I just dug out a 6' sucker with a strong, intact root system. It has a few branches and even some
quarter-sized figs!  I read that I should cut the tree back to 2' now, reducing it to a  stick with roots. What I decided to do is maintain the tree at it's present height. I'm willing to take a risk on it not surviving my efforts. The tree is now stripped and sitting in a 0-10-10 solution. My question is: Is there a possible way to keep this six-footer alive? I'd try anything to be able to pick figs off it next year?

Take out the leaves or leave the tinest bud leaf. Provide Humidity and it should grow. Note -- I have never soak it in any fertilizer. Good luck.

Charles,
Remove all the leaves and figs, but leave the growing tips or partially open buds. Do not remove the leaf stems, they will fall off by themselves. Plant in a container just larger than the root ball (5 gallon bucket usually works for me). Use a light fast draining potting mix and treat as a large cutting. Do not water until potting mix is almost dry. Fertilize with weak miracle grow weekly (1 teaspoon / gallon) once it starts to leaf out. The MG fertilizer has some micro-nutrients to aid root growth. Depending on the size (caliper) of the sucker, you may have figs this season, since its still early.

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The reason for removing the leaves is to keep them from desiccating the sucker, before the roots are able to keep up with their demand. The plastic covering is basically doing the same thing except that it may promote mold growth if there isn't enough air circulation. BTW it should be put in a location out of any drying winds and direct sun.

Good Luck.

At the end of last season I took 7 little sucker trees from under my Ischia Grees fig tree...they were growing there all summer...the tallest was about 20" and downward to about 5"...they all had their own root systems so I potted them up(all in 1gal.pots)...I didn't remove leaves or modify them in any way...they all went into dormancy about the same time as all the other potted trees...over the winter the three smallest ones died, but four survived till bud break this year...the largest is now planted in by back yard and starting to flush out real nice...the next two are still in their 1gal. pots and leafing out nicely...the fourth one was sent to a member of the Forum as part of a trade agreement...have not yet heard back from the member as to whether it survived the shipping to Texas. 

If it has a good root system I'd put it in a pot at least twice as big as the roots and put it in the shade.  Plain water at first then add fertilizer in a few days.  Keep it in the shade.  If it's real hot you might even want to bring it inside for a few days.  If the leaves don't wilt you're golden, just water and gradually move in to more sun.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have the 6' Desert King in a 5-gal pot and totally covered in plastic to
nurse it in humid environment. It's  mostly in the shade. I'll water lightly every week with weak MG.
Plan to take it in my unheated garage around December 1st after it gets some required chill hours.
If this survived, I'll save about 4 or 5 years in development. I love big suckers!!

I've transplanted a lot of fig tree suckers, and I do similarly to what Bob C suggested, except that I cover them in plastic.  I leave the leaves on  (and as Pete pointed out, keeping the humidity high with the plastic serves essentially the same purpose that cutting off the leaves would do... whichever of those techniques you choose, the point is to prevent it from drying out).  I leave the leaves on, cover it in plastic to keep humidity high, and in order to avoid mold I air it out well each day.  Usually they lose some of the leaves anyway.  One other tip:  avoid the temptation to overwater it.  Stay patient and keep the humidity up, and keep it in the shade (I usually keep in shade for a couple of weeks, then gradually move to brighter spots (part of the day at first).  Good luck... odds are very good for it to survive I think, though depending on how quickly the roots acclimate it seems likely you'll lose the figs on it.  Good luck!

Mike

I'm concerned with the buds drying out. Would applying parafilm help them retain moisture?

Do you have leaves on the plant?  If the leaves are alive the buds will be fine.  If you don't have leaves you need to tell us what happened and what you've done.  Photos may also help.

3-wks ago I put the 5' tall sucker in the shade, pulled off all the leaves and left the stems.
It has multiple branches and sits in a 3-gal pot. Tree has a dormant appearance with no signs
of budding-out. I water sparingly. Still too early for buds, I suppose.

I'd fertilize it.  Water it whenever the soil starts to dry.