How to Protect Fig Trees in Winter (Or Lose Everything!), by Havenly Garden on YouTube. 11 min 32 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 32 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Wait until the tree has dropped its leaves and had a few light frosts. Wrapping too early traps warmth and moisture while the tree is still active.
Water the tree deeply a week or two before the ground freezes. A dry root ball suffers more winter damage than a moist one.
Prune only what you need to make wrapping easy. Leave the main framework alone, since next year's fruit grows on this year's wood.
Pile dry straw, leaves or shredded bark around the base and lower trunk. Keep the mulch a few inches away from direct contact with the bark.
Wrap the trunk and main branches in burlap or breathable fleece, working from the bottom up. Tie it loosely with twine so air can still move.
Leave the top partly open or use a loose cap. A sealed plastic bag or airtight wrap is what causes the black mold and slipping bark.
Set a ring of wire mesh around the trunk and press it into the soil. This keeps mice and rabbits from chewing the bark under the wrap.
For potted figs, move the pot into an unheated garage, shed or against a sheltered wall. Insulate the pot itself with bubble wrap or straw.
Check the wrap every few weeks through winter. Rewrap or open it up if you see condensation, mold or chewed bark.
Unwrap gradually in spring after the last hard frost. Remove the wrap on a mild day and leave the base mulch in place a little longer.
Tips and common mistakes
Plastic sheeting and airtight bags are the main cause of mold, so use breathable materials only.
In very cold zones, some growers bend the trunk down and bury it, but this only works on flexible young trees.
Never wrap a fig that still has green leaves, as trapped moisture will rot the bark.
Keep snow piled around the base for extra insulation, but do not pack it against the wrapped trunk.
Questions
When should I wrap my fig tree?
After leaf drop and a few light frosts, but before the first hard freeze. Wrapping too early is a common mistake that leads to mold.
Can I use plastic to wrap my fig?
No. Plastic traps moisture and causes the black mold and slipping bark that kill more figs than cold. Use burlap or horticultural fleece instead.
Do potted figs need different protection?
Yes. Move the pot to an unheated garage or sheltered spot and insulate the pot, since roots in a pot freeze much faster than roots in the ground.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
