I am sort of new to figs and have been thinking about how best to keep them in-ground in colder climates.

The procedure of wrapping them in several layers of cardboard and carpet doesn't seem ideal to me with my small yard, and neither does burying them in a large grave-trench.  I'd prefer something less involved, and I suspect my neighbors would as well.

I'd rather not grow in pots forever, although it seems as though at least a few years to toughen them is a must.  From what I gather, potted plants yield less, and there's still the issue of dragging them to the basement or garage, plus potted plants dry out fast and we are gone a lot in summer.

There are a few figs like hardy chicago that can grow back fron a complete top die-off and still yield, which is encouraging, but even those apparently do better if you can over-winter a few feet of wood on top, I believe from reading.

So, i was thinking of these issues, and also some of the things that are supposed to improve hardiness and range figs can be grown at.   And I have an idea so simple, I'm guessing there must be an overlooked issue:  Grow them in the window-well.

Grown in the window-well, a fig would have very limited water, facilitating hardening off.  Depending upon size of well, they could be cut off at between 12 inches and 3 feet.  And since windows and foundations leak some heat, I suspect you could protect the plant from sub-zero temps with little more than a large square of insulation to cover the top of the well and some boards stacked over that.  In fact, the same arrangement would also protect the fig from overheating on warm spells.


So, what am I missing?  Why couldn't/wouldn't this work? I believe eating figs are not supposed to have invasive roots, it would shelter them with far less eyesore and potentially even greater security for less work.  The sub-well growth would see relatively little sunlight, but it would maintain protected buds to send up shoots much faster and thicker than coming from the ground itself and the ground would warm quicker in the spring.  AND, it should be protected a bit more from cold snaps, or easy to re-cover.

Thoughts?

Markalbob,

first welcome to the forum !
my thought if you fill with dirt the window well the frost cycles would not be good for the structure. But im not sure just a thought i dont have window wells.
I read where you say inground plants produce more than potted ones yes they do but if they dieback a lot then i dont think they would produce very well i could be wrong as i dont grow inground, my large potted mature plants in a good year produce average 150 figs each last season no too cool a summer.
I wheel mine in and out of garage.
Im sure others more experienced with window well can be of help and hope this is a start for them to reply for you. Oh by the way what state are you located as this will help others help you.
Best Health
Martin

Markalbob
I have the feeling that even if the window well idea works, you will sooner or later give up on it due to unforeseen things.
Why not do what I am planning to do next year or the year after using the japanese way of horizontal trunk close to the ground.
See the following link http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ikfarm/folder/1249562.html
which was posted by Ingevald in the thread n " Japanese fig growing method":
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4374293

In colder climate you may have to keep the trunk closer to the ground for covering. This will make protection a lot easier than vertical trunk. If you explore all the links in the above thread, you will notice that in the fall all branches are removed (too bad the cuttings are not shared). When all current year branches are removed the main trunk is left like a horizontal log and it can be covered much easier. Fig production is better when the first year branches grow from the main horizontal trunk that when the plant dies to the ground and grow back from the ground. I have not done it so it is just my opinion.

interesting....still leaves me with a "grave" to dig out and cover, but it's food for thought.  The flat trunk is easier tham massive tying and covering a 5-foot bush

Dieseler,

I was thinking of not adding dirt, the well has a lot of sand/gravel as a base for the frost expansion reasons you mention (and drainage) but that was also part of the thought--it should provide a relatively arid and harsh environment of lots of heat and little water in summer to maximize ripening and minimize vegetative growth/assist hardening wood, and then also leave a spot to easily cover the trunk.

Im just not familar with windows wells.
But you did mention sand and gravel in it , if its at the bottom my concern would be the roots of fig tree growing into them and not stopping as i have seen pictures in other countries of fig plants growing out of cement walls.
Im not sure what would eventually happen .

Markalbob
May be my post was not clear. The good point about the horizontal trunk is that no "grave" like digging is involved. All you have to do is train and grow the main trunk in horizontal position closed to the ground, a few inches above the ground. Each year the horizontal trunk will sprout new branches, produce figs and then all branches pruned away in fall after dormancy and leaving the horizontal trunk like a log that can be covered much easier if trained closer to the ground. The covering provides protection from external elements and also traps the ground heat. You still have to cover the horizontal trunk but in a lot more easier way. No digging and no pushing involved.
You can train a new fig plant horizontally by cutting the whip about 6" and a few nodes above the ground. After the nodes sprout, train the branches horizontally close to the ground. If near south side wall, train in either direction parallel to the ground. If grown in the open yard, train 4 or five branches horizontally in all directions.
A little older plant can be trained horizontally by gradual bending down. Figs easily yield to bending if done with care and gradually. The thread by Ingeval dcovers many such situation.

Markalbob
Here is the horizontal trunk method posted by Ingevald in an earlier post:
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ikfarm/folder/1249562.html

It shows the annual (V-shaped) growth before pruning in the fall ad after pruning with all branches cut. In sever winter areas, the trunk can be covered if trained closed to the ground.