Fruit · pruning calendar
When to prune fig trees
Prune figs in late winter, after the coldest weather but before growth begins. Fall pruning removes the early (breba) crop that forms on last year’s wood.
Fig pruning by month
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperatezones 6–8 | January: Wait | February: Wait | March: Prune now | April: Wait | May: Wait | June: Wait | July: Wait | August: Wait | September: Don’t prune now | October: Don’t prune now | November: Don’t prune now | December: Wait |
| Warmzones 9–11 | January: Prune now | February: Prune now | March: Wait | April: Wait | May: Wait | June: Wait | July: Wait | August: Wait | September: Don’t prune now | October: Don’t prune now | November: Don’t prune now | December: Wait |
- Prune now
- Wait
- Don’t prune now
- Wait Wait until the coldest weather has passed.
- Prune now The tree is dormant and the coldest weather is past. Prune before buds break.
- Wait Remove suckers and dead wood only. Save the main pruning for late winter.
- Don’t prune now The early (breba) figs for next summer are already on last year’s wood. Fall cuts remove them.
How to cut: Remove one-third to one-half of last year’s growth. Cut back to a bud or branch, and leave no stubs.
Sources
Months are grouped into broad USDA zone bands, so local weather, elevation and the plant itself still have the final say.
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