Hi folks.  I'm pretty new to figs...this was the second year for my 3 figs and I was thrilled beyond belief that they produced like CRAZY. (Chicago Hardy, and I'm in zone 6a in TN).  But now I'm sickened beyond belief and desperately need some advice from you experts!  You see, last year when fall came my fig plants leaves turned yellow and fell off.  This year, even though we've had a mild fall with no freeze until Oct. 24, the leaves all stayed green and the trees were still covered with unripe figs.  I therefore was unsure how to prepare for winter.  Long story short, before I got to decide, we had a slight freeze.  As a result, all the green leaves on my fig bushes were killed...the next day they all hang limp with obvious freeze damage.  Last year, I must confess that I didn't even cover my plants up all winter, but they also didn't have any leaves by the time we had a freeze.  This year my plants looked like they were in full swing when the leaves got killed off.  The good news is that it only got down to about 30 degrees, so hopefully the wood and certainly the root ball didn't get harmed too much.

Anyway, all that information is just so you can (hopefully) answer a few questions...PLEASE:
1.) In light of the fact that my trees were still covered in green leaves and green figs, all of which were killed in one night, how serious is this?  Have I seriously jeopardized the lives of my figs?  If not, have I seriously jeopardized my chances for fruit next year?

2) What should I do now>  Should I take off all the dead green leaves?  What about all the dead green fruit?  Remove it?

3) Any idea why my figs didn't seem to "realize" it was fall and drop leaves accordingly.  Oct 24 is well into fall for my area so it isn't as though this was an early frost.

4) Should I still go ahead and insulate and wrap my figs for winter?  They are about 4 feet tall and quite bushy.  If I should, should I trim back some of the stems/wood as well as the dead greenery?

Anything else you think this newbie should know about what to do when a fig gets hit with a frost when it was not yet prepared for winter would be most appreciated.  I will be checking back for answers....thank-you folks!

Kevin (thecityman)

I doubt they've been seriously damaged.  At worst it may be that they stored up a little less energy in the roots than they would have if it had been more gradual.  

I don't know if there's any "science" to what to do next, but here's what I'd do:

• if the leaves are truly "done", then take 'em away.  (they probably won't do any harm as they rot, but they can't do anything good either).
• leave the trees alone for a while to let any green wood harden off.
• After three or four weeks, do whatever winter protection you had planned.  (That could be wrapping, or moving into the garage if they're potted, or... there are lots of techniques, that you can find elsewhere on the forum if you search on "winter" and "protection" or something similar).

+1 for what Mike said. I would not prune the tree until spring unless there is a good reason. Even if some of the growth was killed, it will be hard to tell where to cut until then.

There is a lot of good info on pinching here. It is one way to help control the growth so that the tree will know when to go dormant.
Also, any fig that does not have 90-120 warm days won't be likely to ripen and should be removed as they form.

My trees frequently lose there leaves to frost, but as long as they are not pumping out new growth at the time I get little die back.

Not sure I could be called an expert by any stretch, but I hope that is helpful.

I was so anxious about this that I have been watching this thread with great interest in the short time since I posted it.....so let me say a huge thank-you for the responses.  I was terrified you'd tell me I've done major damage!  I have, by the way, spent hours watching you tube videos on how to prepare figs for winter so I think I get that and am ready....its a shame I waited too long though.......

Let me also say thanks for the welcome...and let me say thanks for this whole web site.  I am a city guy with no fruit growing experience.  I bought a little mini-farm 2 years ago and immediately rushed out- like a fool- and bought and planted about 25 fruit trees (and berries, grapes, etc) without a clue of how hard fruit is to grow.  Among my choices were 2 fig trees....only because it was something different.....I'd never heard of tasted figs (except newtons which I didn't much like).  Then it happened....this summer- Just year 2- my trees made a LOT of fruit.  I will never forget the moment I was casually examining the ripe figs and without much thought took a bite of one.  Life will never be the same!  I suspect all of you can relate?  I was stopped dead in my tracks....what was this strange fruit that tasted almost like jam but lighter and better in every way.  WHY ON EARTH DOESN"T EVERY AMERICAN KNOW ABOUT FRESH FIGS?  I my area (TN) they are virtually unheard of.  Why doesn't every produce dept sell them? I know they don't ship well and have short seasons....but come on!  Everyone I've shared them with has had the same reaction.  I've now put out 4 more and you can be sure that this summer I'm going to go fig crazy like most of you seem to be!  Sorry to be so long....but I'm just excited to have discovered such a wonderful fruit, and equally happy to have found a web site filled with other people who seem to be just as crazy about them as I am! (maybe even more based on the long lists of varieties that appear in some of your signature lines).

