Fan trained fig tree

Figs will grow into large, vigorous, leafy shrubs or trees unless pruned regularly and their roots restrained. They may still produce fruit, but protecting these from frost and harvesting them can be tricky.

But you can easily reduce a fig’s excess vigour by pruning it regularly and restricting its roots in a lined pit, root-control mesh bag or large container.

How to prune a fig tree diagram

How to prune a fig tree diagram

How to prune a fig tree diagram in winter

Fig tree pruning video

How to prune a fig tree for winter

How to prune a mature fig tree

This will also encourage it to produce fruit, rather than too much lush, leafy growth. 

For more on restricting fig roots and protecting fruit from frost, see our guides:



To maximise cropping and limit their overall size, figs are usually trained as fans against a sunny wall or fence, where they make an attractive feature.

They can be kept to about 1.8m (6ft) tall and around 3.5m (11½ft) wide, but can be allowed to grow taller and wider if you have more space. In colder locations, figs can be inside a greenhouse on horizontal wires hung 30cm (1ft) away from the glass.

Alternatively, grow a fig as a free-standing bush or a standard (on a single tall stem) in a cont

pruning fig trees uk in summer

pruning fruit trees in late summer