Severe dieback on figs this year - Ask Extension
I have four Brown Turkey figs which are large and have been very productive for the past 10 years. This winter's prolonged cold temperatures have cau...
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Severe dieback on figs this year #926138
Asked March 16, 2026, 8:33 PM EDT
I have four Brown Turkey figs which are large and have been very productive for the past 10 years. This winter's prolonged cold temperatures have caused severe dieback. None of last year's buds are green and growing. The stems look dead. Should I coppice them completely to the ground and hope for the best? Or should I cut them back to major branches and hope that encourages growth? I normally prune them heavily each winter but did not do so this year because of the weather.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Prune off any wood you can confirm is dead, but removing older live wood is not recommended because that will reduce the plant's ability to fruit later this year. An exception may be the need to address crossing branches or poor branch structure (too much crowding, for example, or branches growing into the canopy instead of away from it), as would be the case for any tree or shrub. If needed, you could cut them back hard and fully remove all the stems, but that would potentially prevent one or two years worth of harvest while the plant regrows and the new wood matures.
Miri
Miri
