Hi, everybody. We had snow about two weeks ago and all leaves on my 2 fig trees were frozen and dried up. Today, I removed all these leaves, so my fig trees are without any leaves. I am just wondering if I can save these fig trees or not. I don't think branches are damaged but didn't check by scraping. What I am thinking is pruning branches and give winter protection before we get severe winter in our area (zone 6). My guess is, if roots and branches of fig trees are not damaged by snow, there is hope for recover.
How big are the trees? What is your average low temperature in winter? If they have been in ground for more than a couple of years they should be acclimated enough to survive. If they are newly planted then you might want to put down a lot of mulch. Be sure to uncover them if the temp outside warms up for a day or more to let them benefit from the sun and warmth. The roots are what you should be concerned about in the winter. If you keep plants well watered through the winter then they will be better protected too. Water is an insulator and plants that are well hydrated are stronger to withstand the freezing temperatures. A couple of days before the temp drops to or below freezing, give them a good drink early in the day. That way they have plenty of time of absorb the water and stay hydrated. Pruning branches isn't necessary, if they freeze they will be replaced in spring as long as the roots are healthy.
Thank you for quick reply toni! My fig trees are 4 years old and about 6 feet tall. These trees spread so widely that is why I want to prune. It is so hard for me to wrap up tall large trees to protect from severe weather in winter. below is average temperature in our area. January 30.4 February 33.0 March 42.4 April 52.4 May 62.9 June 71.8 July 76.7 August 75.5 September 68.2 October 56.4 November 46.4 December 35.8 January and February are coldest months. Freezing temperature may drop below freezing.
