After the coldest period of winter. Before your tree begins to produce new leaves. In the absence of leaves and fruit, it is much easier to see the condition of your tree. You can then prune it with confidence, knowing that you are giving your tree the best chance to produce delicious figs at the beginning of the new growing season.How to prune a fig treeFirst of all, a warning. Fig sap can be irritating to the skin of some people. Therefore, regardless of where your fig tree is located or its age, it is advisable to wear a pair of gloves.Secondly, some good news: once you have a little practice, fig trees are easy to prune. Since all fruit is produced on new shoots, even if you make one or two serious mistakes while pruning, your tree will almost certainly help you out by growing back anyway. In general Winter If your tree is too large or too tall to be harvested, you can safely reduce it by at least 60% and still have a happy tree the following year. If your tree is the right size, you can be a bit more selective with your pruning to make it produce more fruit of better quality. Start strong – To begin with, you will need to prune your tree more intensively during the first two years. It’s a bit like teaching your tree to walk, as this ‘training’ period will allow it to grow according to the shape you prefer. Prune at the time of transplanting – As soon as you have transplanted your tree from its first pot to the soil, prune it by about 50%. This process encourages the tree to establish a strong root base and to spread. Your goal should be to have between three and six low, well-spaced branches. Prune during winter – When winter arrives and your young tree enters When it is dormant, it is time to prune it. More specifically, you will prune by selecting the “fruiting wood” – the part you will focus on to ensure your tree produces the best harvest. When you prune during the winter, aim to have between six and eight well-spaced branches and prune the rest.