Hi All,

Well my 3 foot figs are now 6+ feet tall with alot of branches.  I don't want to to get any taller, can I cut the growing tips off the green branches? Will this make them stop growing taller, and promote a bush type plant?  also when would it be a good time to do this (dormant or active growing season)?

Thanks everyone.

Yes, just pinch the tips, you don't need to cut them.  Now is a good time.  This will encourage more figs and more branches.

Good luck to you!

Suzi

I dont see why not Peter. I am no expert in figs but I top my other plants and intend to do the same to my potted figs. As for when maybe some one else can better advice you.

ps: I would have topped mine but they have fruits so I need to wait till after harvest which would be autumn by then

I prune/thin/top mine throughout the growing season.   And probably not enough, as some of my trees are looking pretty dense.

Hi Pmui,
You are in Zone6, so probably like me in Zone7, your main target are the brebas.
If you top now, those branches will not make brebas next year.
Now if those trees are still young and at the forming stage, then pinch.
But I would do something else: I would wait to have 10 cm to remove, cut the 10 cm sticks, and put those sticks in water for a month and then plant them in compost.
This year, I made 3 new "dalmatie" this way. If you don't want more trees nor future cuttings... Just pinch now or when you want.

I notice that when I pinch a new branch forms at the pinch site and it just gets taller BUT the other lower branches do grow taller and new branches do form.

Peter,
You can pinch or top the branches at any time, it will promote branching, but for us northern growers you will also need to rub out the new unwanted shoots before they develop into branches and sap the resources that are needed to ripen the existing or developing figs.
I usually designate main and scaffold branches which support fruiting branches, the fruiting branches are the ones that are pinched or topped and produce figs. These fruiting branches are also the only ones that are pruned. Good Luck.

thank you for all the replys. I will pinch top off several of the branches that are 6+ feet tall, and pinch the shorter ones.