brown turkey fig tree did not produce new leaves

Question

My fig tree Brown Turkey did not produce new leaves this spring. It was planted last year, healthy with some figs on it. Went dormant, then did not produce leaves this spring. Has just started with a few leaves about two inches above ground, but rest of tree still bears about 4 ft stalk with two main trunks. Should I prune it back? If so, how far and when?

Answer 1

I would first check to see if the upper branches are dead. If the upper branches are brittle, they are dead and should be pruned back to where they are pliable and green. If they are pliable, they are still alive and may grow their leaves back here in a bit.

A newly planted tree often has a rough first year and is often the year it will most likely die or suffer damage. This is particularly true if you had unusually cold weather, which has been common for the past few years in the US.