Charley, Sounds like an interesting trial. In early spring, or even throughout the summer, lining below cordons or alongside rows of bushes of fig trees with black landscape fabric on the ground can also pump up root/soil temperature to accelerate everything. Others seem to have had good success doing so.

Lots of things can be done with such additional synthetic resources such as landscape fabric, leaf blowers, chippers, styrofoam, canvas, piping, heat cords, lights, etc. I'm trying to minimize labor, cost, and use of artificial resources, while maximizing natural appearance (the latter in part due to the existence of nearby neighbors), but I can learn from attempts such as yours that can help everyone gauge a number of things, including under what conditions fig wood will survive winter.

Though I am very interested in how to speed up the ripening of even the earliest main crop cultivars, I don't see it as a top priority - probably cold survival and productivity are my top priorities for in-ground figs. I expect to look to breba crop production in pots for ripening the first couple months of fruit.

I like to grow a lot of different varieties and trees. However, I'm also very interested in exploring what can be done for less interested, everyday figs growers, say, a common grower. I'm very interested to know what quality and quantity and duration of breba crop and main crop can be produced in cold areas by nearly all natural methods using merely 2 or 3 potted trees and 2 or 3 in-ground bushes. Something a Johnny Fig Tree, should he arise in the land, could well suggest and distribute for home fig fruit growing.

Pino,
In this linked Topic from Ingevald, http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Japanese-fig-growing-method-fabulous-photos-4374293 where I found the info on the Japanese Pruning techniques. There are Links to additional pictures and Info from Japan, http://www.hawaiifruit.net/Figs-Japan.htm . One page has photos of the old pruning techniques, http://www.hawaiifruit.net/aifarm/aifigfarm.html . They were probably abandoned in favor of the newer, more compact and productive double cordon espaliers.


3.jpg . .

HarveyC started a Topic on a patented pruning technique that trains as a 4 cordon espalier, http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=6769908 , the Patent is, https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/US7818915.pdf .

BTW, my planned Bush pruned in ground fig trees will be trained as a low "spider" with the "cordons" less than 2' tall.

Thanks Pete!
The double cordon espaliers is what I think will work for me!  By low spider I assume you mean the double cordon?

Once the fig tree structure is formed do you think there is an issue if you let the wood shavings (or compost) pile up and permanently cover the fig trunks? 
I mean why bother removing the nice little pile of mulch around the figs in the spring it will keep the weeds down and retain moisture during the hot summer.

Pino,
You're welcome.
Yes, I mean the low cordons, main scaffolds like the typical open vase tree form.

7.jpg .
http://www.hawaiifruit.net/aifarm/aifigfarm.html

This has been an excellent discussion.  Lot of good concepts to survive the next polar vortex :)  Thanks to all who contributed.

Another "mountain fig" came through today: Improved Celeste. Picked and eaten this afternoon. I'm learning to follow the ants. When little ants start walking on particular fig fruits looking for a way into the sweetness, the fig is clearly ripe. The ants are easily blown off when the fruit is picked.

The first tiny fruit on this IC appeared about 65 days ago, quite fast to ripening. Strawberry peach sweet.

Some other cultivars that showed early fruit weeks before the IC ever did have yet to ripen.

Thus far, in ground, no protection, die-back to ground, zone 6b, fruit ripening dates:

1. Mount Etna Unknown: September 1 -- 1 year old bush (planted by cement drive)

2. Celeste PP: September 3 -- 2 year old bush (planted in open ground)

3. Improved Celeste: September 13 -- 2 year old bush (planted by house and cement walk)
   

Tony, Keep the good news coming. 
Interested on how your other varieties will fare.

Good updates, thanks Tony!

This discussion on winter protection methods (underground cordons, low ground hugging scaffolds..) was getting interesting.

Did anyone end up trying these this year?  Was it more work than expected? 

Pino,
I've got an in-ground espalier winterized per the diagram in post #41.
I will post updates in the spring...

In addition to making a few "underground cordons" - I had a few very low ground hugging branches that I didn't know what to do with, so I threw a few leaves on them and pinned down with rocks. I hope not but I expect winter to zap them though.

Pete,
Have you given any thought to constructing a low tunnel hoop cover over the in-ground espalier next spring to get maybe a two or three earlier start?

