I should mention the fig tree is growing in the ground.

I would leave it alone for now. Branches that look dead now may sprout new growth in a couple of weeks. If they don't...no loss. You can always cut them later.

Thanks Wabikeguy. Is it hard to get people to help out here? There has to be people who know what symptoms tell if the branches are dead before they would have time to sprout. If so, it seems like it would be better to prune as soon as you can so the plant can channel it's energy to tissue that is viable.

If the branch is dead the plant will not channel energy into it. If it's dead it's dead.

I believe you should wait because limbs that appear dead may come back. I had some dead looking branch tips that did that this spring. I'm in zone 10 and probably at least a month ahead of you. I just snipped a couple of dead ones off this week.

Either way though...it's not a huge deal. Trees often die back to the ground up north and come back from the roots in spring.

I cut one of my newer mission trees off at the ground three months ago with the intentions of removing it. It is now a very healthy looking bush, 18 inches high and growing by the day, and will most likely have a pretty decent crop of figs on it this year.

My point is that...whatever you do...leave the pruning for later, prune it now...or even cut it to the ground...which ever you do the tree will most probably come back just fine and bear fruit this year.

Fig trees in the wild get some die back all the time, and they manage to survive.

So the choice is yours.

Take care........Dave

Negronne is not a very hardy fig, I often get dieback. I just wait to see what sprouts but if you are in a rush you can scrape into it and look for green .. no green under the bark on the shoots means they are dead. Cut back until you hit green. Some shoots that are green may die later, thats one reason why I wait -- it will let me cut out all the dead stuff in one go.

This last winter it looks like only a couple tippy tips on the Negronne died, it was mild here.

Scott