but if I want a single tree (vs bush) what do I do with the new sprouts coming up? It's sending up two new shoots. I feel bad, b/c it clearly is happy, but in this spot I don't have room for it to take over. :( *(Also, I have no idea what kind of fig this is - it came as a seedling from my dad, who only knows if he likes the figs he has, and nothing about the varieties.)  

If you want a single trunk tree, then just cut off the suckers as they come up.  It could be constant, but if it wants to grow in bush form you will have to battle those suckers.  Most figs have suckers.

I'd stake the little tree and keep it growing straight.  It might want to bend because of the growth next to it shading it.  It will want to reach the sun, and sometimes the trunk will grow bent in it's efforts to do so.

Suzi

Ah, great! So i wait till i see the stem come up on the suckers and then clip them off? Right now I just see leaves. i feel terrible doing that, but I guess I gotta....sniff sniff....And thank you!!

I'd dig down a little and clip that sucker off from it's beginning.  When you snip it higher up, it will just make more branches.  You need to find the source and clip it there.  It's so little, it can't be coming from too deep.

Suzi

Ditto what DesertDance said.
Also
Over the years it gets very easy just taking them out and not felling bad !

Or let them grow and root a little then cut off a new plant.

I would use a cup with no bottom and shove the little sprout into it, add more soil and let it sit there... with time it will grow side roots and you cut under the cut- whoolah a new tree with roots and all, as a gift for someone else, or a root stock to graft a different variety onto it.

Just take her in a hand and pull her out - that's the theroy, but then comes real life :)  -... And put her in a pot in your livingroom ... Stupid me, those should be dried by now ... But ok I took them to experience the indoor wintering of fig trees.
Last year I messed my 3 guinea pigs - 3 "goutte d'or" fig trees - they gave up end of April .
This year, the 2 trees still look ok - they got their leaves a bit fried by the artificial light - but they are still up and growing !
Leaving the suckers will delay the growth of the main trunk, and delay the ripening of the figs - so no good !

You guys are awesome. I may do what Grassa said and see what happens! I hate this. I've heard that to be a good gardener you must be RUTHLESS, but i'm still coming to terms with that. Only now am I ripping out calendula (which I love, but it grows wild) b/c it's gettting in the way of my other plants. I feel like any signs that a plant is happy is a mark of success, reason to let them be...so planning on ripping these gals out...uggg..... I'm a wimp. I'm not the ruthless gardener I need to be. But I shall try to do some cup thing and give the plant away. Yes. AGGGG.

Coming from the darkside  -be Ruthless !   ; )