I have quite a few fig trees that started out the year fairly small but they've grown well and have lots of young tender growth.  In my experience, the branches that are still green and tender will die back when frosts come around.  I'm wonder if trimming off the tips of these branches now will force energy into maturing the wood that is already there so that it can survive the winter.  Does anybody have any thoughts and/or experiences with this?

I'll look forward to hearing the answer to this too.  I have noticed that often growth pauses in a young tree with a single trunk when the apical bud is pinched off.  So it seems like this pause might allow the wood maturation to catch up with the growth.

My thinking is the same.  It would make sense that clipping the tip forces energy into hardening the wood faster.  Just speculation though.

Thanks for posting this- I have also been thinking about this. I started pinching this year for the first time and I noticed similar observations to Steve's in that on branches that were pinched they seemed to harden the wood faster than the branches that were not pinched. I am probably going to start pinching the apical buds off of all of the green braches that are growing now in an effort to try and encourage them to mature.

I've been pinching all growing tips in my in-ground Hardy Chicago for 2 months and all it seems to do is encourage lower buds to start up.  Only 1 fig has started to swell and nothing is lignifying despite nightime lows in the 40s and no fertilizer for 8 weeks. 

Yes, Bob brings up one concern I had about pinching: I don't want lower buds to push and start even more new growth.

I haven't fertilized my trees for a few months since they grow well enough without.

Harvey, you have to try to find out. If you have 2 of the same, do one of them to compare.  Knowing what I know, I would not be pruning now. We started having cooler nights, that is enough to harden them.  you prune in early spring. I am concerned that if you prune now, you are opening wounds for die backs.  Last year, I pulled a couple of branches too fast to create side growth and it died back to the joint.  The tree is a huge tree. You just never know how this will  affect the growth.

Harvey,
I'm going to dare to answer this .
Trimming NOW will encourage the tree to throw new branches which will worsen the problem/concern. The weather is still hot and trees are still growing like there is no tomorrow.
BUT...if you trim them after they have gone dormant...perhaps it will work and those cuttings can be used for rooting. ( what you think?)

Some interesting discussions here: http://plantchemical.com/the-application-of-plant-growth-regulator-on-controlling-the-forest-trees-growth/

For potted figs I use Pro-Tekt , which is available silicon from potassium silicate .
Works very well and fairly quickly.
I use a rate a little lower than lowest recommended on the label and haven't used it as a foliar spray which may work well (after testing a plant or 2 to make sure there is no adverse reaction.)   

Oh boy, this is all new can of worms for me...all these chemical applications for my food source would definitely go against my "Growing Organic" intentions.

Aaron, I am with you on this topic, if I am to eat the poison that is available, including (agent orange/weed killers) I rather not grow anything at all.  At least I know when I consume what I grow it is the cleanest I can make them to be (aside from the noxious things that are already in the soil, air and water). 

I am doing my best to grow clean food, but cannot imagine how difficult it would be to do in a larger scale food production, the poison industry pushing for this or that and the market demand for bigger and more beautiful fruits (apple, tomatoes, etc)

Kelby,
thanks for the enlightenment, what is the best soil , In your opinion , to use ?

Aaron do you inhale the air where you live?

Aaron, this is somewhat OT, but for potting soil I really like ProMix HP though I would use ProMix HP for plants staying in pots long term.

In my opinion, some synthetic products are safer than some organic products (but many are not).

Thanks for the tip, Kerry, I will check that out.

thanks for the info all