Diagrams and pictures of Tree form and Bush form pruning in the Japanese Style for maximum container fig production.
I've posted links to the attached pruning diagrams in several Topics, but had not posted pictures. This is to demonstrate how simple the procedure can be. The 1 gallon plants are all being trained as single stems, they are all less than 1 year old (7 to 9 months), and will be up potted to 5 gallon buckets. All the 5 gallon plants were started last spring.
Basic Tree form pruning diagram...
 

Basic Bush form pruning diagram...


1 year old Conadria at Step 2, it was purchased from EL as a rooted cutting (4 inch pot) in June 2012
 

1 year old LSUGold at Step 2...
 

This is what happens when you pinch a branch as opposed to prune. The top of this plant will be air layered for a fully formed container tree, the bottom will be planted in ground and trained as a stepover espalier
 



   
<edit> Lessons Learned 2013 season...
Step 1. Establishing a single, straight main trunk is important for the uninterrupted flow of nutrients to the scaffold limbs and fruiting branches, you'll be surprised by the increased growth in Step 2. Pinch all figs and side branches that form on a rooted cutting less than six months old.
Step 2. The main scaffold limbs have to be spaced far enough apart vertically on the Main trunk for future increase in caliper size, which means that they need to be several inches apart or 2 to 3 nodes separation.
Step 3. The secondary scaffold branches also have to be separated by 8 inches (2 or more nodes) for branch caliper increase and for the growth of future fruiting branches.
Step 4. The fruiting branches are pruned back yearly to 2 one year old buds (nodes) for the next seasons fruiting branches. Only one bud is allowed to grow into a fruiting branch, usually the less dominant, the other is removed.
Finally the tree can be renewed after several years by pruning back to the main trunk and starting over, or just air layering a large branch, and starting over.
   .

Great post, I have been wanting to do this, and I just started this year so I'm behind where you are at but do you have any tips for getting them to grow in the direction you want, sometimes I have to tie them one direction with a stake to have them go where I want them.

Chivas,
Thanks.
Stake them! Its up to you to train them properly : )

The only tip that I have is to tie the new cutting to a stake, grow as a single trunk and remove any side branches that develop. The single main trunk will get to a larger caliper size much sooner.

Once the new branches have started to lignify, I will train them. "Radiating" from the main trunk, at 45 degree angles. The same way that apple tree branches are trained with stakes and braces.

Here's a picture from Bill's Figs in NJ which shows a few 3 year old trees that have been pruned similarly. Bill Muzychko wrote

Figs are one of the few fruit trees that can be "trained" into whatever you desire the final plant to look like.  Single-stem, standard tree forms, multi-stem bushes, espalier, etc.... easy as pie!  However...it is a work in progress if starting from scratch.  An added bonus: figs will sprout on older wood from dormant buds, when pruned hard...and then, will set fruit on new wood.  So after a severe chop, you still can have figs if your season is long enough to ripen the late forming figs.

Learn, and master some basic pruning techniques that are shown in the above diagrams.  Rub out all buds that will send a branch growing into the wrong/undesired directions.  Need a branch to grow into a certain position?  Go to Home Depot and buy some plastic covered #12 - #14 copper wire, and wrap the branch with this wire, like the Bonsai-growers do.  Then -if the branch is thin enough- bend the wire-wrapped branch into a new, position, and leave it alone for a season.  The wood will take a new set, and when the wire is removed the branch will stay in its new position.  I do it all the time....but I do it on new, or, easily bent branches.  If you try this technique on old wood, you will crack the branch!  I even use Nylon twine to tie branches into different, "better",  positions.  Bonsai books are loaded with these basic training techniques, and are adaptable for fig tree culture.

Once the basic framework of branches has been established, all you need to do is rub out unwanted buds to maintain the shape.  All my trees look like the above containerized trees, but only picture all the branches growing out from the top of a 4-5 ft. main-stem.  None of my trees are taller than 6-7 ft.  Harvesting figs is just easier when trees are kept shorter, and the sun can reach all the figs for earlier ripening.

