Is there a way to get a fig to become a bush instead of a tree? If so does anyone know how?

At the end of the season, cut the main trunk leaving 12-18 inches from the soil with a few buds in each direction. The next year it will bush out.

Oh thats another question that was milling about in my head. Cheers for the answer. :o)

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/raijin2491/GALLERY/show_image.html?id=56652664&no=1

This is a pretty good idea for open vase style pruning.

I do not read Japanese either however I believe it is meant to be done while dormant, although if you see suckers or some extra branches you know you don't want I would do a summer thinning.

If you do a search for fig espalier or japanese fig espalier you will find lots of info. if you look at the "container fig espalier" at the attached posted link, I have done the first two steps in the first season. If you want a bush form, the first step would be cut at approximately 8 inches or at least 4 nodes above soil line.




http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1275278119&postcount=7

Do it now. I have dad some "accidental" experience which suggests that allowing dormancy break, and then pinching off the terminal bud, where the new growth normally  initiates from, forces more buds to then break, increasing branching. The fact that the tree is no longer dormant, but actively growing seems, in this scenario, to redirect to more buds.