My In Ground Trees

[newnandawg]

Here is some info on the winter damage to my in ground trees. Only two trees did not come back from the past winter.
They are Col de Dame Noir and a spare Black Madeira. We had some single digit temps and would not
expect the Black Madeira to make it. I did however expect to see the Col de Dame Noir bounce back. Here are the
other trees that have budded back out with only 2-3 inches of pine straw as mulch/protection: Malta Black,
Marsellies Black vs, LSU Scotts Black, Large Negronne, Col de Dame Grise, Valle Negra, Malta Mission, Abicou,
Red Lebanese (Marius), Lebanese Red (Bass), Alma, Salce, Nero600m, Sals El GC, Takoma Violette, Black Greek,
Lyndhurst White, VdB, Lounge d' Aout, RdB, Ginos Black, Barnisotte Noire, Rosemarys NY Purple, Sals Corleone,
Petite Negri EL, Col de Dam Black, Carini, Bethlehem Black, Pane E Vino Dark and Smith.

I realize this does not help you folks in Midwest and Northeast but you can see how they fared here under
the conditions I stated. All but the Smith and Bethlehem Black had total die back to the ground.

[Kelby]

Keep us posted on what still ripens fruit for you, if you can.

[COGardener]

Makes it hard to want to put any in ground here in Colorado. I know Andy put an Igo in ground a year or two ago, I wonder how it is doing.

[AscPete]

Thanks for sharing this info.
I'm surprised that Smith did not have total die back... Its reputed to have tender wood.

[newnandawg]

Pete, Smith and the fact that Nero600m did die back to the ground are the two that surprised me most.

[AscPete]

I'm not surprised by any fig dying back when exposed to single digits, I expect it.
I was surprised to read your comment about Smith.

[Rafaelissimmo]

Mike, just curious, what is Col de Dam Black and how is it different from the Noir?

[pppldj]

Newnan is about 86 miles due west of my home. My young trees were far better protected than yours and yet, I fared no better. I put 4 fig trees in the ground here last year. Around 3 of them, I put a round fencing ring, 2' in diameter and 4' tall around them and stuffed them heavily with wheat straw. The fourth one was just mounded with wheat straw. All 4 froze to within 6 inches or less, to the ground. The 4 varieties are RdB, LSU IC, Black Italian and a locally collected unknown. The Black Italian was the first to break bud and is almost waist high. The local was next and has put on about a foot of growth. The local's mother tree was unphased by the cold as are the rest of the locals with any size. Rdb has put on about 6 inches of growth and looks ready to take off. LSU was last to break and is just beginning to put out. I did not expect this much damage with the protection provided. Hopefully, they will learn to live through the cold.

[Gr8Figs]

One of my Petite Aubiques about 1.5" caliper in ground with no protection,finally had a green tip come out of the ground on Wednesday.

All of my in ground fig trees survived with no protection though most were completely killed to the ground except for Hardy Chicago,MBVS,Sicilian Red,and my 20+ year old Brown Turkey.

The first in ground fig trees to produce small figs so far are Hardy Chicago then 3 days later MBVS,Celeste(small fig variety),and Sicilian Red.

[newnandawg]

Rafael, the Col de Dam Black came from Herman and that is what he calls it. The Col de Dam Grise also
came from Herman and that is what he called it. I have no idea if there is any difference between the
two but hope to find out this summer and will post the results.

[strudeldog]

Mike I just did my major plant out this weekend, later than expected I should have had in ground over a month ago, but 130+ figs and 40+ pomegranates in ground. Glad to hear most yours survived here. If we get a string of winters like we had prior to the last 2 we might get some nice production.

[newnandawg]

Phil, good to hear you got them out. I know that was a big job and your glad its over. How many
do you have left in pots? I have the Marsellies White in ground now. Will let you know how it
does here. I am hoping for a good production this summer.

