I've just bought a home with a fig tree that is too big for it's location.  It overhangs my neighbor's yard, and is planted about six feet away from a healthy and aggressive persimmon.  I'd like to prune it down to a much smaller size, but I'm guessing that would be hard on the tree.  Right?  Any advice?

If anyone can recommend a good book on fig tree care (or persimmon or cherimoya), I'd be forever grateful.

I live in the Los Angeles, California area, about four miles from the coast.

I have only one tree I've been prunig for the last 5 years and thrugh trial and error, lots of error, and then some figucation from members here this is what I aim for each year when I prune.

If you can wait, prune in the fall after the leaves have fallen off and the tree is dormant. You can cut it back pretty hard then, meaning taking at least 50% of the growth off. I remove branches that intersect each other first so they are no longer crossed. If one takes their hand, flip it over, and pretends one is holding an apple that is the shape the tree may like, nice and open in the middle as the new growth next year will fill it right back in and you'll want to be able to let the leaves all get sun.

If you want it seriously shorter, as in below where it currently branches out, prune 90% of this years growth off in January. When you see the first buds swelling in March or April, saw the trunk off at the height that you want new branches, and then thin, prune and shape during the season.

Can you post some pictures, it will be easier to see what you have to do. Figs usually don`t like heavy pruning when they are older trees.

I did a lot of research on pruning OLD trees because we are looking for acreage, much of which has OLD orchards.  These are mainly distressed properties that have been un-watered and neglected.

What I learned was, prune 25% dormant.  When the growth appears, prune another 25%.  This encourages the tree to produce new branches lower.  Next year, same drill, until you get the old tree to the size and shape you want.

Not looking forward to reviving and old citrus/avocado orchard, but am looking forward to my brand new fig hedge!
Suzi

It can be done but like Suzi stated it takes about three years to fix a neglected tree.. I have done extreme pruning on trees "ie with chain saws" They do require constant attention in the following year to achieve the proper results. But the 25% fall and 25% Spring sounds about right to me...Then constant removal of new growth that is going in the wrong direction is a must.. New shoots from the root mass need to be taken out quickly if they are not wanted...

Fig trees are weeds, practically.  Prune it hard, it'll come back.

In my humble opinion post # 3 and #7 are great advice especially such a elder tree will have a large root system .

Give it the major pruning you envision and watch how it grows following season you will not kill it.

I think I left out the most important thing I should have said:  I'm a total gardening illiterate.  Three months ago, I couldn't even spell "Tree"!  So when you good folks suggest "prune 25% dormant", or "taking at least 50% of the growth off", I'm ignorant as to what some of these phrases really mean.

1. @striveforfreedom: Does "taking 50% of the growth" mean 50% of the entire tree, or 50% of what's grown this year?
2. @northeastnewbie: do you mean 25% of the entire tree?
3. @anyone: How can I tell what's this year, and what's older?
4. @anyone: Will my tree actually go dormant in Los Angeles, where instead of "winter", we have "rainy season"?

I don't think I have any reason to lower the point where it branches.  That's about three feet above the ground.  (Pictures attached.)  What I do think I need to do is reduce the size of the crown.  As you can see from the pictures, it currently overhangs the sidewalk outside, and my neighbor's driveway, threatening to drop an incredible mess on both.  (My breba crop consisted of about six figs, five of which were run over by cars before I found them - that really was not pretty!  And my main crop looks like it's going to be several hundred figs.)

Your tree in Los Angeles will go dormant.  It will lose it's leaves late fall, early winter.  They turn yellow, then drop off.  We live in the Palm Springs area where it never snows, but the figs and grape vines go dormant.
Suzi

50% of anything. If the branch is 4 feet off a main trunk, cut 2 feet off. It will grow back, like Jason said, weeds. Post a few pictures of the whole tree please. I have one that grew to the second story and I cut it back by 75% and it grew back the almost the same size the next year.

Thanks again!

@striveforfreedom: I can't really get a picture of the whole tree.  It's crammed in between the wall and the persimmon and the patio.  The three pictures I've posted are about the best I can do.  The tree is about 18 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter, and the trunk is ten inches in diameter at its widest.

@anyone: Eden thinks it looks too old to prune.  Is there a way to tell?

This is really important, if you do use a chainsaw make sure you cover all exposed skin completely.  The sap that oozes out can be an extreme irritant for some people and at the least annoying to most of us.  This link is from Jon's post in 2011.  http://www.flyingdoc.co.uk/fig_tree_revenge.htm 

I'd love some cuttings from that tree!
it's beautiful!

Do you happen to know the variety of your fig tree?

I would also like to add if you prune heavy do not fertilize during the growing season, as the heavy pruning is all it need for super growth.

You could do something like the attached image. Everything higher than the red line can come off (and cuttings shared, wink wink :-) ) and the goal is to make the inside of the tree more open but I think because of the thickness of the trunks it is already shaped nicely. Just needs a major haircut this fall.

The above post is excellent in my humble opinion and just whats needed.
Just after wards keep up the haircut because it can get out of hand again.

OK, thanks for all the info.

I have no idea what variety this tree is.  If I had any ripe figs, I'd post a picture, but ...

And, I have no idea how to send cuttings to folks in Atlanta or West Virginia.  Is this done?  How?

Or I could post my address and you-all could come and get 'em?   ;-)

cuttings 6"-12" long, no leaves or figs, wrapped in moist paper towel, then sealed in a plastic bag, and shipped in a large manilla envelope.
That works for me!

Wombat...

Go onto the Garden Web, Fig Forum, and search: "Pruning a Very Tall Fig" posted by: Artemis78 ...Feb, 19, 2008.

You will see before and after photos of a fig tree that went through a major pruning, and the results.  Visually, I hope this helps you.

Frank



EDIT :  I should have paid more attention, and given more consideration to your ultimate goals and plans for your tree.  This reference will be of little use for you.  Sorry if I wasted your time.

You'll probably want to retain the BASIC structure of the tree, but also want to do major, corrective pruning, and cut out all branches that cross, grow towards the middle of the tree, etc.  A basic, tree pruning site will give you some help.  There are also fig pruning videos on YouTube.  75% of that tree can be cut away...but, I'd do it in the spring, as suggested.  You could start cutting some extra branches away now, but leave the majority of work for next season.  If you don't already have one, you will need a good pruning saw for this work.

Good luck.

Here's a closer look at the fruit and leaves.  I'm posting it in the hope that somebody will recognize the variety.

This is also relevant for the two of you who expressed an interested in cuttings.  Let me know if you want them.

I'm not a fig connoisseur, but I find the fruit to be neither sweet nor sour, but rather bland.  Then again, I may be eating them before they're completely mature.  If I let them stay on the tree any longer than the one in the picture, the birds tell me they're totally delicious, but I'm left to take their word for it.  ;-)

Page 4...thread:  "Best Fig at Your Location" (posted on this forum)...loaded with photos of a Kadota fig tree getting a major chop.

Hope this give you some ideas.

Frank

Does your neighbor like the figs?   You're lucky to move into a place with established figand other fruit trees.

@Figfinatic: The neighbor is a condo park, and their team of professional "gardeners" (i.e. "outdoor janitors") don't like cleaning up squished figs from their driveway.  Rumor has it that it almost came to blows between my predecessor and the gardeners when they took a chainsaw to the overhang.

I go out to their driveway twice a day, cleaning up any dropped fruit, including squished ones.  But so far, there have only been a dozen or two early ripeners; the current strategy will probably not work so well when the figs start dropping en mass.