Brown turkey figs are sweet fruits with pinkish flesh. Originating in Provence, the brown turkey is a staple of California's fig crop. The trees bear fruit twice per season, once off of winter growth and a second time off of summer growth. Pruning the trees stimulates new growth and maintains their shape.
Instructions
1. Wait until the second crop has been picked before you prune your fig canopy. A vigorous pruning can stimulate a large spring crop.
2. Make sure your pruning shears are sharp. Using dull or rusted shears can damage the tree.
3. Remove diseased, dead or weak branches. Prune back to the branch of origin or main trunk.
4. Thin older, low-producing branches to stimulate new growth. Older fig trees do not produce much new growth, so they should be pruned annually.
5. Remove suckers that point straight toward the ground. Also remove branches that crisscross other branches; they may rub together in windy conditions, which weakens the fruit.
6. On young trees, trim back branches that are perpendicular to the ground by 50 percent. This encourages the tree to put more energy into these branches, which are the strongest and most productive for fruiting.
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