Tree Wrapping 2014

[lifigs]

It's getting near that time of year again. These were the steps I took last year wrapping my in ground trees. It may be an overkill but we had a pretty bad winter and the trees suffered virtually no die back.

[Taverna78]

Bill. Is not overkill. Great job. I must wrap my trees tis weekend I hope.

[Rewton]

Wow, good job! Here in 7a I wrapped nearly all of mine in various ways last year and they had 70-95% die back. Maybe I'll try it your way on a few. Did you use anything to deter rodents?

[lifigs]

Steve,
I didn't use anything to deter rodent and there wasn't an issue. I guess you could sprinkle some moth balls in if critters are an issue in your area.

[fitzski]

i'll be wrapping my in-ground fig in a few weeks using a similar method. I hadn't thought of wrapping in burlap and then surrounding with leaves. I might try that this year.

It's not overkill if it works

[AscPete]

Bill,
Thanks for sharing your winter protection photo tutorial, it looks like a nice simple procedure and similar to that practiced by many experienced fig growers in NYC.

Do you usually harvest breba figs from the wrapped trees? thanks.

[lifigs]

Pete. This was an unknown dark fig that has never produced any significant breba fig even when we had very mild winters.

[AscPete]

Thanks for the reply.

[lifigs]

I also did a scaled down version on a 1 year old tree that I had planted in the Spring of 2014. It also survived the winter.

[cjmach1973]

I did something similar, but I cut the bottom out to put one the ground, then just used the locking lid for the top.

[SalNick]

Now this looks good. Did it work?

[Chrisk]

Well done Bill. I they both look great. Thanks for sharing.

[COGardener]

Very clean looking and creative. Be sure to let us know how they do.

[pacifica]

I have two young fig trees about 2 years old planted in containers outdoor and based on the forums, most people wrapped their fig trees with burlap first then with large pvc bags outside etc prior to winter. Do you think the fig tree will not collapse or die due to no fresh air ?

[AscPete]

The usual layers for wrapping fig tree (in NYC) are Burlap - Insulation - Vapor barrier (usually a tarp) and sometimes a cap (bucket) on top to act as a vent and to keep out rain, there's usually enough air circulation between the tree and the poly tarps. Plastic bags would retain too much moisture and probably cause mold and rot issues. Good Luck.

http://www.treesofjoy.com/content/wrapping-fig-tree-winter

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3093610

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=5979599

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=6842923

[pacifica]

Hi Pete, If I first wrapped with burlap, then outside with PVC sheet to keep out rain, but the lower part is hollow to allow more air circulation. Do you think this will work to stay away from much moisture and mold issues ?

[AscPete]

PVC doesn't breathe like a woven tarp. From my experience all trees that I've seen wrapped with plastic have developed moisture related problems. I've successfully wintered a few potted trees by wrapping and forming a tee-pee from tarp and it required a cap (bucket) for ventilation but it was only a test and will not be repeated. Good Luck

[TylerJ]

HI Pete,
What I did was clear away all mulch around the tree down to soil level and laid some plastic on the ground around the tree (to keep ground moisture away from the tree). Then I wrapped the tree with carpeting and stuffed the cavity with dry leaves. I put some extra pieces of cut up underpad on top and then wrapped it all with plastic. If the interior was fairly dry when I wrapped it with a bottom moisture barrier do you still think there will be an issue since it can't breathe?? Maybe I should just go with a poly tarp instead to be safe.

[AscPete]

Hello Tyler,
If the tree is sealed in plastic there may be problems with mold growth, did you perform the same procedure in the past?

The smaller in-ground trees that I've seen wrapped and unwrapped were all "Earth Coupled" the mulched area directly below the trees were exposed inside the outer wrapping. The only trees that were isolated from the ground were older larger trees and they didn't suffer any damage from moisture, but they were wrapped with tarps.

[pacifica]

Hi Pete, From the image that the fig tree was wrapped with blue tarp outside, it is more than enough for winter protection or still better to wrap with burlap inside then blue tarp outside to keep away from rain ?

[AscPete]

Burlap is usually required as a minimum or the moisture will condense on the limbs touching the inside of the tarp.
in zone 7, NYC most trees were also wrapped with blankets as a minimum insulation insulation.

