Tree trimming professionals can handle a variety of different tree types, from giant oaks to pines and firs to fruit-bearing trees. But different types of trees can have different pruning needs, and these can also vary depending on what your primary goal for the tree is. Here are some considerations for pruning your fig tree.
1. Aesthetic considerations
If you're growing your fig tree for its attractive, hand-shaped foliage rather than its fruit, you'll want to focus on the aesthetic aspect of fig tree trimming. Figs are very prone to suckering and can form a bush or thicket if allowed. So you'll have to choose whether you want to encourage it to grow in a bush form, or remove the suckers and prune it into a tree form with just one main trunk.
2. Fruit production considerations
For best fruit production, there are some dos and don'ts to follow as far as trimming your fig tree. As with many fruit trees, you want to avoid pruning off the sections of the tree that will bear fruit later. For a fig, this typically means you should avoid pruning off too large a portion of the last season's growth since figs tend to produce fruit on last year's wood.
However, that doesn't mean you should remove none of last year's growth. Some experts believe that pruning your fig tree moderately is an important step to help it stay productive. Removing about one-quarter of the main growing branches during the dormant season may help the tree focus its energy on producing fruit, for instance.
3. Hardiness considerations
In some climates, your fig tree may die back to the ground every winter and send up new shoots each spring. This can limit its size since it'll only be able to achieve whatever height it can manage in one growing season instead of building on last year's growth.
If your fig tree dies back each year, you'll want to have your contractor cut the dead branches back to the ground after the killing frosts come. This gets the dead wood out of the way before next season.
4. Health considerations
Fig trees tend to weep a sticky secretion if pruned while in an active growing phase. This can make them more likely to become infected and develop a disease problem. So whenever possible, you'll want to schedule your fig tree pruning during the dormant season (typically winter), especially for severe or extensive pruning jobs.
These considerations will help you and your tree trimming professional make the most of your regular trimming sessions and keep your fig tree healthy and happy and allow it to fulfill whatever your primary goal is for the tree, whether that's aesthetic or fruit-related. Contact a local tree trimming service to learn more.
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