How to prune and train a fig tree

When should you prune fig trees in the UK?

Figs produce two crops in the UK. The first crop starts growing in late summer – the tiny fruitlets remain on the tree over winter and begin growing again in the spring. To get a good crop, you need to avoid cutting too many of your fruiting branches off. The second crop starts growing in late spring and doesn't have time to ripen in Britain. These figs will need to be removed in autumn.

Previous advice has been to prune figs in winter to avoid the sap bleeding. However, it’s now advised that fig trees should be pruned in spring. The best time to prune figs is after all danger of frost has passed but before your fig tree starts producing new growth.

Figs should be pruned twice a year in:

• Early to mid spring
• Early summer

How to prune a fig tree

How to prune a fan-trained fig in spring

1. Prune a third of the new shoots that grew the previous year. Leave around 2.5cm of the shoot. Look in particular for weak or spindly shoots
2. Remove a couple of old branches on mature plants, cutting back to around 5cm long
3. Cut off any shoots that are growing out from the wall and any that are growing into towards the wall
4. Tie in new shoots, keeping to the fan shape

Spring pruning tips

• You may have to prune a few shoots that have the pea-sized fruitlets at their tip, but make sure you leave as many of these as possible to get a good crop. The best ones to leave are the shorter shoots with fruit at the tips.
• Look for long, bare branches and prune these back hard (5-8cm long)
• If you don’t want a new branch to grow in place of the former weak shoot or because it’s going to head in the wrong direction, don’t leave any stub behind – take away the entire branch or shoot

How to prune a fig bush in spring

Training a fig tree as a bush or standard is easiest if you buy the type you want, then prune annually to keep it in shape. Aim to create a well-balanced bowl shape.

1. First, prune any dead, crossing or weak branches back – leaving a 2.5cm stub. This will promote the growth of a new shoot
2. Remove one or two of the oldest branches, leaving a 5cm stub. Look for branches that are overly long

How to prune a fig tree in early summer

1. Shorten all sideshoots to five leaves from the base – this process will involve the removal of some leaves but there's no need to cut any other leaves off your fig tree.
2. Don’t prune after midsummer. This is when the fruitlets for the following year will start forming (the ones that will ripen in the UK) so if you prune too many of these branches off you won’t get a summer crop

How to prune a fig tree in autumn

There's no need to prune a fig tree in autumn, but it's important to remove any large fruits that haven’t ripened.

How to protect fig trees

Cover fig trees with horticultural fleece if you live in a cold region of the UK. Fleece pegged over them is best as it protects them from the physical damage that the weather can bring but is also porous to keep the air flowing around them and prevent rot setting in. Take the protection off the following spring.

How to fan train a fig

The easiest way to begin is to buy a part-trained fan tree from the garden centre.

1. Remove the leading or main shoot – cut it down to where there are some branches at a 45 degree angle. These will be the arms
2. Cut back the arms by around two thirds to create a short tree with two arms
3. In summer, tie in up to four shoots from each arm. Look for one growing out from the tip, two on the top of the arm and one on the bottom. Tie these in at even spacings, at a 30 degree angle to the main branch (arm)
4. Remove any shoots growing in toward the wall and any remaining shoots
5. In spring, remove a third of each of the four branches on each side. Cut back to an upward-facing bud where possible
6. Tie in any new growth