Wayne

For my part I am trying JDSfrance's method on 3 fig trees using 55gal barrels instead of his 80l pails.  He is zone 7 and I am zone 6a so I probably need the extra insulation.  With the 55gal barrels the main trunk is 3' and I was able to bend most of the branches above that down so they are covered as well.  May get some brebas this way.    It took a lot compost/soil to fill up the barrels.  Think I will only do this for select trees going forward.  Not sure how much work it will be in spring to take the barrels off.

Covered my in-ground fig bushes as usual; under ground cordons and some branches just pinned to the ground with rocks and covered with dirt.  5 or 6 branches per tree, each 4' long, spread equidistant star shape.  Then whole thing covered with boards, insulation and poly.  Keeping the trees this low makes it really easy to cover.  Covering ensures that regardless of the winter I will get lots of main crop figs.   I am optimistic as far as cold protection but at high risk of mice moving in.  If I have time and if we have a spell of nice weather I may uncover the figs and clear out any mice that have moved in.

Next spring will plant some new figs using an in-ground espalier as in Pete's post #41.  


 

Wayne,
Yes, I've considered the use of "Row Covers" or "Row Cloches" for the espaliers, similar to Tomato Cloches, but only if and when the night time temperatures remain above 40% F. I already have several movable 4' x 8' hoop frames made from 2" x 4" lumber and 3/4" PVC electrical tubing hoops. Row covers can also be set up quickly with 15" lengths of 1/2" rebar and 3/4" PVC electrical tubing covered with 6 mil plastic. 2 pieces of rebar are hammered into the ground ~ 4' apart with 6" exposed and the PVC tubing is bent between the two to form hoops, the process is repeated to cover the "row". They could also be made with metal hoops as in the attached photo.

Web Photo of moveable hoop frames...

Man that is a nice garden. When I'm old I'll  have time for one like that.

Calvin
Don't wait until you are old for a nice garden like that. 
The idea is that producing your own food like that will help you stay healthier and age more gracefully..LOL

I was thinking of Ralph's (Luzzu's) permanent burial box that he bends his trees into for the winter and wondered if it would be an easy application for a step-over fig setup. The box could be 2' wide and 1' tall and use barnboard for the 2 walls. The box would be partially raised with the fig planted 6" below the normal ground surface but actually 12" with the mound created - or go deeper if you want. Once dormant and pruned you could put a 2" Styrofoam board on top and secure it to the wood sidewalls. You could put leaves or other mulch on top then cover with plastic to keep moisture and windchill out. I was just playing around in MS Paint below for the idea. Any drawbacks to this idea?

Tylerj,
The dead air space around the cordon should be filled with something to reduce or eliminate condensation and mold. Also extending the insulation past the vertical sides of the box will increase the ground insulation value without the need for mounding extra dirt and cover material.


Calvin,
I grow vegetable in my weed garden ; ) since I don't remove weeds but use them as cover crop and green manure. The weeds make the best compost and are "locally sourced". My gardening bible has become The One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka, http://www.appropedia.org/images/d/d3/Onestraw.pdf .

Calvin, your garden looks pretty awesome.  I wouldn't worry about having a pristinely manicured and weeded garden.  Nature is chaotic, so there's no reason not to have some [controlled] chaos in the garden.  My garden only looks nicely manicured once a season: right after I've edged and mulched in the spring.  The rest of the season, it grows into a mess since the kids take up all my time.

Tyler,
That looks like an ideal set up! 

Pete,
Great idea to increase protection.  I wish there was a Blanket like covering with high R value that would work for that.

Tyler, remember that voles love to find things like that and they love to feed on the bark and cambium of your fig tree, killing it in the process.  Consider a deterrent such as bags of mothballs or a high pitched mouse repellent.

Tyler,
Filling the space above the cordons worked in practice last season. Air space and complete burial have been used for decades as shown in the attached links.

Winterization, Burial
http://www.italiangardening.com/2011/04/three-ways-to-store-your-fig-trees-for.html
http://www.theitaliangardenproject.com/tuck-in-fig.html

Voles usually travel just below the surface under the snow and are easily excluded from a garden or tree burial area. Vole preventative measures are in the attached links and as quoted.

Vole Protection.
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS094E/FS094E.pdf
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PDF/PESTNOTES/pnvoles.pdf

Tough questions..LOL

Given that the trunk and cordons of an established fig tree are so close to the ground can one pile up a mound of dirt 1' high all along (same way cold tender wine grapes are hilled up every winter).  The hill can be knocked down by hoeing through the growing season to control the weeds and even the soil. 
Would there be a concern with the cordons setting roots?