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| Winter Protection Fig Trees |
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OVERWINTERING IN GROUND FIG TREES
Young fig trees need protection in areas where the temperatures drop below 20 degrees F. Older established trees, with woody bark, may freeze back but the main tree will generally survive if the tree is healthy. Below 20 degrees, figs require wrapping, burying or other protection. Much depends on where you have planted the tree - see our webpage on "What's Microclimate?" for suggestions on how to plant your fig in a well-protected spot.
Pile lots of hay, leaves, dirt and whatever around the base of the tree -the real trick is to make sure that the roots Do Not Freeze. Then wrap the tops up in some burlap or other material (we get reports on all kinds of inventive things: carpet, canvas, old sails... always amazing). If you have white plastic (ONLY white, not dark or clear both of which increase heat & humidity and cause damage), you can wrap a bit of that over it all to keep the wrapping dry but you don't want to do that until the days are no longer warm because it can also perk your little figs in the heat. some folks just pop a large tomato-cage type structure over smaller fig trees, fill it with packed hay and then cover. Anything to keep the cold wind off.
Before wrapping small figs and for larger fig trees in marginal areas,we spray the exposed fig stems with a product named "Wilt Pruf" which is an antidessicant. It is the drying effect of wind and cold that kills the fig stems and this product seems to help prevent damage. Dormant oil sprays also seem to have this effect - and are effective at killing overwintering pests at the same time. (Dormant oil sprays are considered an organic pest preventive.)
The traditional method of protecting fig trees has been to "bury" the tree. To do this, you cut through the roots of the tree on one side. A trench is dug out from the tree on the opposite side and the tree is bent and pushed over into the trench. Dirt, hay and/or leaves are piled up over the tree (which may have to be tied down). In the spring the covering is removed, the tree is righted, the roots replanted and the trench filled.
Personally, we find that selecting the perfect microclimate and protecting the tree when young are much less work. If you are in a seriously too-cold-for-figs area but are determined to have figs - go to the instructions on container growing figs: there is an easier solution!
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| Protected Container Fig in Winter |
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PROTECTING CONTAINER GROWN FIGS IN WINTER
If you are in a southern climate, your container figs may need little to no protection. Most fig trees benefit, however, from being moved to a protected location and wrapped to protect tender wood from drying winter winds. Leave your fig trees out until all the leaves have fallen - a few light frosts will help ensure dormancy and not damage the tree itself. Remove any remaining stubborn leaves and any remaining unripe figs. Do not wrap your plants with clear or black plastic as both these materials can cause heat and moisture buildup. We recommend wrapping your trees in an old sheet or burlap and then covering with a white plastic bag to help keep the insulating layer drier. None of the layers should be air-tight, just snug.
More northern container figs can be wrapped up and moved to a basement or other spot where they will stay cool, preferably below 50 degrees F. Wrapping these "stored" figs also keeps them away from light so they don't break dormancy early.
The fig trees will not need watering or fertilizing until they break dormancy with new green buds in the spring. At that point, move them to a protected sunny location and begin feeding and watering to encourage new growth and fruit set for the summer.
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INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
ABOUT CONTAINER GROWING FRUITS?
We can't cover all the wonderful ideas that are available to help you creatively grow fruit plants in containers and in small garden beds, but you will find lots of inspiration in these readily available books:
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