What do I do if my main stem on my young fig broke off? Train a n center? Let it branch out from the ground. It doesn't look as if it is going to branch well.

Hello Leah,
Welcome to the forum community.

I don't fully understand the question, but if you broke off the only growing main stem and the roots are healthy, the plant will produce one or more new shoots, one can be trained as a main stem, it also doesn't matter where it originates (above or below soil line). You can stake and train it to gain apical dominance to form the new main trunk.
 

The Petite Negri pictured in post #25 and below started this growing season as a 7-8 inch high stub. I accidentally broke off the top half of the plant when I dropped a 5 gallon container on it during dormancy. I staked and trained the new shoot that developed, the plant is now a 4 1/2 foot tall whip, ready to be pruned for step 2 (I plan to air layer the top 3 feet).

pete, this remains one of the most valuable threads on the site.

One thing I remember hearing many years ago while learning pruning techniques:

In Step 1 above, cut the main trunk about 6" longer than the desired height (in the diagram, cut at 22-24".  The tree will put out two sets of branches (see Post #11 "Conadria EL").  The higher set (above the desired height) will be at too shallow of the desired angle (45ish degrees) causing it to be weaker.  The lower set will branch out closer to the desired angle.  Once both sets are growing, remove the top of the tree to just above the highest desired scaffold branch.

James,
The Conadria may not be the best example to use to indicate desired angles due to the deformed main trunk, which was due to a deformed rooted cutting. I'm currently air layering off several branches to train new trees in the spring.

I had not come across any similar information, Thanks. I will observe the next group to be pruned.

The desired angles can be trained by tying the green flexible branches to stakes that are in the desired location, before they lignify and harden. If the angle is too narrow, the branch is pulled down, if too wide, they are tied to stakes in the correct up position. Once the wood lignifies and increases in diameter and strength the ties and stakes are removed.

Hi Pete,
When is the best time to air layer? Is there a rule of thumb ....when to or when not to air layer?

Thanks..

Pete, that is one of the things I like about growing in Airpots. I can pass twine through the root pruning holes to tie limbs where I want them. In my case it is more to supplement the stakes due to wind more than training the tree.

Ann, air-layers tend to be more successful when the tree is in growth mode. For me (central Texas) that is now. For you, it is when the buds start to break in the spring. It is also important to consider the weather conditions when the layers come off the tree. I'm not saying it can't be done at other times, rather your chance of success increases.

James.. Thank you..

Ann,
I start my air layers late in the year to allow them to go dormant, I had very good success last year with this method, but its not the norm. Usually air layers are started during the most active growing periods. There are several topics that can be found by using the Forum Search function and "air layering" Search in: "Subject only". Several Topics on air layering procedure and best timing will be the results. You're Welcome.

James,
I use 4 and 5 foot bamboo stakes, they are strong enough and last several seasons. Though they are only necessary for one season at each training step. Your string method actually demonstrates how easy it can be to train a fig tree.

Ann,

I did a couple of air layers in June of last year and after 6 weeks, the roots had filled up the bag.  Nothing went wrong.

I certainly enjoyed reading the links given and your kind input.. Thank you both , Pete and Frank . 

Update: January 2014 / Lessons learned

After casually pruning and observing the "Japanese Tree form pruning technique" I have come to a better understanding of the procedure and some answers to "Why" specific dimensions were listed on the original document.


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. Note the fruiting branches in the attached picture... 2 months growth.
 
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.

Pete and others - so what should I do with my LSU Purple pictured below?  This fig has one main trunk and multiple smaller shoots growing from the soil line.  Do I trim all these off?  I feel like it would be a waste to get rid of this growth. 

 

M5allen,
You have to decide the desired final shape and size of the tree, and prune accordingly. The tree will always perform best when grown initially as a single stem plant. IMO, the pruning diagram and directions would still apply to this plant. For a bush form the main trunk is cut or air layered at ~ 6" and a few of the sucker pruned or layered, for a tree form it is cut higher or air layered and all the suckers should be pruned or layered. Good luck.
   

Is this a tissue cultured LSU Purple? I've observed that tissue cultured fig plants tend to produce lots of suckers. Thanks.

Thanks Pete.  I have no idea about the source of the plant, it was given to me by someone local. 

So when should I do this pruning?  Most people prune when dormant, right?  Should I let this plant grow like this for this growing season and then prune when dormant or should I do it now? 

M5allen,
You're welcome.
Since its still early in your season you should prune now...
You should get good growth and be able to harvest figs if the tree is given proper culture (nutrients and water). Just prune to get your final shape, with the initial goal of 3 or more main scaffold branches. The excess vegetative growth (suckers and excess branches) in a young plant only reduces branch and trunk caliper size and decreases fig production.

