Here are some pictures I took of my Hardy Chicago Fig Tree I planted last month. Not getting much growth so don't know what to do for the tree. Notice one of the original shoots the leaves died. Don't know why. Any ideas on this one. I know we don't have much growing season left for the year. Maybe the small size might help me winterize this one.

I am not seeing pictures.

There is a persistent forum bug where, should you edit your post for any reason, pictures won't show up until you click "edit", then "go advanced" and save your post again.  I don't know if the websitetoolbox folks just aren't aware of this bug (there's no bug submission link, sadly) or if they just don't care, but .... it's there.

How about now do you see pictures, actually jpg's?

I see five images uploaded.  Looks good.  The whole missing-picture-bug is merciless.

The leaf pattern on the trees I see looks like you got a true HC, which is similar to what I've seen several others who bought theirs at Lowes on the cheap.  It's a surprise to see a 'big box' store actually get it right.

Here's what I would tell you about the growth:

Younger is worse when it comes to surviving winter.  Trees are more hardy as they age (with many varieties).  Smaller trees are easier to cover, though.

For the growth lag, I'd say this is typical of a young transplant.  Some might say "give it fertilizer!" in order to perk it up, but that's going to inspire new green growth and green growth is even more susceptible to lower temperatures, so you're basically having it add more growth that will just die anyway (waste of energy). 

In short, I would focus on letting it finish out the season, let it lie dormant till temps get down in the 38 F range overnight, then work on covering it up for the winter using any of a myriad of tips here at the forum.  Let it bounce back next year with rapid growth after sleeping a winter in the ground.

For the dead branches... I'd just cut them off and trash them.  Who knows why they died?  Furthermore, for now, who cares?  There are so few diseases that affect figs, and none of them I know of will kill entire branches (except exotic boring pests).  Cut it off and move on.  If you want to see if a borer attacked it, take the pruned branch and cut it down the middle to bisect it.  Look at the inside for any missing pith (the white fluffy stuff between nodes) or evidence of something eating the insides of the branch.

Good advise Jason.

You also may want to clear out some of that vegetation growing around it.  The roots of those plants are competing with your fig tree for water and nutrients.

I second Joe, I made that mistake earlier this year I planted two trees. I cleared a small circle, grass and weeds creeped in and my trees stopped growing and turned lime green. I cleared a big circle, mulched and sprayed a little MG and the trees took off. I'm guessing now is to late for the MG, but clearing out the grass cant hurt.

I bought 2 of them at Lowes also, put them in pots and they really took off. I bought my dad 2 and he put them in the ground and they seem to be growing very slow, don't know why. Hope this helps.

David  Bowling Green

Your tree is likely focusing on root production. I have seen this with figs and other trees planted in ground, little or now top growth for a month or so then watch out. it should take off. And if you don't see much top growth this season as it is getting late, you should for sure next year.