[strudeldog]

Probably around 100 in pots still most are 1 gal starts from last year, a few dupls I did not want in ground. Most the yearlings will get another year in pot, but all the 5 gal and up pots are in ground. I did not start many cuttings this year and what I did I failed miserably was too busy. I wimped out and hired guy with a uniloader and auger to dig holes but I am paying for it not only in the hiring but for my stupidity. I had to re-pair my main house waterline in 2 places and lost my phone and internet and did not get back until I got a probably 700+ foot temp cable laying on ground, not sure how that's going to end up likely out of my wallet for a new permanent run. Next I will just dig by hand.

[newnandawg]

Man, sorry to hear that. Hope it works out for the good.

[Chrisk]

Great topic Mike. I had 4 of my small in ground wrapped in landscaping cloth and clear plastic and they turned up with about a foot or less of die back and growing very nicely with a mimimum of two feet of new growth so far. The larger unprotected celestes
came out untouched by the cold and are loaded with embrios already proving themselves once again. I was planing to put one of my potted Brunswicks in ground but I guess it's too late for that now. Next year for sure.

[newnandawg]

Chris, I say its never to late. I put five in the ground two weeks ago and three more today. Fig trees
don't seem to mind the move to in ground like other plants do in the summer. Just give them a
little TLC and water and they should be fine.

[Chrisk]

Will do, thanks Mike. I will post a pic tomorrow if I do find the time to plant after work.

[brettjm]

You guys make my nervous for ever wanting to put mine in ground. I'm in Athens, and virtually all of the local trees had zero dieback...there are a few 20-30+ year old trees nearby, most of which are Celestes I believe, though there are a few that are not. I've only found one tree in town that appears to die back every year...but its probably because the ones that do die back don't get big enough for me to see while driving around town, if that makes sense.

Really disappointed to hear that RDB and Nero600m are both that cold sensitive, but good info to know.

[Chrisk]

No need to get nervous Brett. All this is ment to be fun ! Just do a little research, be patient and plan wisely and it will all come together. When our famous GA sun finally pops up, things get a whole lot better!

[newnandawg]

I believe that most of my figs that had severe die back would do just fine if they had a little wind
block in the winter. They are out in the open spaces. I also believe that the wind does much more
damage to the trees than the cold temps (to a certain degree). I don't know where that point is
but probably somewhere in the teens. I have eleven trees on the south side of my house and
eight of those were protected from the north/northwest wind and had very little die back unlike
the ones in the open.

[AscPete]

My observation has been that the "magic" number is ~ 15 Deg F., This actual Temperature or Wind Chill for any extended time will result in fig tree branch die back.

[Chrisk]

You're right on the money with the wind coment. I've seen 40 or older year old trees die to the root and never come back not even a mile away from my house just because they were planted smack in the middle of a field with zero wind protection (13-14 season),while my 3 year old Celeste and black mission trees ,planted by the south east corner of my house came through untouched! That constant wind in the teens or lower is what dries the wood and literally burns it to death.

[SCfigFanatic]

I have over 60 in ground fig trees.
The last few winters have been very cold.
All my trees have been killed to the ground twice.
I do not protect them.
But only 6 or so out of 60 plus have not sprouted yet.
The others range from 1 to 2 foot tall.


Doug

[newnandawg]

Doug, sounds like we have the same situation. Most of my 73 trees in ground have bounced back to two feet
or so and some have figlets. I still have 31 in pots, mostly 10 and 15 gal to fall back on if things get really bad.
I also have 35 at a friends place about 20 miles a way that we put in ground spring of last year.

[SCfigFanatic]

newnandawg, I think I will stop at 70.

More than enough for my hobby.

Glad to hear yours are doing well.

Doug

[Pino]

I cover my in ground trees and they did very well this last winter.
I am very grateful since the previous polar vortex year the covering got completely blown away in January/14 and 3 20 year old trees took a serious beating. One was was killed and but the other 2 grew new shoots last year and they look good!
I also tested covering some new ones with 50 gal drums full of soil/compost that worked very well except a bit of a battle getting the drum off in the spring.

I am curious if anyone has tried using large rocks/stones piled around the trunk?
Depending how many layers of stones are used for unprotected trees this can extend the surviving trunks higher and produce more fruiting wood and thus more figs?

[Rafaelissimmo]

Pino I like your soil idea I am trying that out this coming winter.