If Brown Turkey has a large Breba or 'first crop', I would wait until you've harvested that and then prune. Could be in June for you. If it is not a 'breba' or first crop fig, then you could start after the worst of winter is over, like most other fruit trees, in late February. Do not try to take too much wood in any one year, or you'll get a bunch of suckers from the base and more of a thicket. Try to make mostly thinning cuts, but you may have to head back a few of the tallest leaders. Don't 'flat top' the tree. Here is a link that might be useful: Brown Turkey Fig care

Al, I'm also in MA. I'm up in the Merrimack Valley. Which local nursery did you buy your fig tree from? I'd like to go check it out if it's not too far from me. Joe

Here also is explantion of sorts about product. http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/mfs/07kaolin.php Be careful useing it as there are "human concerns" when applying it as stated on the web page. As for me this year with just a few plants i just slowly introduced them to sun now all is fine. My dormant trees go into full sun as they yet to have leaves at that stage and when they do come out there are no ill effects. Martin

We had big fig trees on my parents and grandparents farms growing up in California. I love them fresh or made into preserves. I had one in my back yard in Louisiana, too. So when I moved here and bought this place, I wanted one for my little farm here in Oklahoma too. A GW friend in N. Carolina sent my two cuttings several years ago. One survived, so I now have one little Brown Turkey Fig tree in my yard. :) I grew it in a pot for a year before planting it out in the yard. I set it out in the yard among other plants the first summer and then brought it in and kept it in the greenhouse the first winter. The next Spring in May, I planted it as close to the south side of my house as I could and still allow growth space. It is nestled in at the foot of my tall Garden Phlox, so gets a tiny but of shade at its feet. Otherwise it gets full sun. I harvested lots of yummy figs last summer. I was delighted. In the fall when the first light frost came, I covered it with a bottomless metal trash can and packed it full of hay...and I mean packed it full. Covered that with a burlap sack and then covered it over with a big plastic trash can. It wintered over fine. I have several little figs on it so far but hopeful to have a lot more. I would say yours went into shock from a too fast environment change. Sheltered area -> to full sun and wind. Any or all of the things Dawn mentioned above could have played into that too. Give them some shelter right away ( a sheet, some lattice panels, tree branches, boards,etc)...and be patient. You lost the fruit, but you can save the little trees. Water it by deep soaking. They like soil with good drainage, but need a good long drink in between. Don't get water on their leaves. They can get fungus, but won't if you don't get water on their leaves. They need composted manure feedings several times in the summer. Don't dig it in as their roots are shallow (close to the surface) - just spread a little around in the water base in the drip line area (do not put it against the trunks). They benefit from having hay mulch under them to keep their roots cool and help retain some moisture. Best wishes Annie