watching this fig forum for a few months now and come to the conclusion that there is no hope to expand my fig collection from what i have now.My hardy fig collectionis: hardy Chicago,magnolia,desert king. Here is a picture of what my tree's have to go through.Minus 1 last night, minus 4 tonight.

If you don't have them protected, they will die to the ground with these temperatures. We had -8 in my area, but that's common once in a while and I still get figs that grow well in ground with proper protection.

There's always hope for more luak. Just depends on your methods and determination. Just ask Martin or some of the Canadian guys and others.

That scene does look similar to what I see outside my window here even in zone 6b right now. All my trees are either buried in the ground or in my attic (that's a chore I'm working to eliminate by next winter).

By the way luak, what part of Arkansas are you in? I know for sure that you don't get any colder than where I am in west KY. The very northern edge of Ark is still 6b.

If I can manage, I know you can :-) .

Luak, we did hit -30C this winter and we do have many varieties, potted and brought inside the garage or a cellar where temperature will stay below +8C and above -5C during the dormancy in winter. Then you do not need to worry for hardiness but watch for ripen-ability in the zone location (beside like-ability of the variety). It is a struggle but spiritually worth it.

Sal's (EL) - tested for a decade 30 miles north of us in Connecticut. Then selected by Paul Traceski, and the only fig he kept of the ones he tested for our area. It got to as low as minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit this winter, minus 11 degrees Fahrenheit two winters ago. These are normal lows for our winters in this part of Connecticut. It has also gotten down to minus 21 degrees Fahrenheit during the one of the winters here

These tree's are like childern that i have since the early 80's when i still live in the Chicago area. There i had to buried them every fall and some in the unheated garage that grew in containers. Now they celebrated their 10 anyversary since i retired with very little help. Come spring you will see them fat as ever. I got some more down the slope on the east side with all the other tree's(oriental persimmons, dogwoods).I live on Beaver Lake,N.W Arkansas.

Hi Luak,
those pictures you show are beautiful - thanks for posting them.
Your right about Chicago and having to bury the trees just to cold here other wise left unprotected.

I dont doubt you that yours will be ok there with those temps and snow cover.

I live in Chicago suburb and mine are in unheated attached garage - temps are currently in the teens in garage and pots are frozen but they will be just fine as always.

Bass i look at your website and was amazed at what i saw. It is just out of this world to see that much effort. Thanks Robert Ha. for your thread. I like just 2 more varieties to add that are just Quote on Quote out of this world, that could be grown in the ground. I have some orange tree's in containers that i bring-in in the fall. They are in the garage still in leaves, but it is getting to be a chore to bring in my tropicals.As it is i am giving-away much of fruits in the summer and fall. I was into oriental persimmon just to find-out that there are not that much varieties to grow to make it interesting. I have just 4 or 5 kinds and to find more diffirent ones is nearly fruitles, so i just keep what i got and go-on. It is the same with paw-paw's. I going to keep up with the efforts of this dadecated bunch of swell people in this forum. Thanks Bob.

Lauk, what type of citrus are you growing?

I have a Page orange tree that i bought about 4 years ago at Lowe's here in n.w.Arkansas. It was near death when i bought it at the end of the growing season for a buck and managed to keep it alive and doing well. It has produced a little less than a hundred oranges in the last 3 years. First summer about 7 oranges,then 29 and last fall 41. Some were on the small side, but still good. Thanks for asking, Bob.