Overwintering experiment.

[drew51]

I had a couple unknowns, and also Sweet Diana that I put in ground last spring. Sweet Diana grew to over 7 feet, from a cutting started the winter before, so first leaf! Anyway I cut it down to 5 feet and wrapped it with burlap. My wife would not let me use insulation, or a tarp, or anything but burlap as these are in the front garden. It was the only thing acceptable to her as a lot of people wrap evergreens here, so she was ok with only the burlap. I put square tomato cages around them and stuffed with straw. They are stackable and I needed two for Sweet Diana.
Here they are wrapped.



Today I unwrapped them. A bit early, but i was afraid they might start growing. They did not, and look stone cold dormant. I could have waited. Still a touch early to unwrap. I noticed the straw was very cold in the center. Colder than outside. They were dry as dry can be too.
Here is Sweet Diana


We got down to -1F this winter. Not that cold for here. Zone 5b/6a

I checked how much damage. I scraped bark 4 inches down from top on all of them.


No dieback at all! Under the front window a basement goes down 7 feet, and is heated! Also this is a southern exposure. I was hoping for a good micro climate, and I think I for sure have one.

[jrdewhirst]

Looks great! I see that the figs are close to the house. Do you think that the house (or other landscaping) helped shelter the figs from the wind.

[npolaske]

This is VERY impressive. I gave my parents a Florea last year... they are around St. Louis, which is supposedly zone 6a also. We wrapped and stuffed it in a similar way, except we added a tarp. It hasn't been unwrapped yet, and I've been worried it wouldn't make it, but this gives me hope that it will!

[drew51]

Looks great! I see that the figs are close to the house. Do you think that the house (or other landscaping) helped shelter the figs from the wind.

Yes, it's on the south side, so all northern winds were blocked. I think I got lucky. it can get a lot colder. the 2015-2016 winter we hit -16F. I doubt they would have made it. The other two are unknowns, I'm pretty sure one is a Hardy Chicago, the other I don't know? I had some cuttings I gave up on and put them all in soil outside, and some rooted to my surprise. I used those. i know you are supposed to grow a year in a container for best results, so I really was not expecting this. Except for Sweet Diana, it is an impressive fig. it is probably Celeste or a close variant to Celeste. I figured it would make it. The trunk is thick.

[Taverna78]

Great job! Best way for me to check for die back is just bend the tip a little. If it bends it's alive. If it snaps keep snapping until it bends. But great to know it worked without a tarp.

[drew51]

I pulled the tomato cages up and over them to remove.
The straw stayed with the cages.


The birds are going crazy stealing my straw for spring nests. Fun to watch. I'm the bird version of Home Depot!

[Trish]

I uncovered mine here in Ohio today. She looks great and no dieback! I have a young plant between 18"-20" tall. I have little tiny bud eyes looking at me! Planted on southern side of house (all brick) in well drained soil. I used row cover wrapped garden stakes around the plant and then wrapped the plant in insulation, filled the entire space with leaves and covered with a Camo tarp I looked at it in early Feb and the insulation was wet so I removed and kept the dry leaves and cover all back up. The weather here is forcast mild through 4/7. So I will just look at the night temps.

[TorontoJoe]

Good job on the winter protection...

I'm curious. I have a couple of Sweet Diana that I started rooting recently. I found it rooted quite vigorously. I'm wondering, with 7' of growth in the first year.... Did you see any fruit? If so what were they like?

[drew51]

Good job on the winter protection...

I'm curious. I have a couple of Sweet Diana that I started rooting recently. I found it rooted quite vigorously. I'm wondering, with 7' of growth in the first year.... Did you see any fruit? If so what were they like?

I also have another in a container. The container plant produced more fruit. The tree did hardly produce any fruit, but I was trying to grow it large to make a large root system. I feed it a lot, not too much, just kept up. I use organic fertilizer, so the first of each month i added more. I did this because it is a first year plant, and best practice is to use 2nd year plants for in ground plantings. The fruit was very good I thought. It is sweet! On another forum it was mentioned that Celeste drops fruit, and tends not to produce a lot if it has vigorous growth. So long term, I'm not sure I will keep this plant here. This is a prime spot in my yard. Full sun, dry soil, warmth from the house. Only time will tell. I will report back all season as to progress.

[TorontoJoe]

Thanks. Mine will be in a container. The thought of figs in the first year is great

[drew51]

I started a lot early last winter, and I had many that fruited the first year.

[TorontoJoe]

Pretty much all the trees I had previous to this year I got as mature. It wasn't until this past fall that I caught the itch for rooting. I didn't expect to be seeing much fruit (if any) from them this year, but what you write is encouraging. I'll feed them well and even if I get a fig or two, here and there, I'll be quite happy

[drew51]

Yes you should get some for sure. Good luck! You know I like growing these trees, they are interesting and the quickness of growth is satisfying. It beats planting a hickory seeding and waiting 30-40 years to see nuts! What if you don't like them?