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how to protect a fig outdoors in winter?

Hello, 


It's not possible for me to overwinter a small young fig tree indoors in a garage. I live in Vancouver, BC so our winters are mild but can possibly go down -10 degrees celsius very briefly in a really bad spell like last winter. The fig tree is about one year old and is about 1.5 feet tall in a two gallon pot. How can I protect it if I leave it outdoors?

Bury it completely (roots and stem)? Bury the pot and roots only and cover the stem with a blanket? Should I protect it only when the weather hits below -10 celsius or throughout our mild winter? 

Thanks for your help, 
Ammuni 
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Hmmm. Hard for me to tell what Zone you are:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-nw1.html

Here in Zone (supposed) 6a in NW ARkansas, I use a thick layer of straw held in place with small hogwire teepee's on  my *shrubs* --not trees-- which are pruned to 12" main stems. We have not had enough winter moisture in recent years to nuke the insulating capacity of the straw. In fact, I've got the straw in the back of my truck & will bed them down this evening (20 deg. F predicted).

But your BURYING idea is foolproof in my opinion, as long as the ground does not freeze!
Not sure what normal is any more but we have only seen a handful of nights in single digits here in 12 years.
Hope this helps.
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Hi fyvfigs, 


Thanks for your reply. Vancouver, BC is usually considered Zone 7 but I live in an elevated area of Vancouver, so I believe my microclimate zone is probably more of a zone 6. 

I think  I will bury the fig since it is so small and easily buried. However, I don't understand the caution about the ground freezing. Don't people bury their fig trees in climates with cold winters, snow, and the ground does freeze? 

Any idea how deep a fig tree needs to buried to be overwintered? 

Ammuni
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See http://figs4fun.com/basics_Pruning.html towards the bottom.
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Best & simplest thing to do is to bring it in since its small.  I have left my 2 gallon fig tree of similar height buried right to the rim & had a large pot covering them & they survive in Chilliwack.
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