of growth on her own.
You don't tell if the growth is hardened. I like to airlayer 1 or 2 years old wood.
You don't tell what your goal is. Are you expecting fruits ? Are you expecting to propagate the trees ? Are you focusing on growing a strong tree (why did you wait to cut ? :P ) to hopefully get fruits next year ?
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Leaving all the branches will slow the overall growth of your trees.
So if your focus is getting one strong tree, then chop away all those not to be kept branches and growths and give some fertilizer to your trees.
How is your fertilizing program? Still in full fertilizing modus ?
You can play at rooting the stems - some could do it - even the green growth. Green growth is to be kept 3 weeks in water and then in compost in a greenhouse .
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If you're willing to propagate the trees, then don't cut the trees, but fertilize crazy and airlayer in April .
That's how I do it.
I bought last year a "madeleine des deux saisons" bush of 20 centimeters of height for the higher stem.
In July the place got crowdy and I removed two root-shoots and they came out with roots. 
So I have now a bush of 1 to 1,30 meter of height with some 6 or 10 stems and the two pots.
Some may think that I lost a year ... But I'm in Zone7 .

Bonjour JD,

Yes, I should have stated my goals. These are first year trees, so I am eager to get each tree up to production size so I can taste some figs. I did not let any trees keep figs this year in favor of growth. During the intense summer heat, I packed all of my containers closely together with the smallest ones in the center, being protected by the bigger ones. Now that it has cooled off, I rearranged my containers this weekend. The ones that were hidden in the center got a little lost in the fig forest and grew a little out of control. Figs grow fast this time of year!

Long term goal is to train each tree to a single trunk. Then each will be trained to either Japanese style bush form, espaliered against a fence, or possibly grown like grapes on a trellis. I have a few that are wanting to grow horizontal from the base, so I may experiment with a step-over on those ones. 

Though I am eager to get these trees to reach their goal, I also have room for a lot more trees in my collection. Some of the trees that now have potential air layers are VdB, Vista, Conadria and Raspberry Latte. So, I wouldn't mind having more of those.

So, my goals are both to have the existing trees become strong and productive ASAP, and also to have more trees. I want both.

If it were me, I would start air layers now, then after cutting them off bring the baby trees inside under grow lights to prevent them from going dormant.  You will have some good starts and the mother tree will be ready to grow next season.

I would do that to one of my trees, but I expect frost within the next 2 weeks, and my winter is much, much longer and colder.

Paul,
I don't think it's too late to start air layer. You'll be done in 20-30 days and then the tree still have leaves.
Long way to dormancy in Ca.

Grasa,
I am thinking of doing that exact thing, Igor gave a gorgeous MBVS that I planted in ground. After good constant feeding and generous irrigation tree started to gov amazingly thick suckers. So, now I am thinking to illuminate the main tree completely by air layer dissecting (at leas 6-8 air layers) and leaving the suckers become bushy nice manageable bush/tree. More figs that way and short bush style.

 

Aaron, if you start bending it down, you will have many side branches and will benefit from the long branch already in place, this is an incredible fig... I got a couple on my baby tree.
 I am observing that the closest the fig is to the root, the tastier they are... my tall tree figs at the tips are not nearly as taste as those lower...I guess it is more difficult for the sugar to get up there...

Thanks for the great idea Grasa.

To answer your unanswered question, if the trees go dormant before the a/l roots just leave the soil in place and they will root first thing in the Spring.

Hey Cyberfarmer, in SoCal also.  I started an air layer close to two months ago and I just made the separation. Had great roots and I hope it makes it. I'm working on two other air layers that I started the weeks ago, not too much going on yet but being as hot as it's been this Oct I don't see why they wouldn't work. I'm tempted myself to start another one now. This one is from a Kadota, the other two are off of aVDB, really looking forward to those... I say go for it!!!
 

Igor, my decision is based on what I saw at Barbara & Marco's garden. Their figs are superior in production/sq.footage and taste than anything I have seen elsewhere.
You have seen the location of the tree I chose, it resembles the above mentioned ones...it's at a waist hight to start with and a truncated tree shape would be just too big there.
Where at B & M's garden  everything is so easy to manage.
Marcos is an older gentleman of Italian heritage and he has plenty of fig experience.

Check'em out ... every fig tree he has are in this form. nothing is above human hight.

-Convenient,
-More branches thus more fruit,
-Takes less space
-More trees per sq.ft.

   

Aaron,

Very nice bushes!
I bet he doesn't deal with the racoons often, they are a nuisance in my neighborhood and I also thought a tree shape would leave more figs for me if I protect it properly.

I agree, the tree shape depends on the person's preference and convenience.

Igor,
I'm not sure how they deal with Raccoons  and Possums. I know they have them because they are in our neighborhood.