I think my fig tree didn't survive the winter.

15 years ago

Hi All,

My tree is a year old. I live in a zone 4. I have been keeping an eye on it for about 2 weeks. All my other trees have sprung back to life. Does a fig tree wait longer or is it dead? It does not look like the buds are alive at all. Any help?

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Comments (6)

wildforager
15 years ago
Hey Dude,

Was the tree in the ground on in a pot over the winter? If it was in the ground how was it protected? What variety is the fig? If over wintered in a pot where did you store it?

-Little John
deepinthedirt
15 years ago
Use your thumb nail to scratch the bark. If it is green under the bark, then it will be alive. I am in southern Michigan and my trees have not swelled their buds yet. I know they are alive. It is good that your tree is still dormant because we will still receive some frosts and any growth that occurs before the frost will get burned and die. It is best if your tree remains uncovered, but dormant until the frosts have passed.
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For young tree's this can be common. I have a very small second year tree propagated last fall, that wintered in my garage, and has not yet leafed out this year. While I brought it in for the winter, it was hit with a frost that hurt the tips and buds prior to bringing it in. Over the last 6 weeks (when it should have leafed) the tree has progressively lost its branches (gone from green when scratched to brown.) Finally today, I saw a small green bud at the soil line. If the bud makes it ... this will be the new tree. The old tree will be pruned once it dies completely. As long as the roots live ... the tree lives. -Steve Here is a link that might be useful: Pic of tree
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dsptech, I'm not clear as to what kind of damage you have - or what caused it. Is your bark sloughing off the trunk - is it "mushy" and loose around the cracks? Are there just a few cracks - many? Is there wood that looks undamaged? I've had some fungus damage to covered trees. It generally starts in the softer wood - the branch tips and works down. I've never had it go all the way to the base of a tree (which isn't to say it couldn't). It sounds as if your trunk is damaged rather than infected. Are you saying that both those inner covers were fabric? (I thought the tarp with holes you mentioned was plastic and trapping moisture.) If that's the case, it doesn't make sense to have them so wet and with so much fungus, unless some water was getting into the structure or something was damp when you closed it up. Is it very likely that the snow melt you mentioned got in there and pooled around the trunk? What are you planning to use if you wrap the trunk? Sorry for so many questions and very little help. A picture might help.
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Ususer, the best way to tell if your figs are alive, but still dormant, is to check for green buds at the ends of the twigs, as well as gently scratching through the surface bark with a thumbnail. If the inner bark is still green, you should be good. As a precaution, if the trees haven't broken dormancy yet, you don't want the roots to be cold AND wet. It's a recipe for rot. Remember that edible figs are natives of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern climates. GreenEnvy22...there is still hope. You can do the "bark scratch test" as well. Start high on the trunk, and work your way down. If you run into green inner bark, there's a chance the fig will sprout from there. But your best chance is for new growth from below ground. I gave some recommendations on another thread for treating new growth. Since you're so far north, I would suggest extra, EXTRA winter protection for any growth you get this year, assuming you can get it mature. If it doesn't lignify before winter, it WILL die back again. See the other thread below. You'll have to scroll down a good way to find my post. Here is a link that might be useful: Coaxing a dead fig to life This post was edited by fig_insanity on Thu, May 15, 14 at 22:34
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somedudeinthegarden
Original Author
15 years ago
Thx for the info. I will go and scratch the bark when I get done with work. BTW it was not potted. It was planted in the ground.
wjb123
15 years ago
Same happened to my figs. I planted 4 of them last year and they did fine and even fruited but this year they never budded out. They were on the lower side of a slope and these rains we have had just kept them water logged. I should have gone a few feet higher on the slope.

I am in centeral Mississippi. They should have thrived here so I am blaming the excess water. I will have to get some more next year as I can't find any now.
steve_nj8
15 years ago
I have a few plants available if you want to send me an email.
johnsvmf
15 years ago
If you live in Zone 4, planted the fig in the ground, and didn't wrap or protected it, I highly doubt that any of the exposed wood survived. Your roots may still be alive but I doubt that as well given the young age and the assumption that you didn't protect the plant.

I hope I am wrong but I sincerely wish you luck!
Vinnie

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I think my fig tree didn't survive the winter.

Comments (6)

wildforager

deepinthedirt

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I think my fig tree didn't survive the winter.

Comments (6)

wildforager

deepinthedirt

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somedudeinthegardenOriginal Author

wjb123

steve_nj8

johnsvmf

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