M-

I'm confused. If trees are planted in-ground, no need to root prune. If the roots have escaped from the drainage holes in a container, then you have problems. I'll assume that the trees are grounded.

Control the stems....prune back to a manageable height, and keep pruning. Select a few main-stems, and train them into a tree/bush that will give you all the figs that you want. Keep what you want and cut out everything else.

If you are in Zone-8, you should have no troubles with figs not ripening. If that's the case, pinch back all new growth, to within 6-8 leaves...and keep doing this pinching throughout the growing season. By doing this pinching, you'll control the height of the stems, and force the main-crop figs to develop, and ripen earlier in the season. You could also rub out any new buds that sprout from dormant wood before they get a chance to elongate into stems, or grow into extra branches. Divert the tree's energy into producing figs, instead of into unwanted vegetation, leaves, etc.

It may take you a few seasons to re-establish the basic structure of the tree/bush that you want, but spend your energy into producing a large fig crop by controlling the rampant growth of the tree/bush. Pinching back, and cutting out extra stems will probably be all you need to do. What's your alternative?

Hope this helps.

Frank

hi Frank
that's exactly what i did. The trees looked so beautiful when i pruned them. But then everywhere I cut, 6-10 shoots popped out. I mean, think sorcerer's apprentice!!

yes, i got plenty of ripe figs. I live in Seattle. I was able to keep up with the new growth for a while, but truly, each time i did pinching, new shoots popped out. Now that i have gotten my figs, i will start pruning with a vengeance.
so you want me to pinch back all new growth to within 6-8 leaves, you mean on each shoot?
thank you Frank!

Madelaine:

The rampant, and vigorous growth will be a fight that you may have for a long time until you get some decent control over all the suckering, etc. It ain't easy. You chop and three more sprout. If you can, when trees go dormant, select a few stems for training, and cut down everything else. Be ruthless. You might want to borrow or invest in a good, aggressive-tooth, tree saw. If it's a great fig, try rooting cuttings for friends, etc. You'll have plenty of cuttings to root.

Now once you have the stems cut back, and when they sprout next Spring, rub out all new buds, and cut out any suckers while they are still green. Allow only what you want, to grow. On the main-stems that you selected for training, nip out all terminal buds after 5-6 leaves. this will arrest new growth for a few weeks and divert energy into producing figs. Keep pinching, and rubbing out new buds, and stems...and leave behind all the fig-buds. .

I don't envy you. The work involved can be daunting, but when you gotta, you gotta. The severe cutting back, and subsequent training and pinching will hopefully get this Hydra-fig under control. Don't fertilize, and keep water to a minimum if you can control it.

I hope you will be able to control this monster. Good luck.

Frank

thank you. This is the monster whose sticks i shared with so many people a few years ago! it really is a good fig.

i hope i am equal to the task at hand.

thanks again!
mimi

Maddy-Mimi:

I can't think of anything else to tell you, but to keep chopping away at anything that you don't want to keep. Figs are rampant growers, and just because you cut away the growth you don't want above the ground, the roots below the ground, will try to replace what has been lost. Now it's just a matter of who wins....you, or, the fig tree.

Good luck. Invest in good pruners and tree-saws. : ))))))

Frank