I just purchased 4 - one year old fig trees that I just transplanted from 1 gal. containers to larger containers.  2 don't have any side branches, just a straight stick 4' tall & I would like to shape them to grow side branches. 

Can/should I cut these trees back to 24" to force side shoots?  Are they too young or is it better to wait until Spring? 

I'm in zone 7a, figs are; Italian Honey, LSU Purple, California Dark & Galbun. I found a lot of info regarding pruning but not at this stage of growth. Thanks

Hi Rayvino,

Congratulations on your purchase and welcome to the guild of fig growers!  Yes, you should cut them back to encourage branching. However I would wait until just before Spring to do it. You could do it now but I don't think there is much growing season left for you (not sure where you are).

Mic

Thanks for the welcome Mic,
I'm in Long Island NY zone 7a.  Since I will be in Florida for most of the winter my choice would be to prune before New Years day or wait until Mid April 2017, which time would be better?  Just so I understand correctly,  it is ok to cut back a 4' tree to 2' or so at this stage of life?  Thanks for your help.

You can do one of 2 things. Wait till dormant to prune to height that you want branches to form OR Wait till the break dormancy in the Spring, and then prune them. Some experience seems to indicate that if they are pruned when the are flushing, that they will then flush more buds, producing more branching. If Pruned when dormant, they may only break the apical bud, growing a single trunk, again.

This is some really great,simple advice for new growers,I have quite a few new trees which are just a single trunk no branching,I'll Definately be pruning and pinching In the coming year,I only wish I had known about pinching earlier,my 3yo BT(my first fig) has only grown up and not out during the whole time until I pinched it,it grew a new trunk to the side,put out a sucker and popped a few side shoots as well,it Definately works,

@Rayvino, yes, there should be no worries in cutting 2 feet off a 4 foot fig. I've done it plenty of times without a problem. You can see the nodes on the trunk where the branches will come out. So cut just above a set of nodes that look good at the height you want.

I'm not sure if mid April is later than @pitangadiego is suggesting, but if you're not sure, you could bet 50 cents each way and do two of them at New Years and other two in mid April. I usually cut back while dormant or just after bud break in Spring (July-September) which is equivalent to January to March where you are I think.

Thank you all for your advice and comments.  I have several figs in the ground for years and one in a container but I had been ignoring these the last few years (still got figs).

Now I got the bug again for figs, took a ride to BillsFigs in N.J. only intended to buy 1 or 2 trees but after seeing his impressive collection, I got carried away and I bought 5 (kind of interesting stuffing 5 trees in the back of a Tesla).

My biggest challenge is finding a good sunny location in my yard where I can place large SIP containers which will past the wife approval test. 

I like the advice of pruning 1/2 just before New Years day and the other 1/2 around Easter to hedge my bet. 

Have any of you tried notching instead of pinching or cutting back? This is when you slice just a small way through the fig trunk right above a node in order to encourage a branch to form. I've got a fig that is lacking lower branches (my error in not pinching it earlier). I don't want to drastically prune the height of the tree (branching is nicely placed above), I just want some lower branches. Anybody tried this method? I know it works with apple trees.

 I have a few named and unknowns started this year with good branching. what is the recommendations for a tree with good branching already? should I just cut off the smaller growing tips to make it more compact? i do have a few doubles wondering if next spring or right before tree breaks dormancy would be best to place in ground?

If he is going to cut 2 feet off of trunk, wouldn't he be better off air layering the middle and starting a new tree?  Or is it too late in the season to do so?  What would you guys do?

Dom

Interesting how many options/ideas there are.

Domgardens: Do you think there is enough time to do air layering now in Queens,NY zone 7a?

ThaiFig: Bending the tree to a J shape, is this a separate process from applying the lanolin paste?  You suggest both.
Also, I found this on Amazon will it work?
Keiki Power Pro Orchid Cloning Paste   https://www.amazon.com/Keiki-Power-Orchid-Plant-Cloning/dp/B00948K1J4

The tie and bend also works without the paste, or I had some beginner's luck.  Earlier this spring after reading a post on the forum I tied down a stem that was growing much faster than the other.  Within two weeks there were leaves on, if my memory is correct, seven nodes.  The only problem was that all the new growth was on the same side of the stem.  I ended up releasing the stem and, again if memory is correct, they didn't all continue to grow.  I'd have to dig through my pictures to verify the end result. 

ThaiFig= nice photo of new growth. 
OK for 2 days I have been slowly bending the tree (torturing it?) and I ordered this paste that I found on amazon, I should get it tomorrow and will apply to nodes, below is a photo of the tree.  Does it need to be bend even more? 

Keiki Power Pro Orchid Cloning Paste   https://www.amazon.com/Keiki-Power-Orchid-Plant-Cloning/dp/B00948K1J4