Proper management of everything is necessary to increase the life and get the best out of that. It applies to both living things and non-living things. Similarly, when it comes to trees, their proper care is also required to reap excellent benefits. Just like we cut our nails & hair when they grow and maintain our body, trees also need pruning to remain healthy. In this post, we will talk about how to prune a fig tree to give you a better idea of how it is done.
Now, before moving ahead, you must understand two terms pruning and fig tree. Only after knowing them, you’ll be able to get a clear understanding of how to prune a fig tree.
Contents
What Is Pruning?
Pruning is a term that belongs to the horticulture & silviculture sectors. It is coined for the removal of certain parts of plants in a well-controlled manner. Pruning includes cutting of branches, shrubs, roots, or buds for assuring healthy growth of plants and preventing chances of diseases. To achieve great results, this practice should be done by experienced ones.
What Is A Fig Tree?
Before knowing how to prune a fig tree, you must know what a fig tree is. This tree is cultivated as a fruit giving an ornamental plant throughout the world. But, it is native to the Middle East and Western Asia. The fig tree belongs to Asian species and has a scientific name Ficus carica. The fruit this tree gives is also known as fig, and it is highly nutritious.
The length that a fig tree can grow could be as long as 20 feet, and it could be up to 20 feet wide as well. So considering how huge it can grow, pruning at the right interval of time is a must to assure healthy growth of the fig tree.
How To Prune A Fig Tree?
A fig tree is easy to grow, and you can also plant it in your home garden. Pruning of a fig tree must be done at the correct stages to focus its growth let it establish well. The first time when pruning of the fig tree required is when you transplant it. What is advised to do is trim the tree about half to stimulate & develop its roots stronger and bigger? It is done in the period of dormancy.
Second Dormant Season
The second time that you should choose for pruning a fig tree is the next dormant season. Here, you have to focus on promoting the fruiting wood. This means you must select the branches that’ll give you fruit and see whether there is enough room for them to grow or not. Besides, even distribution of those branches is also necessary. It is always good to cut the strongest branches leaving about one-third of their original length.
Pruning at this season is known as ‘training pruning.’
Third Dormant Season
The dormant season for any tree is said to be the best time for pruning. As we are talking about how to prune a fig tree, then in the third dormant season as well pruning is required. You’ll see many new branches in your tree, and they required to be pruned cautiously.
Apart from that, a tree also develops many secondary branches that come off the fruiting wood. Their growth orientation is very unorganized, and what you’ll experience is that they are crossing & rubbing each other. You need to trim them off in such a way that your tree looks good, and it is accessible to pick fruits (figs). You must also remove suckers and deadwood from the entire tree. Suckers are very harmful as they utilize the tree’s nutrition and make it weak. Hence, they must be cleared off soon.
Some Extra Points To Consider
Learning how to prune a fig tree is necessary to reap great benefits from this plant. You might have got an idea of how you can maintain a fig tree after reading the above sections. But, here are some more points that you must look for.
During summers, it is advisable to pinch out emerging leaves that grow on new branches. This step is important for a fig tree that produces edible fruits. It will help in utilizing the sun’s energy more towards fruit production rather than leaves.
In autumn, you should look for fruits that are large and are not ripening. These kinds of figs will not improve any further and might utilize the tree’s energy that it stores while preparing to go into dormancy during winters. Any such fig must be removed and discarded.
Benefits Of Pruning
Now it must be clear in your mind about what the best time of pruning is and how to prune a fig tree.
Since the start, we are talking about pruning, including what it is and how & when it should be done. But the main point is why it is done? Here we will give you a brief of what is the importance of pruning.
Pruning is just trimming off a tree but in a more controlled manner. It helps in:
Plant Health
Cutting suckers, deadwood, overgrown & extra branches, and unwanted leaves help in keeping the plant healthy. Besides, it assures that the energy used by the tree is more focused on producing fruits rather than some unrequired processes. Plus, during pruning, you can also cut down diseased parts and prevent them from harming the tree further.
Assures Focused Growth
Studies and researches have shown that pruning off the main shoot encourages other growth of many others. Similarly, targeted pruning helps in the development of well-established roots that we’ve also discussed above. It will also lead to enhanced plant’s beauty and growth. So, for better and healthy growth, you must know the right measures of how to prune a fig tree.
Personal Security
You might be wondering what pruning of a tree has to do with personal security. You are right on your part. But imagine having a fig tree in the backyard of your home where kids play. During bad weather or windy season, there are chances that any stem or branch of the tree might get weak and fall anytime. You will also be the one to suffer. So pruning will reduce these kinds of changes to a minimum as you’ve already cut down everything extra from the tree.
Easy To Control Pests
With pruning, your tree looks in better shape, and it will be easy for you to identify any areas that insects have made for themselves to live and feed upon. You can quickly take action to prevent aftereffects. If no taken care of pests & insects properly, it might kill the plant as well.
The Final Say
It is quite necessary to know how to prune a fig tree and what is the best time to do it. Pruning is a crucial part of any plant’s life, and it decides how fruitful the tree will be. A better understanding of how to prune a fig tree will help you get bigger, better, & nutritious figs and its flowers. Plus, the tree will also become easy to maintain.
You May Also Like:
