Overwintering fig trees by bending to ground and covering

[TorontoJoe]

Now I’m trying growing low limbs in subsurface ditches. No digging or bending, just mulching.

I’d really love to see some pictures of that. Sounds like a great idea. I’m imagining a low cordon where everything stays below grade in a trench.

 

[TorontoJoe]

Now I’m trying growing low limbs in subsurface ditches. No digging or bending, just mulching.

Perhaps lining the trench with hardware cloth to keep the critters out?

 

[scott_va]

I put pulverized concrete in the bottom of the trenches and established drainage off the ends. Field mice are the issue here. My thought initially was to just shelter them with leaves and it would be so wet and miserable in the trench the mice would not live there. That worked and didn’t damage the limbs but now I'm thinking about encircling the limbs with screen wire or hardware cloth or just filling the trenches with gravel, then a cover of cardboard and leaves. First 2 pictures are of VdB limbs in trenches followed by a Marseilles stump and limb that was 3 inches (7 cm) above ground (not trenched) and covered by a thick mat of leaves—only a viable stump left. Hardy Chicago was similar.

 

[Wisner]

I don't think it should be necessary to bury a fig tree in zone 8a. Seems like a good covering of the tree after leafing out should work. Also could add a heat lamp under the cover.