Happy New Year! I have a very happy fig tree (3 years old) that gives A TON of fruit for my wife until almost December here in San Diego, California. The leaves are just finally all coming off and it is January! But last year it really started leaning a lot more, as you can hopefully see in the photo. One of the problems (I think) is the huge, main branch, which happens to be the thickest on the tree. I don’t know if it was the weight since it extended so far from the tree on that one side with all the fruit. So, I’m not sure what to do. I had a thick metal tutor at one point, but the fig tree was too strong for it and leaned anyway. Should I just prune one-third of that main branch on the leaning side? I am guessing cutting the whole thing off would be wrong and could damage the tree, but I’m a newbie and am just guessing. Any way to correct the lean? Any help is much appreciated since I will need to prune soon. Thanks so much.
I’m not an expert on figs, but they are difficult to kill. Cutting off the large branch is unlikely to harm the plant, but I doubt doing so will correct the lean. I’d partially dig the plant up while it’s dormant and correct the lean. It will wake up when the weather is better and not miss a beat.
I’ll watch this thread to see what the more experience fig people think. Good luck!
@BerryGuy is correct, figs are tough. People root prune them all the time when they are in pots. Yesterday I took one of of a pot and planted it into the ground, but I had to dig it out of the ground where the roots had grown through the drain holes. The tree itself is now in the ground.
Go ahead and dig up the tree, doing your best to preserve the root ball. Then right it and replant it. I would stake it to make sure it does not lean again. Do not stake it too tightly, it needs to move a bit in the wind to encourage strong root formation. You may want to prune some of that large branch away, just so it doesn’t want to lean again.
If it were mine i would take that big branch off and allow the tree to send out new growth closer to the main stem and on the opposite side. Occasional pruning would allow you to regenerate new growth and get rid of some of the older, heavier wood that is heavy on that side.
Would I need to seal the wound after cutting off a branch that thick? Would you try to correct the lean by digging up the tree, pulling it straight, and staking it again?
I grow figs, and you can prune hard no problem. I do agree that the only way to fix the lean is to dig it up.
It’s a great time for you to do this too. It’s dormant
Do shape the tree too. You need to prune to get it to grow the way you want.
The main crop is on new wood only. The breba crop is on currant wood. If your tree even has a breba crop? Not all figs produce breba. So the wood your largest crop is on has not even formed yet. What’s fantastic about figs is they grow so fast it’s easy to reshape, even regrow a new main trunk. I have done this many times as damaged wood needed to be removed. On a couple trees, a small sucker from the base was picked as the new central trunk . The main trunk was then completely removed. The plants are fine. Doing great! I did lose the crop for a year or two, but I have so many trees, I don’t really care. I would rather have the tree shaped as I prefer. So cut away. You could lose a year of decent harvests, but removing no more than 1/3 of the tree should not change harvest yield that much. So over a few years you can reshape tree. When you prune the tree that will stimulate new branches and suckers from the base to grow. A side effect of pruning, so one must keep on top of these trees with regular pruning to maintain structure.
What I do is grow most in tree form. They can be grown as a bush too. Anyway I try to form 3-5 scaffolds. Once fully formed fruiting branches form on the scaffolds. Once done the fruiting wood is removed, leaving 1-2 nodes. Much like cane pruning on grapes.
Tree paint does more harm than good.
Just leave a bit of the branch collar, about 1/4 -1/2 inches, and spray the wound with rubbing alcohol.
In other words
Don’t try to cut smooth with the main trunk.
No, these days experts feel it’s not helpful enough, may even hurt tree. As mentioned leave the collar of the branch when pruning. Not flush with the main trunk but a nub sticking out as also mentioned. Good advice!
Yes, you should not need a stake once tree re-establishes. Using one now is probably a good idea.
You might not even have to totally remove tree, but loosen root ball enough to straiten it.
If you do remove completely you can bury the trunk deeper to help keep the tree in place. A huge no no with most trees, but not figs. The fig tree will grow roots out of any part buried.
I did have a thick rebar stake the first time, but the tree was so stubborn it pulled the steel bar and leaned anyway. LOL.
Is it trying to get to more light?
When you do prune, you can root the cuttings for a backup plant.
It gets pretty good light, I think. Most of the year it has sun from 9:30am to 6pm or so. During the winter it gets light from about 10:30 to 4.
I have a leaning apple tree.
It was upright 15 years ago. When it started to lean I attached a solar/wind powered clothes dryer to it.
I can say at least my house doesn’t have a LIEN
Okay, I gave it a good pruning. Hopefully, I didn’t go too crazy with it. Should I leave on the little twigs that are coming off the main branches or take those off as well? Thanks for your help.
How did this pruning do for you? Super curious now that we are about 2 years out from the original pruning post.
Good to hear! You give me hope and strength to go make some serious pruning cuts to my fig 
… thank you and congrats on the great production.