Thanks again for letting me know I probably haven't ruined my figs.  I'm still open for more answers, though, mostly out of curiosity.

In my opinion a slight freeze didn't damage a figtree especially not a HC. It is a normal reaction that the leaves fall off.Remove them and and the figs remaining on the tree. Put the figtrees under a roof or something and let the soil dry a little bit up before storing in a few weeks when colder frosts are about to reach you. The trees can now harden off. Don't worry I think your trees are fine! Around 30 °...I doubt there's a damage at all.

The Cityman
 Wheeeww .... I was reading this as a fellow newbie and relating to everything.  I share your relief that the trees are most likely fine and dandy.
  Happy Figging ,,  Soni

I am in 7B and experienced the same thing last night.  Everyone has their own routine for protecting their plants for winter.  My trees are grown in -ground in bush format. My winterizing routine is to let them harden up and before we go into the worst of winter to mulch them deeply and then bury them about half way up with wood chips and straw so that they do not dry out as much in winter or experience rapid changes in temperature. 2 or 3 feet of insulation over the root zone is more than enough to insulate the roots and keep them from freezing in this climate. When the worst of winter is over, I pull back the mulch and spread the mulch around the trees and cover it with a new layer of wood chips. I have been doing this about  6 years and have yet to loose a tree and have only had one very young tree die back to the roots. Our soil is dreadful here and by using soft wood chips and straw which break down very quickly, I am gradually building a new layer of top soil around my trees.  The nice thing about figs is they put out roots wherever they need them based on growing conditions.  As long as you monitor lime levels and don't push for exorbitant amounts of growth each year, you should end up with tough durable and productive trees/bushes.

Hi Kevin
Don't stress out. I am in zone 7a NJ and this is how we roll. Keep them out a little longer then put them away.
Next year they will be back.
Coop

Most of my trees are in the ground, and the temps around here can drop to around 20F in the depths of winter, but I have never lost a tree to frost or cold. They are hardier than you think. My potted trees are usually over-wintered indoors after all the leaves have been shed. I'm pretty sure you have nothing to worry about. Just make sure your root balls don't freeze if you have any figs in pots, and they'll do just fine.

And welcome to the forum.

You guys are the best.  After just now (this summer) discovering figs I would just be sick if I lost mine this quick.  Its also nice to see others, like Soni, had similar concerns and that the same thing just happened to others like Mariannamiller.  I love hearing that coop951 has had similar situation and still been successful in NEW JERSEY!  Surely I can make it in Tennessee.  However, the one fact I should have made clear is that my figs are all in ground.  2 of them are 2 years old and produced an amazing amount (est. 75 figs each) this year.  My other 4 were just planted in August.  They will be much easier to cover up and not as big a deal if they died, but I'd consider it downright catastrophic if I lost my 2 year old, 4' tall big bushy figs!  Thanks all.  Again, as someone who has just discovered the "awesomeness" of figs, its great to meet so many others who also get it!
kevin

Hey Alan, are you writing verse there?  What's with all the commas?

I mean, are you, writing verse, there?  What's with, all the, commas?

:-)  just in fun Alan   :-)

Mike 

Your trees will be fine. Look to see that your in the right zone usda changed that all last year, or early this year . I'm in zone 6b in south central illinois now.

Welcome to the forum.

Hey Alan,

Grammar Police here again.

I'll let you off this time, as it appears you were just having a bit of fun, and there ain't nuffink wrong wiv dat. I won't be so lenient next time, so be warned.

You might therefore like to know that as a general guide, you only need to use commas where you would naturally pause briefly if you were actually speaking the words rather than writing them.

Hope that helps.

Welcome to the Fig Forum.

