In this video, I share how to prune fig trees for small size and maximum production! Left unpruned, a fig tree will produce poorly and accumulate dead wood. Pruning fig trees stimulates vigor and fruiting, producing more figs on a smaller tree. This video will teach you everything you need to know to prune fig trees with confidence.
• Where To Buy Fig Cuttings: https://philsfigs.com/collections/all
• How To Fertilize Fruit Trees: https://youtu.be/ffdn5tlrOgo?si=CvrvTibJxTho51UV
• I use the following products* for pruning and growing fig trees:
Japanese Bypass Pruning Shears: https://amzlink.to/az08Dzhs8BJ1x
Japanese Anvil Pruners: https://amzlink.to/az0VjwxH5sfVN
Small Japanese Pull Saw: https://amzlink.to/az0FjnUryS1Uu
Large Japanese Pull Saw: https://amzlink.to/az0JWVGhacoR2
Pruning Snips: https://amzlink.to/az0S6BULZGPmi
Heavy Duty Nursery Pots (15 Gal): https://amzlink.to/az0YgHeAMoffg
Nursery Pot Saucers (16 in): https://amzlink.to/az0Qstlb1Gho4
Alaska Fish Fertilizer [5-1-1] (Gallon): https://amzlink.to/az0Jhw8liNoe3
True Organic All Purpose Fertilizer [5-4-5]: https://amzlink.to/az0lVAel6Wss7
Espoma PlantTone [5-3-3] (36lb): https://amzlink.to/az0gylQKIH3hO
Espoma PlantTone [5-3-3] (50lb): https://amzlink.to/az0dh0dYaye1l
Espoma Bone Meal (10lb): https://amzlink.to/az0KAuCOZcPgQ
True Organic Blood Meal (3lbs): https://amzlink.to/az0jNeCruTl6a
Azomite Trace Minerals (44lb): https://amzlink.to/az0qPn4i34Eol
Jack’s All Purpose [20-20-20] (1.5lb): https://amzlink.to/az0JG0Dv6Da0h
Jack’s All Purpose [20-20-20] (25lb): https://amzlink.to/az0F6FgxdhKjO
Jack’s Blossom Booster [10-30-20] (25lb): https://amzlink.to/az08lv7ZJFnUu
•• Full Amazon Store: https://amzlink.to/az0yli4Cz0iXX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Introduction
0:24 How To Buy Fig Cuttings
0:56 Breba VS Main Crop Figs
3:20 When To Prune Fig Trees
4:08 How Much Material Should I Remove?
4:58 Pruning Tools You Need
5:28 The 3 Steps Of Pruning Figs
6:15 Fig Tree Pruning Demonstration #1 (Long)
15:07 Fig Tree Pruning Demonstration #2 (Short)
18:51 Final Results And Pruning Tips
20:59 Adventures With Dale
If you have any questions about how to prune fig trees, growing a vegetable garden at home, how to grow fruit trees or the things I grow in my raised bed vegetable garden and edible landscaping food forest, please ask in the Comments below!
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ABOUT MY GARDEN
Location: Southeastern NC, Brunswick County (Wilmington area)
Zone 8B, 34.1°N Latitude
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© The Millennial Gardener
#gardening #garden #gardeningtips #vegetablegardening #vegetablegarden
47 Comments
If you're interested in purchasing fig cuttings, get them here: https://philsfigs.com/collections/all TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Introduction
0:24 How To Buy Fig Cuttings
0:56 Breba VS Main Crop Figs
3:20 When To Prune Fig Trees
4:08 How Much Material Should I Remove?
4:58 Pruning Tools You Need
5:28 The 3 Steps Of Pruning Figs
6:15 Fig Tree Pruning Demonstration #1 (Long)
15:07 Fig Tree Pruning Demonstration #2 (Short)
18:51 Final Results And Pruning Tips
20:59 Adventures With Dale
i wish we were neighbors so you could design my backyard garden. i can't wait til i buy a bigger homestead property, ive got so much planned. love your fence line with all the citrus/figs
When is the best time to up-pot a fig tree?
