How to Manage Pests

Pruning and thinning fig trees

Figs are pruned during early development and maturation to ensure strong branches that will be able to support the heavy crop. Mature fig trees set fruit on the current season's growth so pruning for fruit wood during the dormant season is not as important as it is for other fruit tree crops. However, the objective for dormant-season pruning is to remove interfering and broken branches, trim structural limbs that are weeping too far down, and promote adequate but not excessive shoot growth. Figs are also tolerant of very little pruning to heavy pruning, which results in a dwarfed tree. As trees mature, pruning should become less vigorous.

Thinning of fruit is not usually required for figs.