Date: Tue, 28 May 2013 09:54:50 -0400
From: Kira Dirlik
Subject: Fig trees
I read that article about the newly arrived kudzu beetles, too.
Luckily I have not seen them on my fig tree (yet).
As for pruning, here is what I have experienced. For years I only cut the branches that extended over the path to my house, but it became such an octopusal monster that two years ago, in winter, I trimmed off the top and all around, to let more sun onto my flower garden. Then in the summer (1912), a lot of new branches grew straight up about 3 yards each. None of this new growth had any figs on them. Now this year, they all have lots of figs, all lined up like a stem of brussels sprouts, awaiting ripening for the crows. So if you are not seeing any figs on new growth, that is probably natural. Next year there should be plenty.
My fig tree is a “brown turkey”, figs as large as pears. I had a smaller fig tree at my previous residence (Celeste) that produced small figs, that I never pruned and that was always prolific.
Kira