Pruning fig trees in California enables the trees to remain healthy and productive. Fig trees in California are already at an optimal growing environment because fig trees thrive in warm, dry climates. Proper pruning furthers the fig trees' growth and development. Fig trees generally need to be pruned only in the first five years of life. After the initial pruning, only annual maintenance is necessary.
Instructions
1. Fig.
Thin out trees that are old or not producing crop. With a spade shovel, dig a hole around the base of the tree you are removing, and dig out the tree, getting as much of the root system as possible. Removing the old, non-producing trees allows the healthy fig trees to grow and thrive.
2. Cut back any dead or diseased branches from the fig tree. Use pruning shears to cut the branches at the trunk of the tree.
3. Prune all suckers and any branches sprouting from the base of the trunk. These are nonproductive branches that steal nutrients from the productive branches.
4. Whitewash each tree trunk to finish the pruning process and to prevent sun damage to the fig tree. In a 5-gallon bucket, make up a paint mixture using 1 part white paint to 1 part water. Starting at the base of the tree, paint 6 feet up the trunk with the white paint mixture. Repeat this process annually.
Tags: base tree, paint mixture, trees California, white paint
