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Z6 how to winterize?

15 years ago

Hello Forum,

I have 2 figs I planted last summer. They are on a steep slope facing another home so get full sun only part of the day, but 1 has figs on it!

My problem is they died back a good bit during the winter. Is there something I can do to protect them from winter damage so they don't have to regrow next spring?

Thanks

KK

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Comments (9)

dieseler
15 years ago
You can bury them,dig a trench deep and long enough for tree , wrap tree like they do when one buys a live christmas tree with twine and wrap with burlap all around. You have do dig around roots and will hear them cracking when you knock it over into trench ,then put a piece of plwood on top of tree as this makes it easy in spring when you unbury it and cover with dirt and it will look like a fresh buried body. It works ive seen it done as my family members did this in chicago, another way is to use chicken wire around tree and gather leaves and fill cage .
Martin
pitangadiego
15 years ago
See http://figs4fun.com/basics.html section 8 for one solution.

Here is a link that might be useful: Basics
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dieseler
15 years ago
Jon
that caught my eye nice pictures on your web site it must of took a long time to put together such a site very nice.
The insulation wrap looks interesting would the pink part of the insulation stick on some parts of the tree after a winter.
pitangadiego
15 years ago
I wouldn't think so - it isn't sticky.
steve_nj8
15 years ago
I'm in zone 6 and I used a wire cage filled with fall leaves. Covered with plastic (loose to let air/moisture flow) and topped with a bucket. Worked like a charm. Zero loss or damage seen in the spring.
xgrndpounder
15 years ago
I plan on bringing my small plants in the house for the winter!
We have a lot of days in the winter in the hi 60's and low 70's, I will put them on my south facing porch & let them sun on days that I can, then bring inside for the night time
Cecil
kadasuki
Original Author
15 years ago
Wow, thanks for the info ya'll. Lots to think about. I have no idea of my figs' type, they were cuttings from 2 different local folks.
One is at least 7 or 8 feet tall, all growth in 1 season, the other small about 1-1/2 feet.
I can't dig a trench in our hilly rocky slope, but may be able to wrap them w/ chicken wire and fill w/ leaves.
KK
xgrndpounder
15 years ago
I have read Jon's thread(basics) or whatever Ya call it about a kazillion times(is that a word)? and everytime I re read it, I thank ya Jon.

Thanx for taking what must have took a lot of work & time to put together something like that.
Cecil
chills71
15 years ago
Pink fiberglas insulation will stick to fig stems and I have found that where sticking occurred, molding and die back also universally occurred. (though whether the mold was first and then sticking or the sticking and then the mold I do not know).

Waht steve nj8 did is similar to what I've successfully done for the past couple years. Step by step instructions have been posted in previous years (though not by me) and if anyone wants I could do them this year when I get around to wrapping my in ground plant....though it has gotten pretty big this year!

~Chills

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