<Edit> Yes, pruning is usually done at the begining or the end of the dormant period. At the beginning (end of growing season) if you are looking to harvest cuttings and at the end (start of growing season) to remove dead wood and to induce branching by removing the dominant apical tips.
Good Luck.

Hi m5allen,
What is the target form for that tree?
For me, I would remove some suckers with attached roots - I would leave 3 stems including the big one - so 2 smalls to be left.
The big one I would cut it where there is a small branch already.
The rooted suckers would be new trees right away .
I would fertilize that tree - I don't know hers history but she looks like lacking fertilizer IMO.
Because you're in Zone10, I would put the tree in ground .

Jds - I am going for the bush form as Pete instructed.  Why do recommend leaving 1 small sucker?  I was planning on removing them all.  Why do you say the tree is lacking fertilizer?  I just put some 10-10-10 granular down a little over a week ago.  This plant is just coming out of dormancy and I actually thought that it looks quite vigorous. 

I would love to plant in the ground, but I am renting, so I am relegated to growing in containers for now. 

Thanks.

For me, I would rather have fig "trees" look a tree with a trunk that is 1-2 feet tall.

Pruning to Bush Form:
Step 1. Establish a single, straight main trunk...for the uninterrupted flow of nutrients to the scaffold limbs and fruiting branches.remove all side branches and figs that form on a rooted cutting less than six months old. Prune the main trunk @ 6" when the trunk caliper is 1" or larger.

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 1 node apart. Select 3 - 4 scaffold branches and train at 45 - 60 degree angles to main trunk. Prune at 40" at the beginning of the growing season to remove apical dominance and induce branching.

Step 3. The secondary scaffold branches that are selected and allowed to grow have to be separated by 8" (2 or more nodes) for branch caliper increase and for the growth of future fruiting branches, which are also spaced 8" apart. The main scaffold branches are lengthened by 16" and the apical tips are pruned to induce branching on the extensions, fruiting branches are then allowed to develop 8" apart.

Step 4. The fruiting branches are pruned back yearly to 2 one year old buds (nodes) for the next seasons fruiting branches. The fruiting branches are located at 8" intervals along the secondary scaffold branches. at the fruiting branches Only one bud is allowed to grow the other is removed.

Here is a picture of a 1-1/2 year old Fig tree pruned in the Bush Form. All visible growth is 1 season old.

Pete - this obviously does not work for breba-only varieties; for those I think you have to do some thinning out to encourage renewal growth rather than pruning back to the same point each year. 

For a variety that you want to harvest both a breba and a main crop, what would you do differently?

Ed,
You're correct that pruning to the "Japanese" method doesn't work as well for Breba only (San Pedro type) figs, but the limbs can be pruned later in the season after the breba crops have been harvested, or 1/2 of the tree can be pruned yearly. Of course this would only work if the trees are grown in a zone that doesn't have very cold winters or where the stored potted plants are not exposed to below freezing conditions for extended periods, which would damage the dormant breba crop.

For varieties that produce both breba and main crop, this pruning method produces a slightly earlier and more abundant main crop. The yearly pruning can also be delayed until later in spring after breba production, but IMO, only a few cultivars produce enough quality brebas to warrant the extra winterization needed to protect the fruiting branches in colder zones.

<edit> I will be testing the late spring pruning technique with my Desert King plants this year. Hopefully I will be able to report results next spring.

I took a pruning class a few years ago and the guy told us a technique for getting a branch to sprout where you want it. He said it would work on almost any kind of tree.

What you do is make a cut just above a node where you want a branch to sprout. By stopping the sap flow from going on up it floods the node with sap and that gets it to put out a branch. Makes sense, if you cut a limb off that stops the sap flow and the nodes just below it sprout new limbs. He said it even works on 4 or 5 year old growth. I have confirmed this inadvertently. I bumped the trunk of an apple tree with my loader and knocked a chunk of bark off. the trunk was about 5 inches in diameter, at least 5 yrs. old with thick bark that you couldn't see nodes on, yet it promptly put out a limb right under the damaged bark.

He said you can't just make one cut with a sharp knife or it can heal right back up. You have to make two cuts close together so that you take out a thin sliver of bark. make the cuts a little wider than the node and a quarter to half inch above it.

I haven't tried it on figs yet, but I thought I'd throw the idea out there. it should be a handy tool if you're shaping young trees.

Greysmith,
Thanks for posting. and Welcome to the Forum Community.
You actually create a notch above a node to keep the auxins (plant hormones) from flowing down. The auxins stop bud growth and keeps the branch apex dominant (Apical Dominance). That is why the entire end of the growing branches are "pruned" in the pruning diagrams, to promote bud break along the entire limb. The unwanted buds are pinched or rubbed out when they are small to get the 8" dimensions between vertical fruit bearing branches. Notching is a common procedure with apple trees, but rarely mentioned with figs.