Have fun.  It's easy.


Frank

i'll have to look into this this yr. been pruning my tress to what i thought was a good idea and they are not very good.

Frank,... Thanks for Posting. My reason for starting this topic was to visually demonstrate how easy it is to develop the main "scaffold" branches. By using the Figs genetic traits, major limb training is not really necessary. The pictured plants have developed branches in the required locations without any work on my part. The extra branches and buds will be pinched (rubbed out) if they are very small, and the larger ones will be removed and rooted or air layered. The branches will be trained into their final positions using simple stakes, braces (to widen branch / trunk angles) and plant ties. I will document the progress in this Topic.
If the trunk is 4-5 feet there are less branches for fig production if the over all height of the tree is kept to 6-7 feet. Even the 16 inch trunk is taller than is really required for container planting. The listed dimensions are only a guide line, on two of the pictured 5 gallon plants there will be 4 main scaffold branches not 3.

Pete,... Thanks for commenting. It's relatively easy to train fig trees if you start early, and follow thru with the minimal required pruning and pinching. I think it isn't done more because most don't want to destroy producing branches (figs), but in the long run (2-3 years) the tree will be more productive (Look at the picture in post #3 of 3 year old trees...), the only losses are usually in the 1st year production.

You are right Pete.  This is a good tutorial showing how to select and isolate main branch structure, and then, the training of a fig tree.  Pictures speak volumes.  It's also true that just simply rubbing out unwanted buds will give you a beautifully trained tree, but these techniques need to be studied to bring desired results.  It ain't rocket science, and it's easily learned.

Folks.... clip, rub, bend, tie....take control of your trees.  Those developing whips, shown above, will become very respectable trees within a few years.

Good subject, Pete.


Frank

very informative, thanx for posting. i have several trees in ground here in zone 6 illinois some of which require winter protection. i also have some that are in pots (first year at this point) as i dont know how the will do. to name a few VdB, albique petete, and an unknown havasu purple.

in ground planted this year are osborne prolific, MvsB, RdB, and Sal's G along with another hardy chicago. these are planted in ground in a hedge as i have been told they are cold hardy. i will still protect the ones im not sure about. but i know there is no problems with the hardy chicago. my HC has been unprotected for five winters and is doing awsome. the other i have read should be about as hardy. but i dont want to lose any of them.

Dave

Dave,
Thanks

Update: 7/5/2013
Current progress of the plants pictured in the Opening Post.
Conadria...Rice sized figs at every leaf node and branches starting to harden.
Green Ischia TC...No figs visible bumps, may be figs or branches.
KrmkDark...Marble sized to rice sized figs at every leaf node.
LSU Gold... Rice sized figs at every leaf node, branch caliper has doubled!
White Marsailles...Rice sized figs at every leaf node on larger caliper branches.
   

The younger leaves are a bit pale due to the amount of rain and lack of sunshine over the past 2 weeks. Hopefully we will have a few days of sunshine to get them growing again.

Note the White Marseilles has 2 main trunks, I did not get around to separating (bare rooting) them before they started to leaf out, so I decided to leave it until fall dormancy.
 

Great post. Thanks!

Jeff,
Thanks.

Update 8/3/13
Current progress of the plants pictured in the OP. Plus a picture of an improved Celeste with figs at almost every leaf node, half are at the stagnant stage. Picture of a LSU (Scotts) Black with rice grain sized figs.
   

    

pete, i've memorized your technique and will use it for all potted figs. but, what do i do if i want an inground shade tree? i was  thinking of crowding 2 trees at about 8' apart and hoping i get a canopy to protect me from the horrid new mexico sun. fig production is not an issue.

so, do i just wait til the tree is 5-6' tall and then proceed as i would if it was 16'' tall? also, is there a rule about the necessary angle of branches from the trunk? perfectly horizontal branches would form a better canopy, but would they be in danger of breaking?

thanks for this great thread.