[pacifica]

I was in a hurry late yesterday to wrap my two young fig trees (in containers) with burlap inside then PVC sheets outside to keep out rain. It looks like I have to remove all PVC sheets outside shortly and replace with blue tarp as suggested to avoid moisture and mold.
Thanks Pete

[pacifica]

Since I am located in zone 8b and winter is not really too cold compared to NYC or Chicago etc. we might have a few snows in the whole winter, so I think burlap + blue tarp should be OK. Thanks again Pete

[TylerJ]

Hello Tyler,
If the tree is sealed in plastic there may be problems with mold growth, did you perform the same procedure in the past?

The smaller in-ground trees that I've seen wrapped and unwrapped were all "Earth Coupled" the mulched area directly below the trees were exposed inside the outer wrapping. The only trees that were isolated from the ground were older larger trees and they didn't suffer any damage from moisture, but they were wrapped with tarps.

No this is the first year I've tried inground trees. Here are my pics...




The trees were lined with bricks so I laid a garbage bag over the ground around the tree and extended it to the edge of the bricks. Then I put another row of bricks overtop (maybe help with mice control and have some thermal benefit). I used some tinfoil around the lower sections of the tree just in case mice/voles get in. Last year I had some in the greenhouse that had a lot of damage and after I applied the tinfoil it worked perfectly to prevent them from chewing more. I should have put some moth balls or dryer sheets in there too but forgot. After I wrapped with carpet I put a couple layers of underpad that extended higher. I then stuffed some underpad to fill the top 1 foot above the carpet height.

I am thinking the amount of material I have used between the carpet and underpad will absorb any excess moisture. I likely went overboard with the insulation but since I just replaced 1500 sqft of flooring I had lots to play with (much to the annoyance of my wife who didn't appreciate all rolls of carpet and underpad stored in the shed lol)

I just have to put a few stakes in the ground to secure them better.

Tyler

[AscPete]

Tyler,
Thanks for sharing your photos.

That looks like a lot of work and almost too airtight.
Good luck.

The reason why wrapping with the bottom open (earth coupling) works is that the ground is used as a heat sink to provide heating or cooling and also to absorb any moisture (condensation or infiltration). On warmer winter days the soil mass will cool the temperature inside the cover and on colder days it will warm the inside temperatures. Your blocks actually couple the temperatures at the base of the tree to the air not the ground, the temperature swings will be closer to the air temps than the ground if the blocks are exposed, but will be better under a snow cover. To help insulate the roots several inches of mulch around the base of the tree would be preferable. The block base may help with retaining more heat in the summer growing season.

That being said, its also mostly dependent on the coldest temperature that you would see this winter.

A vole proof fence of 24" wide 1/4" hardware cloth buried 6 inches below soil line could provide rodent protection for the base of each tree, http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...6268#post46268 .

[AscPete]

I've based my fig tree winterization (insulation thickness) on the info in this document, http://www.huduser.gov/Publications/PDF/FPSFguide.pdf and the comparative soil insulation values in the above link. My though is to provide enough earth coupled equivalent insulation to be at my local frost depth (3 ft). This includes 'Wing' (4 ft diameter) insulation (Mulch) at the base of the trees.

[TylerJ]

Thanks for the info Pete. I will go ahead and put mulch generously around these so that the bricks can then do a better job absorbing ground heat rather than be affected by cold air being exposed as they are.

[pacifica]

I wrapped my 2 young fig trees using burlap inside then tarp outside as per photos attached. However, I found the blue tarp is water proof which means no air circulation once you wrapped. Will this create moisture and mold inside and kill the fig tree in due ciurse. Frankly speaking, I hate to make mistake and kill my fig trees. That's what my neighbor warned me this morning. Please comments with thanks why people keep using tarp for their winter protection.

[AscPete]

If you have concerns about excess moisture, you could leave the top open, like a teepee and place a bucket over the opening to form a vent. as seen in the first linked video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-6bFwIhK6k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV7ecRXeUr8

Good Luck.

[pacifica]

Noted with many thanks.......... Pete

[Niagarafigs]

Thank you all for letting me see this. Can't wait