Can I save my fig tree?

[Sunflower7]

I wrapped my 2 yeard old Brown Turkey with 3 layers of burlap, brown paper, and tarp to protect from severe winter.
Problem is when I unwrapped, I found white things on branches and one of poor fig tree is in miserable shape.
Other fig tree has some green buds therefore I think I can save this one.
We had crazy weather of hot and cold.
My guess is when we had hot day, inside of wrapping got too hot and high humidity caused mold to form on branches.
Can I save fig tree by cutting off branches with mold on?
Is baking soda spray effective for mold?

[hendi_alex]

When the top growth of a fig tree dies or gets killed, the roots will usually send of new growth in the spring. At that point, you can select which shoots to keep or you can dig up the plant and separate the various shoots. As long as the young whip keeps a few roots, it will usually survive. I had one larger plant that was planted in an unprotected area. It was constantly being killed back to the ground during the winter. I finally dug it up, with its many springtime shoots of new growth. I separated the tree into about a dozen plants which were move to my nursery area. I gave several away and transplanted others. I think that all but one or two survived. That tree was a brown turkey.

[Sunflower7]

hendi_alex, thank you for your reply.
Last winter,I didn't give any protection from severe winter and leaves of my fig trees were frozen. I thought I am going to lose these trees but when spring came, these trees grew back beautifully and had several fruits.

[hendi_alex]

I never protect my trees. I have found that if the bark matures, during the summer turning from green to gray or brown, then the branch will usually survive the winter. Of course our winters are generally much milder than yours, but we did drop down to single digits last year, and the fig tree did just fine.

Daves's Garden website says that Brown Turkey is cold hardy down to 0 degrees F. I read on one web site that there are varieties of English Brown Turkey that are cold hardy down to -17 degrees.

[DoubleDogFarm]

I have Desert King fig. I don't protect it during the winter. Almost every winter there is some winter die back. It's the tree against the south facing duck house wall.




Eric

[JONA878]

Many gardens over here grow Brown Turkey and they seem to survive all the weather that gets slung at them.
They get burnt back a little on very cold winters but spring.....( Spring..get it?)..back in the spring.

..

[DoubleDogFarm]

Ah, NO!

[TerrariumTom]

That's an absolutely gorgeous garden you have there, DoubleDog, I'm very impressed. What are those berries on the left?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Tom,

Thank You.

Those "berries" are Rosa Rugosa rose hips. They make great preserves and tea.

More pictures if you are interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMbYAQPccMs

Eric

[applestar]

That's a perfectly protected location for the fig tree!
Let's see --
o South facing with a building behind it + the metal roof
o The pond to reflect the thermals and the water providing thermal mass
o The two tubs on wither side presumably also for thermal mass
o The ducks themselves give off heat?

Did I miss anything else?

@sunflower
I'm still undecided about getting a fig tree. I don't want to go through the significant protective measures and unveiling an in-ground tree in the fall and spring. My plan as of now is to plant one against the SW side of the house and espalier it -- still will need some protection -- or buy a somewhat less cold hardy dwarf variety and bring it completely inside (advantage with this one is that it may fruit twice a year). Third choice will be a cold hardy dwarf variety that would be allowed to go dormant then brought into an unheated garage where the temps can fall to teens at worst and 20's most of the time during the winter.

[DoubleDogFarm]

That's a perfectly protected location for the fig tree!
Let's see --
o South facing with a building behind it + the metal roof Yes
o The pond to reflect the thermals and the water providing thermal mass Yes
o The two tubs on wither side presumably also for thermal mass Originally. Theses keep getting moved around.
o The ducks themselves give off heat? Yes, I believe about 8 btu's each
Did I miss anything else? Nice nesting area for the Muscovies to hide.

Eric

[soil]

i was going to say thats a micro climate at its best, but applestar got to it first. a lot of permaculture people i know would freak out(in a good way) over that setup.

[DoubleDogFarm]

[stellasmom]

DoubleDog...what a wonderful picture you posted! and for a second there (until i read down a bit) i thought that red fruit were possibly pomegranates! it looks so picturesque! if i was a duck...id live there.

question: fig trees. (ok...so i have more than 1 question) we live in the st. louis area...so in the winter it doesnt get below -10/-15 deg but in the summer---july and august are brutal with high temps (up to 90...) and high humidity (yuck). but is this what fig trees like? i was reading you all have them 'protected'...is this from too much wind/in case of storms, for sunlight etc? i was looking at a fig tree yesterday (i believe it was a brown turkey) and i almost got it. i would like to go back and get it but not too sure if it would thrive? and im wondering how big they get?

any info would be greatly appreciated! thanks!
jen

[gumbo2176]

I wrapped my 2 yeard old Brown Turkey with 3 layers of burlap, brown paper, and tarp to protect from severe winter.
Problem is when I unwrapped, I found white things on branches and one of poor fig tree is in miserable shape.
Other fig tree has some green buds therefore I think I can save this one.
We had crazy weather of hot and cold.
My guess is when we had hot day, inside of wrapping got too hot and high humidity caused mold to form on branches.
Can I save fig tree by cutting off branches with mold on?
Is baking soda spray effective for mold?

I can attest to the hardiness of fig trees. The one I have in my back yard survived being under Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters for over 2 weeks. Not only under water, but under salt water from Lake Pontchartrain with God knows how many chemicals and petroleum products mixed in from flooded cars, mowers, tool sheds, work shops etc.

Within 2 seasons after the storm I had a bumper crop of figs like I never had before. Most of that was due to the fact that a huge Pecan tree that shaded my fig tree was toppled by the winds and it now gets full sun all day long. Don't give up on it just yet.

[DoubleDogFarm]

I bought my fig from this nursery. Click on the link, it should answer all your questions.

http://www.raintreenursery.com/how_to/FIGS.cfm

Eric

Jan. 2009 Miserable weather. Dormant fig

[stellasmom]

thanks for the link!