Wintering Fig Trees

[OldGuy43]

I planted a Brown Turkey Fig Tree last spring and it's doing well. The Old Farmers Almanac says we're in for a cold, wet winter here, and it's proving to be accurate so far.

How do I protect it from frost? I was thinking about just covering it with a black plastic bag at night and taking it off in the morning.

Ideas and suggestions?

 

[Ridgerunner]

In the Austin area you are probably too warm to do this, but Dad would make a cage out of wire and fill that with leaves around a newly planted tree to insulate it in the winter. That was in a colder climate. With all the warm weather youll have even in what is a cold winter for you, Id be concerned you would suffocate the tree.

What you might do is build up a layer of mulch around the base of the tree to protect the roots and the very bottom of the tree, but dont get carried away. Dont get too deep.

Yeah, when frost is predicted cover it some way. I wouldnt use plastic if it is touching the branches. I just dont trust it to not let the cold through to what it is touching. No real reason to feel that way, just that Im not comfortable with plastic. But more important than my feelings, if you use plastic, black especially, and leave it on so the sun can hit it a while, you might cook the tree.

I got some large flat sheets real cheap at a thrift store. Thats what I use to cover things to protect from frost.

If you can get that fig through its first winter it will probably be established enough you wont have to worry about it in following years unless you have a real cold spell, like close to single digits. But as long as you dont smother or cook the tree it doesnt hurt to throw a sheet over it in really cold weather.

 

[journey11]

It ought to be pretty hardy where you are, but with the odd weather we've been having...... Frost is not much of a worry. It is freeze (and subsequent thaw) cycles that will kill it. The limbs and roots are very soft wood. I have to either wrap mine or bring it inside for winter here.

Since your's is planted in the ground, first thing to do would be to mulch deeply around it, like 6-8" of mulch, but not right up against the trunk. That will protect the roots.

Then prune it back to a manageable shape...tree or bush, your call.

If you expect a cold winter in your area and want to wrap it, there's a good video explanation of that process here.

Mine is still in a pot and small enough, so I brought it inside. But it doesn't want to go dormant for some reason. It has lush, dark green leaves and is even trying to form little figs! Last year at this time, it lost its leaves shortly before it was time to bring it inside, just as the other deciduous trees here were. I'm not sure what to do with it, since I usually bag it and stick it in a cold, dark corner. I may have to bring it up to my sunroom and treat it like a houseplant until it decides to drop those leaves.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i thought figs were hardy to zone 7? you could make an 'A' frame to protect it if you are worried but i don't think you'll have to worry too much about cold in your area harming it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The first winter is often rough on a new tree. Once they are established they can handle it a lot better.

In most winters in the Austin area that fig tree should make it all right. Once it is established, even if its killed back by a hard freeze, it should come back from the roots. But that first year is kind of touchy. Thats why I suggest mulching the roots, for the reasons Journey said.

I planted one here a few years back, on the border of zone 6/7. It did not make it through the first winter. It should have at least come back from the roots but it wasnt established.