Learning how to prune a mature fig tree the right way is crucial if you want to have a healthy, beautiful tree.
In this article, Texarkana’s tree trimming and pruning service providers will share tips on how to prune your mature fig tree. By doing so, our team will help you learn how to enhance your tree’s health, beauty, and fruit production.
Why Regular Pruning Is Essential
Fig trees can grow up to four meters wide and three meters tall. Fortunately, pruning the tree regularly can help you keep it manageable. Doing so also offers several benefits, such as:
- It stimulates new growth – Clipping off diseased wood and unproductive branches helps the tree redirect its resources to growing new branches.
- It increases fruit production – Cutting non-fruiting branches can increase fruit production.
- It makes the tree more vibrant – The new shoots healthy trees produce are thicker and more vibrant than the ones they replace.
As great as these benefits are, the key to enjoying them is learning how to prune a mature fig tree correctly.
How to Prune a Mature Fig Tree the Right Way
How you prune your mature fig tree will vary depending on the season. Here are the three crucial seasons you should keep in mind when learning how to prune a fig tree:
Early Spring
During early spring, remove any rubbing or crossing branches. Pick four to six of the tree’s strongest branches and prune the rest. Ensure the branches you pick are growing from the main trunk.
Afterward, remove any secondary branch growing at less than a 45-degree angle from the tree’s main branches.
We should note that fig trees bleed a white sap when cut. Since excessive bleeding can weaken or kill the tree, do all your pruning when it is dormant so the bleeding will be less significant.
Early Summer
In the summer, pinch the tips off the shoots that have five leaves. Doing so diverts the fig tree’s resources from growth to fruit production and ripening.
Fall
During fall, remove all the ripe figs. You can detect ripe figs by checking for bent stalks and hanging fruits that produce a droplet of sugar on their base.
General Tips to Keep in Mind
When learning how to prune a mature fig tree, certain tips will help you avoid costly mistakes. Some of these tips include:
- Use clean shears – Clean your shears with alcohol before pruning. Doing so will help you avoid spreading diseases between trees.
- Cut fruiting branches during the tree’s dormancy – Cut the tree’s fruiting branches to a third or fourth of their size to keep your tree smaller and sturdier.
- Prune deadwood – Though you should schedule major pruning during your fig tree’s dormant season, pruning dead or diseased wood should be a year-round activity.
- Prune the suckers – Suckers are small leafy growths that appear near the tree’s base. These growths never develop into full branches, so remember to clip them off.
- Consult a professional – Though you can prune your fig tree yourself, it is always best to consult a licensed arborist.
Professional Tree Pruning Services in Texarkana, AR
At Hawkins Tree and Landscaping, we proudly provide quality tree pruning services. We have a team of highly skilled professionals ready to cater to all your tree’s needs and offer the professional guidance you require.
From helping you learn how to prune a mature fig tree correctly to answering questions like “What is root pruning?” we have got you covered.
Call Hawkins Tree Landscaping at (870) 330-9912 to learn more about our pruning services.