I've been looking at Jon's photos of heavily pruned fig trees, and wondering...
How hard is it to train trees to this shape? My fig collection is still small and young, which makes me wonder... If I start fig tree pruning and training process early, will I get better shaped trained trees?

The reason this type of pruning looks appealing to me is because (please correct me if I'm wrong):
* Heavier trunks can survive colder winters.
* More trees can fit into smaller space.
* More "exotic" tree format
* Less pressure on the tree to feed unnecessary branches and more energy to grow fruit.

How early can you start? When would you prune? How would you train?
HOW WOULD YOU DO IT? Please share your insight.
Vickie.

Since you included pictures, you have obviously seen the Japanese systems. There are several more links in a post a couple weeks ago showing their methods. The obviously work but don't know how much hassle it is.

I just went back and looked at all your photos of the Japanese system. They are gorgeous, but they all show the finished product (fully trained trees) only. The espalier itself looks like a horizontal bar, I assume.

But how early can you start?
Do you tie young or older branches?
What time of the year do you prune?
How forceful can you get with young branches before they get damaged?
How much of the tree can be removed at one time without killing it?

I'm serious about doing this (an reporting the results, of course). Any practical advice is greatly appreciated.

Vickie here is a thought mind you i dont know diddly squat about these . But i do shape my container plants to tree form and have to each year prune them to keep nice shape  , with that being said i will throw this out there.
What i would try is to cut plant low , it will eventually start to put out horizontal branches, in the pictures i see they have horizontal supported bamboo and they tie the branches to it , fig branches when small in diameter are very flexible and less as it gets thicker but once trained on them bamboo sticks to grow vertical they just follow it like a vine would , course one would have to keep useing ties . The second picture to me looks like they cut it back when tree was dormant  and maybe start the process all over again in spring i really do not know.

For someone that has a fig plant that died back to the ground and comes back this spring that would be a excellent specimen in my opinion for a good start at this type of growing. Then there is the bushy type plant that folks grow inground that i think would be another good plant to start doing it with.

Again just my thoughts i really do not know this process. I do know a good healthy fig plant can take a good hard pruning.
Best Helath
Martin

Martin,
I would not be a problem to freeze the tree to death here in NJ... LOL. But it sets you back a year or two, doesn't it? I'd like to start early and indoors...
Thanks.
Vickie.

Yes any tree that dies back to the ground in a cold climate just would not get the same amount of figs as one that does not dieback.
What you want to do is something i think should will work growing that way in those pictures with attention to pruning.
If you do try a plant like that please post your progress its nice to see what others do.
Best Luck
Martin

I am guessing the they prune at 12" or so above the ground and pick to shoots that emerge from that and bend them over during the first year (or maybe at the end) and then go from there. Maybe bend a taller shoot over at the end of the first season, which will induce a shoot at the bend point, and the shoot is bent over the opposite direction the following season.

OK - this is just a guess at how to proceed.
From looking at the pictures there are two parts to this system - the frame work and the fruiting branches.
I'd start early and choose branches growing in the direction you want, or bend and tie young branches where you want them for the framework.  Unwanted low framework branches shouldn't be allowed to grow - they should be "rubbed out" when just sprouting.  Upward growing (fruiting - even if there is no fruit while young) branches can probably be allowed to stay until pruning time.  The first picture is an older tree that is being brought into the system.  It obviously can be done, but isn't nearly as elegant as the second example.  You can cut the tree down to almost nothing and it will come back.  Young woody branches are very flexible, but care has to be taken that they are "woody".  Green branches are brittle and can snap easily so shouldn't be forced.  And care also has to be taken with the ties - figs grow quickly and tight ties might bind - something stretchy would probably be best.
It appears that the framework is allowed to grow by a couple of nodes each season, while the fruiting branches look as if they were cut off flush to the framework.  It might be necessary to choose a limited number of fruiting branches each year and "rub out" the rest early in the fruiting season.  You will want air circulation and only enough fruit so that the tree is able to ripen it all. 
I'd say pruning would be normal time for your area.  Probably fall if they are in ground and have to be protected.
It would be great to hear how this goes for you.

