I have a hardy chicago that i purchesed from hirts garden a little over 2 years ago. it grew rather quick and i enjoy the fig so much i want to take some cuttings and root me a few more trees. i started by taking the smaller branches off. this only gave me four cutting. unfortunatly i lost two of them, one is showing roots now and not much out of the remaining one. the tree is now 3 foot tall with only three main trunks. the three main trucks i should say are the tree. I know hardy chicago will produce a crop from new growth, and that is why its awsome for cooler climates. if it gets top froze as long as the roots are ok it will pop back up in spring a produce a crop. should i cut the three main truncks for cuttings to have more? If i do this will it affect any crop i will have this year? can i saftly do this without hurting the tree. its cool enoough that there is snow on the ground so i know the guy is sleeping well. I want to try and get a few more of these without hurting fruit production to much. any advice would be great.

below is a pic of the tree durng the growing season. its still the same size just only the main trunks now.

Thanx
Dave

Dave wait until spring and airlayer it you will have instant tree and there will be new growth from where you cut it off just make sure to leave a node or two below the cut it will sprout out and give you even more fruit.

Sounds like you really just need to make a personal choice.
If you take any more cuttings, you will almost certainly reduce the 2013 crop. So more cuttings, less figs OR.....
Another possibility would be to wait and do one or more airlayers.
With airlayers, besides the higher percentage of success (me anyway), you can (almost) have your cake and eat it too.

Wait until it pushes new growh to try and air layer or as the buds are swelling?  I was able to layer a brown turkey once, the secont time it didnt work and i lost the branch. i also tried to layer a smaller branch on the HC, it didnt root and i didnt lose the branch. thats the only air layers i have done.

I would say bud break just to be safe. And don't girdle it just score (cut) on one side real good so if it doesn't take it will heal.

Dave if my tree i would use big container and in early springtime afix them to the left 2
branches down low and tied around container against the main trunk.
It wont hurt the tree and will awaken some more nodes on that 1 main branch thats left over.

The remaining part after the 2 airlayers are cut would eventually make a wonderful looking tree shape fig plant if thats what you like and the other 2 will be nice size after they are cut.

Bigger the airlayer the bigger the container you want for example i airlayered useing a 1 gallon pot last season and it worked out just fine plus i was able to see the roots develop in the 2 opposite windows i made .
You want to limit the movement of the airlayers container as it can upset the roots , for example and hard to see in this picture there is a tall mop stick that the bungie cord is wrapped around.

Good luck in whatever you decide as Hardy Chicago in my opinion is a wonderful tasting fig.

Click to enlarge and yes the figs at the top were left on and did ripen.

Gives me somthing to think about. i have the one, and was wanting to use hc for a hedge along with vdb. i have one cutting with roots at this time another not showing any roots but the cutting still looks great. i guess i will know if both cuttings root by spring so i guess i should just wait a little longer.

Hello Dave. Is VDB cold hardy enough to plant in ground for you?

Dave,

If you haven't made up your mind then perhaps I can convince you now?

Two girdles on this one.

Holy smokes Rafed, that's amazing!

Looks like cousin It!  What the hell is going on there?

Ed,

It is cousin It. Just don't tell Dave. Trying to convince him to go "Air-layer".

Art,
This is from a couple Summers ago.

Rafed, thats almost scary. I am not sure my tree is large enough for anything like that. but i havent really firtalized it other than compost and such. i plan on feeding all the figs real good once the ground starts the thaw in spring right brfore the buds swell. maybe they will spring up large like i have read they have done for some.

All the info i have gotten about VdB is that in my area zone 6b (very close to the 7 line) that the tree will require winter protection for three years and should do well without it after that time. our winters here the past few years have been warmer than normal to say the least. i also have unprotected, blue celest, brown turkey, purple magnolia, my hardy chicago, and desert king. as i said all unprotected in the snow right now and still looking good. i have alot more that will be added in spring time. some will need some protection for a couple years i am told but after all should do fine. these are but not limited to MvsB, Osborne prolific, Sal's C, Sal's G, O'Rourke, black Bethlehem, VdB, RdB, Lattarola, Lsu Hollier, about 5 dif unknowns from the northeast. and many more. some i will have to grow potted Aboque Pitite and a few others.  but hopfully this project will work out well but only time will tell.

Rafed,
  That air layer is too funny!!!  When I initially scrolled down to your posting the leaves at the bottom of the picture weren't on the screen, so there was nothing else to give it size perspective.  That mother looked like it was 5 feet tall!!!!!
  What a hoot!
Jim

Hey Jim I thought the same thing its like an optical illusion. The tree looks HUGE at first 

Guys

That thing was roughly 12" long. If its ok with Dave. I will post more pictures later. I am at work now.

rafed,

that's some air layer. do you untangle the roots after taking them off?

I still feel the need to take a few more cuttings. from what i have read HC only bares fruit on new growth. if this is right then i shouldnt hurt anything as long as i leave a few nodes. but on the other hand if what i have read is wrong then there could be a problem.  this is my delima. i have one cutting with roots and was planning on four new trees to plant in spring. even air layering i dont think i could get four. I have one cutting with roots right now, another in a box of moss. not very goot with the air layer thing, and not sure if i should take cuttings. what to do, what to do.

Ok, it got the best of me. i took one of the three branches leaving a node and two other three foot branches. the branch i took was the smallest but i still got three 6 inch cuttings all with 3+ nodes each. i treated and have them potted up at this time. leaving two three foot branches i hope will allow for some fruit this spring/summer and i might just be ablt to pull off getting four more trees. wish me luck.

LUCK 
Sent your way