Updated on December 18, 2024 by Ruth
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As winter approaches, it’s essential to prepare your fig tree for the cold weather ahead. Fig trees, with their lush foliage and sweet fruits, can be susceptible to damage from frost and freezing temperatures. In this blog, we’ll explore some simple yet effective ways to protect your fig tree from winter cold, ensuring that it stays healthy and vibrant year after year. From wrapping the tree in insulation to providing a tunnel, we’ll cover everything you need to know to keep your fig tree safe and thriving through the winter months.
If you live in a warmer growing zone without winters below 32 degrees, you probably don’t worry about your fig trees. Lucky you! For the rest of us, dealing with winter is a major issue to getting a successful fig crop.
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Speaking from experience
Here is what we have found works for us. We are a family farm in Delaware, growing zone 7a. That means cold temperatures to 10 degrees regularly and occasionally to 0-5, winter winds, sneaky late spring frosts, and occasionally a late spring freeze. We can also have significant windy days during the winter and early spring. The wind can dehydrate and kill any exposed branches.
We have two main methods of protecting our fig trees.
The first is to plant the fig tree close to a building that is heated. The fig gets residual warmth from the building plus the building acts as a wind break. It is best to give the figs additional protection through piling up leaves among the branches to about four feet high, after the tree drops all its leaves. Then wrap the tree in row cover, burlap, a sheet, or any other breathable fabric which allows light and rain to reach the tree.
Using a high tunnel for fig trees
When we decided to expand our fig production, we planted them in a high tunnel. High tunnel is just a fancy term for an unheated structure, usually with supports, with greenhouse plastic covering it. It looks like a tunnel, hence the name. We prune the trees back once they go dormant, so that they fit under the tunnel. The plastic is put on. Then we add a row cover over the fig trees inside the tunnel.
This gives the trees two layers of protection from the weather. We leave the row cover on until the trees start to leaf out in the spring. We leave the plastic covering on until the trees put on their spring growth and are ready to expand beyond the ceiling.
We know that a late spring freeze can set the fig trees back dramatically, so we leave them under cover as long as possible. Figs like the heat, so it will not be too hot for the trees under the protective layers.
Although the trees are dormant, they still need some water over the winter. Every four to six weeks is sufficient.
Build a cold frame
If you are in colder zones, you may want to have a cold frame or a wall of dirt to help insulate the tree. You can also add a third layer of protection. Each layer gives you about four degrees protection.
Should you wrap your tree?
You need to be careful with any covering as you do not want the tree to freeze to the wrapping. That can cause damage to the bark. Set up a framework around the tree, such as stakes, and then provide a wrap around that. You can use leaves to fill in around the branches inside the wrapping to provide more protection.
For colder areas, you can bend the branches to the ground, and then cover with dirt. This helps insulate the branches. Uncover the branches in the spring before they are ready to grow. At that point, you will probably still need to provide some protection.
Why do we need to protect the fig trees?
Many varieties are hardy to zero or even -20F, but that means the tree will survive those temperatures. It does not mean you will get figs. It takes 90 days to go from the first sign of a fig to a mature fruit, so we are racing the weather for the fig tree to have enough time to grow those figs. Left unprotected, the tree can produce figs but not have enough time before the nights cool in the fall. Chilly nights slow down the fig ripening dramatically. Since the whole point of having fig trees on a farm is to have fresh figs, we do the work to make sure the figs have time to ripen. The fig tree will continue to ripen fruit as long as the weather is favorable.
Five fun facts about figs and fig trees
There is evidence of cultivating fig trees in the Jordan Valley from about 9400 BCE.
Fig trees can have two crops each year. The early crop is called a Breba crop, which is smaller, and then the main crop.
There are two fig trees, one in Egypt, one in India, that are both believed to be over 2000 years old.
Fig trees can grow to be 100 feet tall.,
One pound of dried figs is equal to about 44 fresh figs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, protecting your fig tree from winter cold is crucial for ensuring its health and longevity. By taking the time to prepare your tree for the winter months, you can help it survive the cold temperatures and emerge strong and healthy in the spring. This helps ensure that you have fresh figs to eat the following summer. Whether you choose to wrap your tree, provide a cover, or simply move it to a more sheltered location, these steps can make a big difference in protecting your fig tree from winter damage. With a little care and preparation, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of figs for years to come.
Happy growing and happy eating!
~Ruth
Additional resources
The story of the fig and its wasp
