My LSU gold that I had in the ground for about 3 months put on some new figs.  If I dont pick them off they should ripen around march.  I dont think this tree knows when it is.  Im thinking wait till the first frost (if any) this january and then pull off all the fruit and leafs.  Then when it starts to grow again in Febuary or March, it will be in sync with all the other trees.  I think it started this growth since we just had 3 days of rain.  It has not lost its leafs yet this year.

First frost in January! We've already had a light freeze in Hotlanta. My idiot unknown has lost it's leaves but I have a few end buds trying to put out new growth. I also pulled the last two green figs off of it today. If it keeps this up I will see it nipped back some before spring.
BTW in this area we don't do anything to protect mature in ground trees. The bad freezes knock them back some but they usually come right back in spring.

That's sure a nice healthy looking tree, Bill. Mine all got hit by our first frost and freeze and look very sad now.

Thanks Fatnsassytexan.  I just planted an Alma and another LSU Gold and the Alma is putting on leafs now.  Im not sure if this will be good if we end up with a cold snap.
In other news, I think I can call my BT officialy dead.  The branches are so dry now they snap.  It has not had a leaf on it since summer.

Bill, if you want some BT cuttings, give me a shout.  I can afford to prune back my BT and I'm happy to help out another member, as other members have helped me.

Hey Bill,

If I were you I'd just leave that tree to do what comes naturally. I'm only saying this because I'm familiar with your climate. I lived for 10 years just about an hour SW of you in Naples. Granted, that is a full agr zone away but consider this. All the citrus down there is just ripening this time of year. Most of the citrus grown in FL is grown in the central part of the state and citrus is far less hardy than figs.

I could be wrong but if it were me I'd just wait and see what happens. I guess my only concern may be just what you're thinking. That is, will it mess the tree up when you do get a frost? I suppose I wouldn't know any more than you on that. Maybe someone here, who's dealt with a  similar situation, will offer some advice.

One thing you could do is build a makeshift "greenhouse" large enough to just set over the whole tree whenever you here that there's a threat of frost on the way. Something as simple as a frame made from those little 1 X 2's (I think they're called ferring strips) covered with some clear plastic might be just enough to protect it until the frost passes. Some of that clear plastic used as a painters drop-cloth is usually pretty cheap at any home improvement store. I don't know how big the tree is but maybe one of those large clear leaf bags would be large enough to do the trick.

So, if it were me, I'd break out my screw gun, a box of screws, some ferring strips, my staple gun or box tape, and some painters drop-cloth (or clear garbage bag). Then then I'd get my fig fork and knife and hope for ripe figs man! In your zone, I don't think it would be an impossible hope. What do the rest of you think?

-Bill. 

If the objective is to protect the tree from nighttime cold temperatures, you may need a different material than clear plastic. Some of them are pretty much transparent to infra-red, and plants will still freeze underneath (as I learned the hard way). You might want to consider a plastic that's made specifically for greenhouses.

Hi Bill.  I was very interested in your post.  All of my figs are sleeping quietly in my fig cellar, except for the Alma and the LSU Gold.  These two varieties have refused to rest and are now putting out new leaves and fruit.  The fig cellar is cool and completely dark, so the leaves and the young figlets have no green pigment on them.  They are a cream color.  I have decided that these two varieties are so vigorous, that they still want to produce and I have decided to bring them into the sun room for the winter.  But it might be better to leave them in the cellar? I'm not sure, but I need to make a decision about them soon.  Has anyone else experienced this?
Eve,
Buffalo, NY zone 6

Thanks all.  Here is what I am thinking but probably isnt so bad for a fig.  When a tree is putting on fruit it does not save energy (sugar), it uses it to make the fruit.  So if I get a frost and all the fruit and leafs get knocked out then will the tree have enough energy to rebound.  I think for a fig, yes, there should be tons of energy, as for a pomgranet or some odd ball fruit, maybe not. 
So with that, Im going to roll with saxonfigs advise and just see how it goes.  At the worst I get a frost and the tree starts over in the spring.

Ill post some progress photos so the northerners can look at something other than sticks.

Again, thanks for the feed back.

Last winter was my first winter at this house, before I was living within 4-5 miles of the gulf.  Now Im about 30 miles inland and we had 2-3 frosts last winter.  Ill expect the same this winter. 

Hey Bill,
oh yes we northerners love looking at figs this time of year for example why below.

Its 14 above zero now and going down to 5 above tonight had a few inches of snow only as we got lucky this time but the cold is hitting us a little early this season.
Glad its still fall season , heck winter does not start for another 2 weeks,
so please keep posting those great pictures for us to enjoy!!!

Glad to help.  Ill save some photos for when you realy get the cabbin fever in February.
(Im from Pennsylvania, I know what your are talking about)
I also enjoy photos of nice snow sceens if your catching my drift.

Bill i understand yes i will show some snow photo's if you show fig photo's !

As promised, here are two more photos of my LSU Gold.  The figs have about trippled in size and I noticed 2 more figs budding.

Bill from last April, wet snow snapped my pussy willlow tree in several places and i was out there cutting the limbs with a now saw as part of it was leaning on my newer fence , it was a cold night doing that!

Here are a few more photos of the same trees.  The healthy looking ones are around christmas time, the others are today after the freeze.









All the figs have nice buds on them, they should take off in a month or so.  Ill keep the photos coming.  I hope my 4 figs make it too!

Hi Bill
looks like the plants are getting or were getting there chill hours.
Im curious whats that purple stamp in the middle of your pictures ?

It's a watermark.  To prevent unauthorized theft/re-use.

Water mark thats what i thought, i would like to learn how thats done perhaps one day.

Dieseler, I sent you info on the water mark.

I just recieved it and many thanks Bill for the information.

The bounce back.  Here are the same fig trees as of today.  There coming back.

Real nice Bill, My trees are in pots and sill have not broken bud as of yet I hope with this warmer weather they will wake up soon. Did you protect your trees in any way this past winter?

I did nothing to protect them, they were froze for about 3 days during the night only.  Our low this winter was 26. 
The bottom photo is a celeste that I bought on ebay 3-4 years ago.  This will be the second full season in the ground.  I have high hopes for this tree and with the nice bud break, I think it will live up to its expectations.  The second photo was in the ground all last summer.  The other two were from Mr James Robin and were planted in the fall. 

Ill keep the photos coming.  Do you want me to start a new thread or keep this one.  I kind of like the historical feel to this thread.

Here are some more photos of my 4 trees.

Very nice Bill looks like you got some breba and your trees look nice Tell us what you think of the Alma and LSU gold when they ripen AND KEEP THOSE PICS COMMING
Sal