Yes, the sun is shining. It was minus three this morning. We have ten inches of snow on the ground, and another inch forecast for tonight. Then minus ten for Wed. night, and minus eight for Thurs. That's hardcore cold for zone six.

But, it's not a polar vortex. They promised no polar vortex's this winter, and, they'll call them anything but that. Well, I want the polar vortex's back. We didn't get the snow, or temperatures this low with them.

My wife is stuck at her brother's in NC, on her way back from Fla. How's that for timing.

I did wrap my one in ground fig. Did I wrap it for minus ten? I kind of doubt it. I'm doing some rethinking about how big I'm going to have to get them in the pot before I put them in the ground. Then there's the question, if you've taken the time to raise them to that size, how hard is it going to be to risk them in the ground knowing you've subject to that kind of cold? The semi-pit greenhouse is getting bigger, in my mind, and the grove is getting smaller.

I have a idea. Get swimming pool noodles or pipe wrapp insulation and put around branches and trunk!!! I was born in denver but been in Louisiana since 1972. I think i miss the,snow but it would probably get bothersome after awhile. I was a kid and made snowmen, Igloo's. Sled rides. Camping etc. And its beautiful when the snow first comes overnight and nobody steps on it. When i was young i didnt want my brothers and sisters to not touch or step on it. Lol. But i am the youngest out of,six. So no go. But back to your figs. I think pipe insulation may be easy to use and leave it on there it seems it will let it breather and keep harsh wing off and,some,of the cold.
Richie from louisiana zone #8

You're worse off in KY than we are here in KC, MO.  Are you in the mountains?  A green house is always better than out in the open for those of us with real winters.  Second best is dormant in a climate controlled area that doesn't go under 33 or so.  I have mine set for 35 because that's the lowest my heaters go.

So why did my CdDG die?  I found out it had been girdled.  The bark must taste superior to other plants just like the fig does.

What? Girdled? Do explain. Just curious

Richard,

I believe he's implying a rodent was chewing on the wood.

Rodent, slug, fungus, insect, who knows?  The bark and cambium disappeared in a patchy fashion all around the soil line. 

Oh. We dont use those big words in the south,, lol

The "new and improved" forecast is for -10 tonight, a high of 5 tomorrow, and then -14 tomorrow night. Oh yes, and, we've got another inch of snow. We seem to have slipped out of zone 6 and in to the twilight zone. My tractor is 4 wheel drive and I scraped the driveway out to the pavement yesterday. My neighbor tried it in her jeep, and still couldn't get up the steep spot. So I'm stuck in the twilight zone. Or, maybe it's fimbulwinter.

Some of my indoor plants are starting to break dormancy, so I've been taking cuttings, shaping, and up potting. Things to do during fimbulwinter.