When and How Should I Prune My Fig Tree?

Pruning a fig tree incorrectly — or at the wrong time of year — is one of the easiest ways to eliminate that season's crop before it has had a chance to develop. Because UK figs fruit from embryo figlets that overwinter on the tips of the previous year's shoots, any pruning that removes those shoot tips in winter or early spring directly removes the crop. Understanding the fig's fruiting habit before picking up the secateurs is essential.

How figs fruit in the UK

In the UK climate, figs produce their harvestable crop from small embryo figlets that form at the tip of each shoot in late summer and overwinter in a dormant state. These pea-sized figlets survive winter on the shoot tip, swell and develop through the following growing season, and ripen from July to September. Any shoot tip that is removed — whether by pruning, frost or other damage — loses its embryo fig and contributes nothing to that year's crop. New shoots produced in spring fruit much later and in UK conditions rarely ripen at all.

Spring pruning — when and what to remove

The main pruning session takes place in spring, from late March to April, when the frost risk is receding and before the new growth expands. At this stage you can safely remove: dead, frost-killed wood (cut back to healthy green tissue); any crossing branches rubbing against each other; any growth pointing inward or back toward the wall on fan-trained trees; and any shoots that are clearly too crowded. Leave all healthy shoot tips intact — even if some look dead, wait until May to be sure before cutting, as late-breaking buds are common on figs.

Summer pinching — June to July

In early summer, pinch out the growing tip of each new shoot after it has produced five or six leaves. This simple technique encourages the shoot to branch and produces a greater number of shoot tips — each of which will carry an embryo fig by the end of summer. This is the single most effective technique for increasing the number of embryo figs available to carry into winter, and therefore directly increases the following year's crop.

Autumn and winter — what not to do

Do not prune in autumn or winter, other than removing any clearly dead wood. The embryo figs on the shoot tips are alive and should be protected, not removed. Any significant structural pruning should be planned for spring, when you can also see the extent of any frost damage and cut it back at the same time.

Tools and technique

Always use sharp, clean secateurs or a pruning saw for larger cuts. The fig's milky white latex sap can cause skin irritation in some people — wear gloves if you are sensitive. Cut cleanly just above a bud or leaf node, angled slightly away from the bud to shed water. Clean cuts heal quickly and leave minimal entry points for disease.