I've been reading up on pinching off the bud of a new growth branch after the 6th leaf (or 4th or 5th) in order to promote fig embryos formation and in-time ripening of figs in cooler climates.  This makes sense to me for main crop producing fig trees.  However, I am not quite sure if the same practice can be applied to San Pedro type of figs, such as Desert King.  Would you also pinch the bud after the nth leaf (where n=4 for Zone 4 and 5?)?  Would someone share their pinching practice that has worked for them (what I mean by "has worked" is: maximize brebas, as main crop wouldn't ripen where there is no fig wasp).  I tried to search but couldn't find what I am looking for.

Thanks.

I'm also curious if there is something you can do to improve the Desert King Breba crop size,quantity, quality or even ripening time

Here is my take on pinching Desert King:
It doesn't increase the number of breba's,
or the size or the quality. Pinching keeps the
tree from getting so HUGE only the birds
can reach them! Size comes with age.
DK produces very well 4 out of 5 years.
Come Labor Day this cultivar is finished producing
it's lone crop. Covering to get a main crop is a
waste of time, so pinch it off.

Thanks Charles for the response.

I grow all my figs in pots so their sizes would probably never get over 6' tall.  I am planning to prune them yearly so as to keep them in manageable sizes. 

>> Covering to get a main crop is a waste of time, so pinch it off.

Do you imply putting them in a greenhouse to extend the growing season?

We definitely don't have wasps up here so I would assume any main crop would fall off naturally.

One main purpose of pinching is to expedite formation of main crop embryo and more so in areas with relatively short growing season.
In case Desert King breba embryos have long enough time to ripen in early (or mid) summer. So in this case (San Pedro type) pinching is not as helpful as in the case of other types.

Akram do you think pinching growth on a DK might hasten the ripening of the breba by diverting energy from vegetative growth to fruit ripening? Mine made it through overwinter inground and have about 15 brebas on it now. I've trimmed back the branches that did not produce any breba so that they could push out new growth for next years figs starting at a lower point. With the branches I have brebas on now as soon as they ripen I was thinking of pruning them back so hopefully there will be enough time for them to push out growth for next year. All in an attempt to keep the tree as compact as possible for wrapping purposes.

Hi Bill!
Response is for you and everyone who wants to have a manageable and productive DK.

I WISH DK would produce some more figs after Labor Day (1st week in Sept.)! Worse yet, these last 3-springs
we've had abnormally high temps so the breba's have been advanced. A greenhouse for DK here has no purpose.
Be very careful when cutting back a DK since all figs grow on the tips. So, every year
count every 3rd branch and cut off a third. No figs develop on the cut branches, but following year the
3 or 4 new shoots (due to apical dominance) will add more figs the following year with reachable, bushy branches.

Tyler, I guess it would help. I am not saying from experience because I have never pinched DK shoots but there will be some change in nutrient distribution after part of the branch is pinched off and the fruit may get some bonus nutrients for a while.

Honestly, I feel I always mismanage the DK growth pattern. This year I will make sure to prune right after the breba ripen so there will be enough time for the new shoots to lignify and produce breba next year.

I still wonder how I got a few ripened main crop DK figs in my location where we do not have fig wasps. That was a happy surprise.

Hi Bill:

It is interested subject, I am quite new and do not know tree very much.

DK grows very well in our area for many reason, because our SUN energy is weak plus cooler climate, it does slow ripen main figs and not able to sweeten up figs at end of season.

I think that it is not a good idea to pinch on DK tips.

My understand is that, Pinching on tips diverting energy from vegetative buds to fruit buds then if still energy left, make more new veg buds.

We need to understand San Pedro type of fig trees.

Correct me If I am wrong, I guess that it is DNA stuffs.
Breba figs = figs form from last year branches = hidden fruit buds under Bark ( Very early stage) before dormancy from last year branches.
Main figs = figs grow outside bark on current year, Due to San pedro DNA stuffs, It has less priority to grow, Only if tree have way too much left over energy, it grows them, Due to lower priority, it is less tasty or tree might abort them, Only when they are pollinated, Its priority getting energy boost up resulting more tasty figs.

Pinch will switch its Energy from leaves buds to main fruit buds, so fruit buds break bark for next stage of growing, at this stage, DK Fig tree will grow less tasty main figs or abort them at some point of time and waste its energy, this year hidden main figs under bark are next year breba.

As you can see that, timing are very important, Due to spring cold killing fruit buds problem, I don't think that DK is a good choice for your area, There might be other fig vareities grow better in your area than DK which providing both breba as well as main fig.