[3759allen]

hi.

i brought some fig cuttings from ebay a month or so ago. all have rooted and are now in pots.

my main question is do i need to prune any of the shoots to leave the healthiest one to kind of make similar to a maiden whip? i am hoping to grow one or two as a fan so can i leave 2 shoots to start the fan or will it be too low?

i got sent one branch that was cut into 5 pieces, so one has the tip so is growing as normal, but if i need to take some of the shoots of the others i would rather do it now before they waste any energy on them.

i also have one that has a shoot below the compost, will i be able to leave this on and if the shoot makes roots could i then cut off to get another tree?

i will try and take pictures later when i get out to the tunnel.

[New shoot]

Left to their own devices, figs will grow as a multi-stem bush, eventually turning into a multi-stem tree.  If you want a standard, i.e. a stem then a head, you will need to trim side shoots.

If you want a fan, I would leave any likely looking shoots.  If one has a shoot below ground and you want another tree, I would give that a chance as well.  It is quite likely to root.

My fig was a freebie with something I sent off for and was a rooted cutting when it turned up.  I left the side shoots and pruned only to form a framework to get a goblet shaped bush.  Picture here.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=101081.msg1451181#msg1451181

I've also seen them trained as a U shaped double cordon, so I think they are one of those plants that you can pretty much shape how you like 

[3759allen]

thats excellent answered my question completely.

i take you have restricted the root with paving slabs from the picture? have you got any idea how big they will grow with their roots restricted? i was hoping to put 1 pos 2 in one end of my poly tunnel (sort of training it over the path like a tunnel) so don't want a rampant plant, obviously will need pruning through the year which is fine.

how long have you had your tree for it to get to that size?

[New shoot]

My fig is planted in a paving slab lined hole as it is in a raised bed and has limits on how big I want it to get. 

They can still put fine feeder roots out through the slabs, but not big roots, which makes them get huge top growth as well.  I've seen a similar sized paving pot used for a fig that covered at least 3 metres of wall, so a tunnel over the end of your polytunnel should be more than possible.

I think    I've had it 5 or 6 years, but it has lived in a pot until last autumn, so that has dwarfed it.  It was a 10cm tall twig with a few roots when it arrived and I was so disappointed    It was worth sticking with though