When can you prune fig trees in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, fig trees should be pruned during the winter months after the coldest weather is done but before any new growth begins in the spring. Figs require only a little pruning to keep the crown open and remove any dead wood.

Fig trees can be pruned to either a tree or a bush form. Training the tree to be a bush requires cutting off one-third of the young plant. When this is done the shoots grow up from the base of the fig tree creating a bush effect. If more branching is desired, remove one-third to one-half of the annual growth.