You guys have a much better way with words than i could ever have. 
Glad others can help .
Vickie i was looking thru some of my photo's and found a plant that would work if you just happen to have something similar in a pot its a good starting point otherwise ignore this. Thought it could give you some ideas or others.
If i were to try this i could take this plant cut right above the 2 lowest branches bury it and train them to grow on those bamboo shoots anyway i would like. I have used a few bamboo sticks but only to shape them in tree form for the main trunk to grow as straight as possible such as the one pictured here.

Yes, Yes, Yes.
This is perfect. Thanks for the illustrations, photos and advice.
I'm definitely doing this. I'll just have to wait a bit longer, as my trees are still babies with a few green shoots. This will give me time to get materials and build espaliers.

Thanks again.
You, guys are great! :)

Vickie here is another type of approach with some instructions and nice picture of the fig tree growing upwards against a shed .
Thought you might like to see this.

http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/09/07/how-to-fan-espalier-a-fruit-tree/

You could also obtain a book on Bonsai. From the library. It will show you how you can wire the young plant to almost any shape that you wish.

Nice link Diesler.
This has been done with fruit trees for centuries.
Espesially afgainst a south facing wall.
More fruit in less space and the warmth from the sun
keeps the tree from getting too cold at night.

Jerry

One thing that has intrigued me about the photos that Vickie/Ingevald posted is how intensively planted those fig trees are.  The photos show what appears to be a "raised bed" system with trees spaced at what looks like about 5 foot intervals.  With about 6 feet between the rows.  Does anyone have any information or opinions on this?

I started around 100 cutting with and eye to putting many of them in-ground in 2 years, utilizing the Japanese method so that I can protect them more easily.  I would love to hear about anyone else using the same or a similar approach.

C.J.

Jenia,
From Nelson's pruning diagram you can see that all the fruiting branches grow vertically up and being pruned off after the fruiting season, when the tree goes dormant. Once tree's span size is established and the tree is trained to fit into a 5' space, it can be maintained like that forever.

I am not a big fan of large bushy trees as they take up ton of space. I'd rather have a few dozens of different varieties growing per Japanese system, so I can get the most efficient use of my average-sized backyard and get to try different figs throughout the season. :)

Yes, I had seen (and copied) the illustration from the Japanese site that Ingevald had posted recently.  It REALLY excited me as a way to possibly plant trees in-ground in my frosty zone5B and give them more substantial protection than I could achieve with standard "tree" or even "bush" forms.  Space isn't so much of a problem for me as cold (down to -18 F once) and varmints.   I'm still at the drawing board and have a couple of years before I will have much/anything old enough to plant in-ground.

C.J.

Jenia,
Can you give me a link to the Japanese site or Ingevald's post, please?

I am also at the drawing board, but I'd like to plan ahead, so I can figure out which varieties to plant and how to grow them. "Efficiency" is a key word... :)

Vray,

Here is the thread  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4398968
It has some awesome informaiton in it.  You will to put the links into babelfish.  Babelfish works better on Japanese that translate.google.com

C.J.

Thank you for the links.

Hydroponic growing doesn't sound appealing to me at all.
We all consume chemicals by the shovel-fulls from eating store-bought hydroponic tomatoes, cucumbers, berries, etc, especially off-season.

If we spend our time and energy on gardening, don't we want 100% good and natural stuff for a change?

My vote is for organic growing, using natural nutrients coming from home-made compost and natural solar energy (passive sun warmth that is). :)

Vickie.

Sorry, Vickie, didn't meant to post the hydroponic links.  Here is what I had intended to post from Ingevald.  There is some amazing material here.

C.J.
"

Jenia,
This is really great, very efficient system, gorgeous fruit, ton of info.

Thanks so much.
Vickie.

The praise should go to Ingevald.  It is he who dug up this wonderful stuff!