How to prune young fig tree?

[Zeal Stardust]

I got 5 very small young fig trees last year, 3 died, but 2 have survived winter and have new leaves and buds developing. One of them has branches with dead tips. I've done some searches but can't find anything on how to cut the dead parts off of trees this young- I don't know where to make the cut. See how tiny this baby was when I got it? I'm glad it's alive, I just don't know what to do with it. Any advice? Thanks~

[!potatoes!]

with figs I tend to wait until they're growing well and come back and cut off the dead tips. I generally subscribe to the rule: you can't do much that will bother a fig.

[applestar]

What varieties? The other three may not be completely dead and might grow still if the roots are alive? What was the coldest temp you had this winter? If they survive, make sure to mulch them more next winter -- maybe surround with short fence and fill with leaves.

I have two ...no three -- got a new one last year -- varieties and two of them need to be brought into the garage during the winter because they won't survive the cold outside. I grow them in containers.

I second !potatoes! and would also wait to cut off and shorten the winter killed tips of the survivors until chance of hard freeze is over, but might thin the number of canes/shoots by cutting them to the ground. Too many may be too much for the young plant to support and reduce the number or size of fruits.

Don't cut the surviving last year's to the ground because the new side growths from those will probably crop heavier later. I see some growths that are growing inward and will become crossing branches -- those should be removed, however, unless what they will cross with can be removed instead.

...but basic pruning guideline -- don't let the branches cross in the middle. Those will block airflow and sunlight to the interior of the canopy.