The ideal time to prune a fig tree is at the end of winter, when frost is over (or the risk of frost) and just before it starts to sprout. The fig tree is a tree that does not support acidic soil, so you will have to choose well the terrain where you plant it.
To prune a fig tree we have to start by cleaning the root zone. Around the trunk of the fig tree sprout all kinds of plants and weeds that take advantage of the irrigation of our fig tree to feed; what we have to do is start by removing them.
Make sure the area is well cleaned by clearing the area around the trunk of weeds and cutting the stems or branches of other plants with pruning shears. Remember to protect your hands with gardening gloves.
Prune the lower part of the fig tree, cutting from its base all the branches that come out from the trunk, below the top of the tree.
Do the same for twisted or twisted branches, the ones you see that instead of growing naturally towards the light they do it sideways or towards the ground
And don’t forget, of course, to remove any dry or rotten branches that may be along the entire tree.
Of course, we recommend that you go in parts: The fig tree, like most fruit trees, is pruned from the root to the tips.
Prune the cross branches in the crown and the rest of the tree. To clean up a fig tree, you must ensure that light can enter through its crown, so that all the leaves and parts of the tree receive sunlight and can feed on it.
The crossed branches are those that, instead of heading outwards or upwards, do so inwards of the crown, crossing each other and generating entanglements and a leafy crown, but in shadow. If you want to grow fruits of your fig tree, you must prevent this from happening, and that the top of the tree breathes and goes towards the light.
Scale the fig tree to prune the inside of the cup in depth. Take care branch by branch of your fig tree to carry out effective pruning. Your goal is, as we say, that sunlight reaches everywhere. Therefore, take a ladder or perch on the tree (carefully) to cut, with the help of scissors, all the branches that go towards the ground or into the fig tree.
Finally, so that figs come out homogeneously throughout the tree, look at it from the ground and notice its shape. Check that there is no one side that protrudes more than the other and if not (which is normal) calculate before climbing again which branches you will have to cut to get a balanced and uniform cup.
This form of pruning that we have explained will result in a fig tree with a good crown for shade. If you have a fig tree that you want to use to sit and read underneath in summer, the one we have been explaining is the ideal way to prune it. However, to collect the fruits of the fig tree well, there are other ways to prune it and take care of it so that the branches grow closer to the ground and it is easier to collect figs.
