Hi, I will try again. It is a lovely fig, and my advice is definitely don't rush into cropping or chopping before you know what you are doing, actually Ken has good ideas, so follow him.
Air layer, air layer what, for starters it is too small
and not necessary. The air roots are one of the best features in figs.
But I would re-pott it in a larger pot. Good drainage a must, but also retain some organic mix.
Read how to re-pot and root prune a fig. Usually you leave some soil underneath the trunk (about 20% of the root ball/soil) and where the feeder roots start, leaving the surface roots free. Usually you place the trunk on a hill of soil, so water drains down, and I would push the aerial roots slightly into to soil. They don't like being water logged, nor do they like too long periods of dry.
Then water and fertilise with weak Seasol or similar for a year or two, before any major chopping. Remember it is a rain forest tree, so is used to some shade during the day.
Townsville should be a good environment for it. But read and read and look up YouTubes, and get a feel for the tree's needs in its particular niche.
It's a lovely tree, just needs a re=pot really firstly. I am a beginner too, so my thoughts were always, softly softly, look and keep the tree alive for a few years, (with small ones) feed and keep watered and drained, before I get out the cutters and wire.
But some experts in the field, can work miracles whereas some beginners work disasters. attempting the same operation.LOL. Air layering is one.
You've joined a good place for advice anyway. Welcolme.
because I did take it out of the pot to have a gander. Common sense should of kicked in with the knife tip but I eventually persuaded it with a lot of gentle side to side wiggles. I will put it into a bigger pot which leaves me to more reading about what potting medium to use?