Love the fig videos, when I first watched your channel several years back, it was all on the figs.
I am excited about the cuttings!! …but I live 2 far away & also customs wouldn't allow them to enter into New Zealand …Zuks big time because it will be nice to have something that we don't have here in NZ …
Thank you so much. I trimmed mine last fall but not much and I have what’s called a little Miss piggy and I just learned from you about the Breba ! I have them on there and thought wow that’s crazy so fast but now I know what they are
Do you using pruning paint or spray on the parts that you have pruned
Omgosh! Two of my fav YT folks in the same videooo! 🥰🌱❤️
Just got my Smith fig cuttings from Phil fyi 2 for$20!!
Now i need to know what to do😊
Dude Anthony it’s so good to see you putting out some fig content!! 🎉 Your smith is absolutely insane. Legendary. Wow. And both of your CDDs you showed. Feels like not long ago watching you put them all in ground.
I really appreciate this video! I don’t see any leaves on your tree yet, mine is full of leaves. My question is, do I still prune even with the leaves on it? Thank you so much, keep them coming.
Do you apply tree wound paint on your cuts?
Great tutorial !
Ya, in North Carolina, I lived at Fort Bragg, "Home of the Airborne and Special Operations." 👍👍👍
How do you prevent root knot nematodes with your in-ground figs?
I have. fig nubs that turned to little 1 inch long figs and stayed there all winter. The wood looks good . Should I just remove the little figs that most likely will do little? The variety is Chicago Hardy. I'm up in zone 6 Ohio 30 miles south of Lake Erie.. Day temps all over from 35 to 69 and down to mid 20's at night at least 'til April.
From BC, video not for me… oh well.
Great video. Ordered 2 types. Hopefully can get them to root and grow. New to this but have watched a bunch from you and Phil.
Great info ty! One of mine in my chicken run has dead wood. Going to clean it up. I'm starting to be a fig tree collector in my food forest. If you like ice cream, cut an x in the eye. Boil some red wine and brown sugar toss in the figs for a little bit. Don't over cook them . Put it over some ice cream. Yummy!
ANTHONY. On the ribbon where the subscribe button, thumbs up down, are located should be a Hype button. I don't see this on your channel. I guess u have to turn it on somehow.
If you do, I'll click your hype button to hype your channel. Not sure what it does for you but notice some other channel have this.
Best pruning vid I've ever seen. Thanks for actually showing the up, down, sides of nodes & tools used. Now I understand this & can apply it to other trees, bushes etc.
Daring Dale was on the hunt. 😂❤❤❤
I already made a order. Cant wait
Dale is a food.. GOOD boy. 😂
How can I send you photos of my raised garden? Would like your opinion.
Opportune video as always.
Went outside to look at my fig today and the 28 degree weather we had for 2 nights early this week took out the new growth. I hadn't yet pruned it for this year and I stood looking at it wondering how I should prune it. Voila! here's your video. Thank you. I'll head out tomorrow and get it done.
I think you should cut that tree to the ground at 11min and let it grow back up. Just my opinion. Plus you can show your viewers what happend when you do
Not only did I prune my trees I also moved them out of very tall grow bags. One actually had a big root growing out the bottom that could not be completely excavated. I got two cuttings free from a company I purchased a product from a couple years ago and though I have never been a fig fan, I started the cuttings and of course they did fabulously. I had to move them to make my new buckling yard. We only had one mild freeze and I did lose the few baby figs that were growing. They have leafed out and are looking great in their new location. The company said they received cuttings from customers who grow figs and these were named Grandpa’s Fig. I cannot find any information about this fig variety. Does anyone know anything about this variety?
Wow! This is better than Frankenstein vs The Wolfman!
Great demonstration. Get an Ondata fig and you will have a different opinion about brebas. Im not sure how hardy it is, but its mid season and produces top quality breba and main crop
Home Depot has 11 pound bricks of coco coir for 12.98 . I think that’s a good deal
Just ordered some Bordisotte! Couldn’t be more excited thank you!