Best,
Tam

Welcome to the forum.I'm in Canada zones 6a/5b and we haven't had a hard frost yet...all my annuals are alive including impatiens and geraniums.My figs trees in pots started turning yellow a couple of weeks ago but the ones in ground still have green leaves and no sign of going dormant yet(Hardy Chicago and Brown Turkey).I brought my potted plants out early this spring and we had a couple of nights in a row of hard frosts (-5c or -8c that is about 23f or 17.5f, can't remember now).Well, I thought they were both dead:the leaves turned brown and fell off and the soil in the pots was frozen like a rock.I just let them be and about a month later they started putting out new leaves and no die back!.So, I believe your trees will be fine.Don't worry and good luck.

I really want to thank all of you for taking the time to reassure me, provide me with information, and welcome me.  As someone who just discovered figs in the last 2 years (planted on a whim after seeing one at lowes, then tasted my first fresh one this year) I could not know less about them....or be more excited by them!!!!  Why on earth are fresh figs not more popular?  Anyway, I can't tell you how much it means to me to have a place like this where people not only seem to have all the answers, but are kind enough to share them!  I have no doubt that this forum will become one of my top "favorites" though I'll resist the urge to post every time I see a spot on a leaf, etc!  But seeing all those frozen leaves and knowing figs CAN be killed by freezing, I really was very upset about this.  Having just found figs and having no other ready for them (I checked all supermarkets, farmers markets, etc this summer) I would just die if I lost my 2 big ones, and would hate to loose my 4 small ones even though they were just planted this summer.  BTW....you can be sure that by this time next year, my new little 8 acre mini-farm will be COVERED in new fig trees!  Thanks again, folks.

P.S,  I can't believe I got frost in Tennessee before you did in CANADA!  wow.

Hi Thecityman .
In response about the frost in your area compared to poster in Canada well they seem to send their frigid air south in
return for our milder air this time of year !

So far only black spots on some but not all leaves, but no wilted leaves so maybe in the next week or two we will have a killing frost, more leaves are turning yellow now, but I have cut about 75% of the leaves off at the petiole to try and save the abscission zone from damage of a hard frost.  I am sending all the cold air as far south as it will go but I can only be so lucky for so long.

See told you Cityman above poster has plants just turning lol,
but not all the leaves. 
Mine here near south of Chicago have succumb to several hard frosts in the 20s and now in garage since several days ago.

I'm seeing some real surprises here in zone 5a, central NY state, regarding leaves and frost.  Most leaves are yellow, but one very surprising one stayed green right up 'til I brought those few into the house a couple of days ago.  Petite Negri  (I'd have thought for sure they'd have turned yellow early... but they stayed green the longest).  And Culummu Niuru  (a Sicilian variety).  The rest are yellow or bare.  BTW, those Canadian friends have the great lakes to thank for their mild air temps!).

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a

I just looked a little while ago at the neighbour behind me and her tree was all wilted, leaves got hurt by the frost on the whole tree, my neighbor just north of me has his tree in the same condition as me.  I have a slight slope in my yard as does my northern neighbour so I am guessing that she had some frost settled in her yard even though it was 50 feet away from me.

I think a similar weather phenomenon keeps our fall on the mild side until well into December - the Gulf Stream. We can always rely on the Americans to send us a load of hot air - must be BHO prattling on about Ed Snowden, drone accuracy, and his healthcare program. 

We've had 18C for almost the whole of last week, and last year we had around 25C+ around this time - one of our hottest Octobers on record, although it was a lousy summer. My TbF (unknown) is still green, but most of the rest have yellowed and are now shedding leaves and unripe fruit. But we're still a long way off our first frosts.

Thanks a bundle guys. You have no idea how much we love your hot air. So let me give you an idea. There are only a few pleasures left in life that are greater than seeing both honey and bumble bees visiting my loquat blossom in late October in the UK. Roll on next spring, when I hope to see the 'fruits' of their labors.

Costas may you up there have a nice real cold snowy be safe winter !

And by way of returning the compliment, may the blessings of a thousand pigeons fall upon your head!

A 'snowy be safe winter' is not one I'm familiar with, but whatever comes our way this year, I'm prepared this time as far as the loquats are concerned. And if my plan fails, I already have improvements in mind for the following winter. One way or another, we're gonna have us some loquats again.

PS And what do you mean up there? Aren't we roughly the same latitude as Chicago?