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Fig Tree "grooming" :)

Hello All, 

I wanted to start off by saying how interesting each one of you is, and how cool it is that each person has such a unique variety of figs. I just started to get into horticulture, and i have went on a rampage bought many fruit trees. 

I have a question. We have a 15+ year old fig tree in our backyard, that had never been pruned, or trimmed. I have attached pictures of what it looks like.

Basically i decided to give it a massive hair cut. I cut most of the branches off, and i brought the tree down to the first "crotch", to the red line.

Do you think the tree will push new growth?

Did i kill this loyal tree? By the way if this tree comes back, it is a HUGE tree, maybe we can identify the fruit, and I would be more than happy to send cuttings to whoever wants some.

Thanks!

-Sean

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Firstly, welcome to the forum, Sean!

No, you did not kill the tree with that kind of cut. It should push new shoots and form a dense head of "hair". Good luck and looking forward to hearing more of your adventures!
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You will be fine.
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Pruning to the red line in last picture is ok.
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You won't get any brebas. :) when didyou prune it? What was the fruit like? Do you know anything about the tree? Name, origin, any characteristics of leaves and fruit? Welcome to the fig nut house. Some people would have told you to do exactly that if you asked them how best to prune.
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it is definitely a dark fig. Small to medium size. I don't remember the inside color. I think its a bethlehem fig i am not certain. My grandmother planted that from my uncles house haha so i don't really know what kind of fig it is. Now that my eyes have been opened to the many varieties i am keeping track of the kinds of figs i have :)
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Sean,

Just so you can so evidence of why you don't need to worry...here's a picture of my panache that I pruned pretty aggressively.  The fruit was out of picking range last year so I cut it way back and will keep it low from here on out.  Nodes that had been dormant for years woke up and it is sprouting new growth like crazy.
Eric

    Attached Images

  • Click image for larger version - Name: panache.jpg, Views: 62, Size: 613082

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Figs are veritable weeds.  You're not goin to kill one that large unless you excavate the trunk and roots completely from the ground.
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