Would love a video on how to set up the cutting for best success or any tips you have. Thank you for all the content is the best!!
My dad loved his fig tree Anthony!❤️
Great video-thank you! Speaking of Breba.. My Olimpian fig Breba was superior quality last year. The main crop was awesome also. I am in Central NC
My fig is still buried in the ground in a coffin made of wooden sticks and a tarp, with thick layers of soil and mulch on top, and still covered by snow! I live in zone 5b Canada, so this is about the only way to overwinter figs in this climate.
Last year was my first year growing figs (I got a rooted 2024 cutting from my neighbour in the spring), and it did fantastic! The figs it produced were really good, and it was the first time I’ve ever eaten a fresh fig! They tasted like sweet melon and cucumber. They are small, but they ripen earlier so we actually get a harvest in our climate. Big figs often don’t ripen here before it’s time to put them back to bed before winter.
I’m hoping it faired well over the winter, and that it will continue growing well. I’m going to try either taking cuttings or air layering it this spring for the first time, too!
Interesting! That’s the complete opposite of the figs in our area. The brevas are our main crops. By the time the “main crop” start to develop there isn’t enough sun nor warmth to allow further development and those that ‘t ripen are tiny and virtually tasteless.
This was a fantastic, detailed explanation! Thank you!😁
Ordered the Smith I’ve always wanted! I’m counting on you, Phil😁 Thanks to you both!
It's fascinating to see that cutting so very much off a fig tree is good for the tree! Great video!
Gators?! Holy dangerous wildlife, Batman! Good boy, Dale. Soak up that sunshine, and don't let those gators get you!
I needed this video a month ago😅, my fig trees are 6-8” into growth already. I definitely didn’t cut back enough. Is it too late now that they are growing?
Hi @PHILFIGS! Two of my favorite people on YT!
Heck yeah man fig content!! Rock on!!!
Good to see Phil!!
Again a very good pruning video, thank you!! Even i like figs more in there natural way growing it was very helpfull to watch😁 i love to see you are not scared to prune, i am sometimes😅
Hi Sarah @bloomandgray. I really really love your videos. And while i'm more of a beginner-aspiring veggie market gardener, i learn a lot from what you share. You and @Blossomandbranch are the 2 farmers that i follow particularly for the female factor inspiration. It's demanding work and knowing there actually female farmers making it out there makes the hard days feel more doable. Farming is so physical enough but you also take the extra time to capture your processes. On behalf of the other aspiring female market-gardeners like me – thank you and keep dojng what you do.
On a different topic. One of the gardener-farmers i follow came out with this video comment which had me shocked amd alarmed. I sent a comment suggestion what if you all came together to advocate for authenticity and ethical practices. Maybe also consider having a identifiable stamp on your vids espousing those shared values. Do consider. I've sent this same message to all the other content creators i've been following in the hope the idea catches on.
Again, keep doing what you do. Keep inspiring and keep sharing. 😊
All the best on your respective farms!
Here's the vid i mentioned.
https://youtu.be/d2CX3RfZ_0g?si=1b85csq_FrnXL5Gd
Do you prune containerized figs any differently?
I live in Florida and am shocked that my figs are now growing from the root. Thought they all croaked during the freeze.
It has been a STRUGGLE.
I ate my FIRST fig yesterday.
I picked it a couple of days early. I couldn't handle the disappointment of a bird or mishap.
1-10? It was a "6".
Not as moist or sweet as it could/should be.
I don't care. The future looks BRIGHT ! I'll get some "10s" soon.
This channel got me interested two years ago. I planted shoot cuttings in Dec 2024 in a rural rice village in Thailand. They were touch and go to root and grow. Now? They are 18" to 2 feet tall. They look healthy. I think I will be a FIGG'ER for years to come.
I am, as you can tell, EXCITED.
I love figs.
Ricky Bobby stop talking withcyour hands 😂😂 what do i do with my hands 😅😅
I took cuttings from my grandfathers fig tree a little over a month ago and they still haven't rooted 😢