Hello everyone!
I'm posting to your forum for the first time.
I live in Northeast Georgia on the line between hardiness zone 7B and 8A.
This is the first year I rooted more than one or two fig cuttings and I do not have a sheltered area like a garage or shed to protect them during their first winter. Most are only about two feet tall because I was away for a month this Summer I when i should have been maximizing their development.
I'm thinking about leaving them in the pots but cutting the tops off them all the way down to ground level, then covering the pots with a heavy layer of hardwood leaves I rake up this Autumn.
Do you think that treatment may be too harsh for newly rooted cuttings?
Thank you for any alternative ideas!
I lived about 30 miles south of you in GA with Hardy Chicago, Sal’s, Celeste, Hunt, CDD’s, MegaCeleste, Brown Turkey, Marseilles Black VS in ground. The Etnas and Celeste types (my neighbor called his a ‘turkey fig’, one down the block was ‘Celestial’) fig trees were large enough to climb as was MegaCeleste (wouldn’t recommend it, splits and sours). Hunt was never that productive for me, BT produced but most figs were only so so, Sal’s was nearly identical to HC, MBVS was excellent and productive. CDDs got tips frozen off in winter and were never productive—Black Madeira was similar when planted in ground.
For winter protection of potted more tender figs usually just December and January when temps dropped below 20°F (for the large figs, into the garage, small figs into the crawl space). If I was lazy or had too many, I would put the pots next to the house and cover with leaves.
I grew in ground in tree form, you might be better off with bush. They need shelter from drying winter winds—some say they need to be planted close enough to the house so they can hear people talking. A short board fence or stone wall will work. Etnas and Celeste were the workhorses for me.
I wouldn’t trim yours. There are lots of ways to get the minimal protection you need.
