An overwintering method I plan to try

[TorontoJoe]

I get regular FoodGardenLife newsletters to my inbox and always find the content interesting... however one item in today's edition made my eye's pop. Steven described how he is overwintering his fig trees here in Toronto. 

Now, the practice if burying in-ground fig trees for the winter is nothing new. I've always known it as a back-breaking process that involved digging a long trench next to the tree and bending it into said trench... then burying it like a snitch Joe Pesci took out to the corn field. Like this:




But looking at this picture today.... It makes total sense. Loads of people use the sarcofagus to overwinter their container trees and the heat from the earth is plenty, even though they're above ground. Well, same principal here. He slices through some roots on one side but sans-trench, just bends the tree to the ground... then throws a sheet of wood and a cinder block on it before covering the whole lot in mulch . Check this out:


*Images: Steven Biggs

I don't know that this would work with the really big trees with thick open vase scaffolds, but I have a Colasanti dark that I think will do great. 

I think the only thing I might add is a layer of chicken wire under and over the tree to protect against potential rodents. 

I'll document the whole thing when I do it.

 

[ktrain]

I'm curious...will be waiting for the verdict.

Looking at that black fine lookin soil makes me miss the black dirt I had up in Indiana.
You could grow anything in that soil!

 

[TorontoJoe]

I'm curious...will be waiting for the verdict.

Looking at that black fine lookin soil makes me miss the black dirt I had up in Indiana.
You could grow anything in that soil!

I think the soil all around the great lakes is pretty good. Around here I just till as much organic material into the ground as I can. Isn't is really wooded at your place? Shouldn't that mean good soil too?

 

[ktrain]

Pure clay, where we grow flowers around the deck we mix soil conditioner into it.
Seems to help some.
One thing we grow very well in this clay here down south is rocks.
Just about any variety you want.

 

[Vitooch1]

I think burying it is a great option but I think maybe adding some dry leaves tarping over it then throw soil on it might just do it. Having the soil on the tree might freeze and damage your tree or possibly die. Just my opinion. I’m doing the same with my father’s young tree except I made a box with insulated foam walls then placed it over the tree. I then filled the box with dry soil covering the entire tree, it worked last season and I’m confident it will work this season.

 

[Figology]

A gophers dream… imagine you dig it up in the spring and it’s gone. Jk.

 

[TorontoJoe]

I think burying it is a  great option but I think maybe adding some dry leaves tarping over it then throw soil on it might just do it. Having the soil on the tree might freeze and damage your tree or possibly die. Just my opinion. I’m doing the same with my father’s young tree except I made a box with insulated foam walls then placed it over the tree. I then filled the box with dry soil covering the entire tree, it worked last season and I’m confident it will work  this season.

He's already been doing this in Toronto. I have to try. Obviously it depends how cold it gets so I don't know how far north it will do the trick... but consider that Tony keeps his trees above ground in boxes north of the city.

 

[TorontoJoe]

A gophers dream… imagine you dig it up in the spring and it’s gone. Jk.

This is why I think the addition of caging around the tree will help since it's not above ground like my electrified trees...  

I don't have gophers though... I think it may be the only critter I don't have around here.

 

[Figology]

A gophers dream… imagine you dig it up in the spring and it’s gone. Jk.

This is why I think the addition of caging around the tree will help since it's not above ground like my electrified trees...  

I don't have gophers though... I think it may be the only critter I don't have around here.

My hat’s off to you folks growing in freezing temps. It’s interesting to see all the clever ideas that come up.

I remember seeing a video of guy who built a greenhouse with geothermal tubes dug deep into the ground that would warm the greenhouse. For a while I was into Earthship houses and ideas to passively cool or warm my house.

 

[THE FIG HUT]

I came across this video of a guy in Montreal winterizing his fig tree.
Not sure why he did not wait for leaves to fall first. As it’s colder in Montreal maybe the snow comes before trees get a chance to drop leaves. Interesting video.

 

[Figgerlickinggood]

Pure clay, where we grow flowers around the deck we mix soil conditioner into it.
Seems to help some.
One thing we grow very well in this clay here down south is rocks.
Just about any variety you want.

 we have those varieties here too.  If yours die I could send you a few of mine.

 

[ktrain]

Pure clay, where we grow flowers around the deck we mix soil conditioner into it.
Seems to help some.
One thing we grow very well in this clay here down south is rocks.
Just about any variety you want.

 we have those varieties here too.  If yours die I could send you a few of mine.

LOL....out of 10.3 acres, I don't think I'll ever run out of rock varieties. 

 

[TorontoJoe]

I came across this video of a guy in Montreal winterizing his fig tree.
Not sure why he did not wait for leaves to fall first. As it’s colder in Montreal maybe the snow comes before trees get a chance to drop leaves. Interesting video.

That's basically it. No trench. I'd like to get it a bit flatter to the ground though. However, you're quite correct that it's colder in Montreal so if this is working for him then it should be no problem here. 

I don't know why he didn't wait for the leaves to drop. Only reason I can think of is he didn't want to be working out in the cold when winter really hit.

 

[ZomVee]

That's exactly what I'm about to do!

On the other forum, I was like, guys, am I crazy or can I just bury my limbs to protect them? I'm thinking about letting the trees root and send new shoots to have a big base to work from next winter.