Ficus Carica trunk chop

[Joe_B]

Hi all, I’ve enjoyed eating fruit from my Brown Turkey Fig for a number of years but now I’m ready to chop it down to become a smaller tree. It stopped fruiting about two months ago. Now that the leaves have dropped… is it an ideal time to chop in half and cut branches back?

I normal winter this tree outside with burlap and leaves packed inside and have never had an issue losing trunk or branches.

I’ve read that some people like to cut back immediately after fruit stops in late summer. Any suggestions are welcome.

best,

Joe

 

[Ininaatigoons]

A good rule for the safest time to Trunk Chop is in late spring/early summer shortly after the first flush is slowing. This is when it is least likely to bleed profusely or even to death. And still have time for all the soft branches to harden off before the fall.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

"Bleeding to Death" is something I have never seen any Fig, nor any Maple do. It is a myth spread by a number of bad gardening books.

Yes, best time to cut back a Fig is in spring or summer, while in early or active growth. Worst time to cut back a fig is late autumn or winter, especially if you are leaving it outside in the cold to experience below freezing temperatures.

 

[Bnana]

For a healthy tree it's not a big issue but it does loose a lot of sugar and thus energy.
That's why in nature management you cut/mow small birches in grassland (if you want to get rid of them) in early spring. That way they bleed a lot and get weaker. Cutting them in late summer has much less effect.