Pinch or let grow till next year

[NYC_Fignetic]

I am new to growing figs but not gardening.. my parents have a 3 year old unknown but it is delicious berry fig.. I started my fig collection all from cuttings March 2025.. they are about 2.5-3 foot tall now and I have to decide to pinch tops or let them grow to get thicker trunk.. suggestions appreciated these will all go in garage for winter.

Smith
Black
Madeira
Italian 258
Atreano
Vasilika sika vs
Cravens cravin
Ron de bordeaux
Adriatic jh
Chicago hardy
Strawberry verte
Sicilian red
Borgo scopeto

Looking for ondata, cessac, angelito

 

[GoodFriendMike]

If you pinch. Will they not grow thicker trunks? Could be me. But It seems pinching and pruning keeps them short and stocky.

 

[NYC_Fignetic]

If you pinch. Will they not grow thicker trunks? Could be me. But It seems pinching and pruning keeps them short and stocky.

I don’t know as to why I am here asking lol if I pinch will the trunk still get thicker or will the growth be on the new growth next year.

 

[GoodFriendMike]

I don’t know as to why I am here asking lol if I pinch will the grinch still get thicker or will the growth be on the new growth next year.

Well it does seem the grinch stole many of figs this year. If you pinch/prune the trunk will become thicker. At least that is what I see. Hope the grinch does not steal all your figs.

 

[ktrain]

Some nice looking trees you have there, smaller ones I will not pinch or prune, but anything that has gained some good height I do.
I think the consensus is that pruning does help thicken the trunk.

 

[Figless]

@Nyc_guy565 Yes I would absolutely agree with Ktrain statement above. Most of your fig trees look a little too short to pinch ATM. Another way to thicken the trunk is to apply synthetic fertilizer. The fertilizer salts penetrates cell membranes causing the plant to uptake fluid and with it nutrients. Though I have seen others achieve the same results organically. I edited my reply because I omitted the most important part, how beautiful vibrant, and healthy your up potted figs look. Congratulations

 

[NYC_Fignetic]

@Nyc_guy565 Yes I would absolutely agree with Ktrain statement above. Most of your fig trees look a little too short to pinch ATM. Another way to thicken the trunk is to apply synthetic fertilizer. The fertilizer salts penetrates cell membranes causing the plant to uptake fluid and with it nutrients. Though I have seen others achieve the same results organically. I edited my reply because I omitted the most important part, how beautiful vibrant, and healthy your up potted figs look. Congratulations

Hi yes I do fertilize my very 2 weeks.. this pic is about 1 month old. Most are between 2-3 feet in hight. I still have about 1.5-2 months before they go inside. So I will pitch this weekend. I use jadam fertilizer or jacks every 2 weeks.

 

[rayray]

First, the figs look great!

I treat every tree, whether it's a fruit tree or not, including the figs each to their own. In other words, I believe every tree has it's unique personality--heck--even the house plants have their own personality. I let that help me dictate to pinching or pruning. Get to know your plants and experiment, if more than one of the same type or variety, prune/pinch one but not the other--with time you'll understand what you want and don't--and even if make what you feel is a mistake with time that will self correct too.

I have a friend who likes some of his tree's to have that exotic look so he'll tie weights or stake a branch to grow a certain way to get a certain look--he has many tree's from Sicily and from other area's that have this great exotic look. The sad thing is I've seen him cut down beautiful 45 year old tree's down cause they stopped producing some fruit or nut--if it doesn't produce it's GONE no matter how beautiful.

Being in a cooler/colder growing zone, with figs it's just a matter of time you'll get winter damage and that will dictate your pruning. There was a guy in Philly, some old Italian guy most likely dead now that had a beautful white/green fig in his backyard--it was HUGE--he lost it three maybe four times, cut down to the ground before he ended up with this magnificient fig tree. it was huge, took up his whole backyard.