Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello,
I planted a fig tree in one of my systems in July, and after initially losing its leaves it really took off. But instead of having a single trunk, it also grew big branches out to the side from the bottom of the trunk (I've attached a photo), and the main trunk is covered in growth.
Should I be pruning some or all of it? It looks very happy but it's also taking over a bit. I have 9 other systems this size so I'm not desperate for space, but I also have no idea what I'm supposed to do with this fig to encourage it to give me figs.
Thanks in advance!

I think this might be the answer or at least part of the answer - https://ask.extension.org/questions/424747

What's the Nitrate reading?.Sometimes high levels of Nitrate can prevent fruiting & that might also explain the huge amount of growth.

Are you getting figs that fall off when they are small ???

I help at a commercial fig place I still have lots to learn so im no expert

Do you know the variety

Smyrna figs need to have a "Caprifig " near to help pollinate (read up about fig pollinating wasps)

Capris are a sort of wild fig that grow multiple crops and the pollinating wasps overwinter on them

Black Genoas are common in plant nurserys

Black genoa figs don't need Capris they have there own pollinators however if there are no figs nearby you may need to establish a colony of wasps on your young tree (Bring some mature figs in put in a basket in the tree as yours are forming) and until the tree is big enough you may need to help it each year.

Many varieties

Figs are very interesting they are sort of like a inside out flower the pollinating bits are inside and the little wasps drill in and do there thing.

The more Tips you have the more fig clusters you will get so yes I would prune it to encourage more branches perhaps don't do all the tree at once cut a third back each year until you get it shaped , once you get lots of branches it will stop running for the sky.

Thanks, just the fact that there is such a thing as multi-stem figs was new to me! So I'm assuming it'll all be fine as is, I think I'll just put up some walls of wire so it grows in a way that doesn't take over the adjacent systems.

I don't know the variety! Most fig trees I see in Melbourne have soft pale green figs rather than black/purple figs... so I just assumed it would be something similar. I got it from my local community nursery and it didn't have any details on it.

It's only been planted for about 8 months and it started at about 60cm tall, so I'm not expecting figs yet, just keen to maximise them when they do arrive - this was really helpful to think about though. Clearly I know very little about figs and could learn more...! Thank you!!

>> I also have no idea what I'm supposed to do with this fig to encourage it to give me figs.

Here's your main problem:
>> It's only been planted for about 8 months

You just need to be patient, and probably next summer you should have figs

+1