Fig tree.

[oldfella]

I have a Fig tree, that was damaged by the winter bad weather, but it has now shown growth on the newer branches of the old boughs, my question is, should I cut out the dead branches, and leave the new growth, or wait a while longer.

Thanks for any advice
Eddy.

[becks77]

That's what I would do but then I'm a bit pruning happy!

[Davie Crockett]

Don't prune it until after the leaves have fallen off. Mark the unwanted branches now with coloured wool/string so you know what to get rid of when it's naked.

[Thomzo]

On the same subject, I have a fig tree in a large pot. It fruited well a few years ago but now it's really struggling. Only a few leaves and no fruitlets from last year. I water it well and have fed it recently so I don't know what to do for the best. Should I turf it out of its pot and plant it in the garden? I thought they like being pot bound.

Zoe

[oldjerry]

Well they like their roots restricted but that's not the same as being pot bound.To be honest a mature Brown turkey will out grow most pots.Better in the ground either with 3 by 2 slabs end on end in the planting hole or in my experience best of all an old septic tank.

[Thomzo]

Thanks. I had thought that I should plant it out. No way will I be able to dig a hole big enough to take 3x2 slabs as well as the tree so it'll just have to go in the best I can. The hard, stoney soil should be root-restrictive enough with luck.

Zoe

[oldjerry]

That may well be enough,the best one I ever saw in the UK was in S.London alongside a railway line,where the Rab the line was laid on was seriously restricting the root growth.(I may have put the above badly,I mean a hole 3 by 2 and 3 ft deep lined with 3 by 2 slabs.)Anyhow,you know what you're doing.

[Mrs Moustoir]

If you do decide to prune it, be very careful. The sap is vicious and if you get it on your skin, it burns!

[GeorgeSalt]

If you do decide to prune it, be very careful. The sap is vicious and if you get it on your skin, it burns!

Don't prune figs on a hot sunny day - the sap flows more freely and some sources suggest that burns susceptible people get are made worse by sunlight (possibly a photosensitizer). I saw two really bad cases last year, and you don't want it to happen to you. It's not nice.

I maybe a bit snip-happy, but I've pruned my fig at all times of the year. If the branches are dead I'd cut them out now, but to be cautious I'd wear long-gloves and do it very early in the morning if the weather is hot. I'd be definitely cut them out now if it's trained against a wall because I'd want to get in and check that it was still securely fastened against the wall before the full summer weight of leaves and fruit has a chance to lever it off. I'd be checking that none of the dead branches were ones I was relying on to secure the tree and putting in alternatives fastening if this was the case. I think I've tried every wall-fastening readily available and concluded that nothing short of an 8mm shield-anchor eye-bolt will hold the summer weight of a cropping fig.

[oldfella]

Thanks for all your replies, , but many of the newer wood on old branches has now shown signs of life so will leave it until the Autumn. Many of my shrubs were decimated by the winter cold, but some are now sending up new shoots, so we shall see, how things go;

Eddy