Susie,
Thanks, but the technique has been used for centuries.

Yes, you can get a taller in ground tree if you stake the plant, remove most lower side branches, and maintain a single apical stem  until 1 foot past your desired trunk height (also keep in mind that the trunk diameter and height will increase with age). The branch to trunk angle should be about 45 degrees.

Pictures from LSU Field Day... by "Chapman"




This is all based on your Zone. If you have freezing weather in winter, you may not be able to grow in a tree form without some protection for the young tree.

Good Luck

oops. we do get below 0 temps here. i could protect a little tree but certainly not a big tree. i guess i'll need to find some other tree for shade..

thanks for all your help.

Susie,
The trees may require protection in the early years, but usually do not require it once they have gained some size, at least in Zone 7. The pictured trees have not been protected in several years.

oops, my reply didn't post. if i can get a tree as pretty as yours, i'd be more than happy to supply winter protection for a few years.

due to your kind advice, i'm sure gonna try.

thanks again,

pete, my teeny celeste splits into 2 trunks an inch from the ground, at an angle of 10-15 degrees. is this a problem? must i remove one trunk? the plant is too weak for,surgery right now.

Suzie...when I have a tree that splits into two trunks (similar to your Celeste), I stake both trunks with light bamboo and tie tape just to keep them from being broken off accidentally (simply by brushing past them)...as they grow older these branches become thicker and stronger and in many cases I remove the supports...however in 2011 we had what we refer to in N.J. as the Halloween snow storm...many of the trees had not gone dormant and were still in full leaf...needless to say that the 6" of heavy, wet snow that fell that day crushed many of the trees because each leaf held a certain amount of snow which accumulated to a very heavy load on each branch...we had a five year old fig tree in the back yard that was flattened right to the ground (my wife said it looked like a broken spider)...fortunately the limbs were flexible enough that they popped right back again after the snow was removed...so if you get any unexpected snow storms out where you live, then you might need to take some added precautions.

thank you vince. it's good to know i don't have to remove a trunk.

Susie,
In my observations, if you train to a single main trunk for the first season you will get a larger caliper main trunk, and when you prune (remove) the top the second season, you will get much larger branches and growth. All the 1 year old plants pictured are 1 inch or larger caliper at the soil line. Similar plants that have been growing as multi branched, have a soil line caliper of 1/2  to 3/4 inch and are only 3 feet tall in their second season.
Also, in my Zone, fig trees are usually pot grown for at least 1 season to gain root mass and size before planting in ground.
 

Vince,
Pruning and training is done to produce a final desired shape as quickly and easily as possible. If that shape can be achieved without the extra work of pruning, you can count me in : )

so, i should remove 1 stem? if i do that, can i root a green stem?

Susie,
Depending on the size (not too small), you can air layer. Last year I was able to air layer large branches and separate them in 5 weeks from start.

On a few small plants that had two main branches, I buried the junction below soil line to form two main rooted trunks that were separated after they went dormant. The White Marseilles (below) leafed out before it could be separated


You can also train one branch as dominant by tying it to a vertical stake and allowing the second branch to become a "limb". The limb can be air layered for a second tree.



Although I tried several different methods, the best growth was achieved with a single main stem for the initial growing season.

i'd like to try that, pete. how big does the trunk have to be? the weaker trunk is 8'' long and has only one leaf.

i've never tried an air layer and this would be a good training exercise .

what would happen if i bury the plant in another inch of potting mix? would roots form that way?

Hi Pete, thanks  so much for the diagram. This will come very handy next spring, when I move the fig plants from 1 gallon to 5 gallon buckets.

Susie,
If the plant is that small, I would just train (stake) the dominant branch as the main (vertical) trunk and leave the smaller as a side branch, until the plant has put on more root mass and size.




Elizabeth,
You're welcome. Glad I could help.