Hey Frank
Sorry for your loss.
Many of us in zones 5 and 6 will undoubtedly also feel your pain first hand when we uncover ours.  I have 3 in-ground trees that the covers were tore off in a January storm.  I can't bear to even go over and look at them.  They were 20 years in the ground and produced a bushel of figs each.  Lucky thing I took cuttings back in the fall so I will regrow them.

Not to suggest any false hopes but I have had the tops and even the surface roots of trees killed by winter and they still managed to sprout new shoots and they grew incredibly fast and recovered.  So maybe don't toss them just yet on the off chance that there is still some live roots that will shoot new stems.  This might not happen till later in the summer.

Frank I was sooo upset for you when you told me of your tree loss. I'm happy that you have a great outlook though . Members here are very caring and their generosity is heartwarming.

As I said,  I haven't gotten up enough courage as yet to check my trees . I'm hoping that all our extra insulation efforts helped - we'll see .

Sorry for your loss, I have a 1 gallon atreano for you when you are ready.  Also I would stick with the extra cold hardy varieties like florea, nero 600m, celeste, etc.  Narrow it down to specific varieties you want, then post it here.  I will do what I can.  Hang in there.

Hello My Friend
I am growing an Atreano and calling him Frank. 
He wants to meet you
Coop

Frank, sorry for your loss. I know how heart breaking it is, since last spring I lost several dozen plants of my own. Send me an email with the list of the plants that you need.

Navid.

Frank, Very sorry to hear of your loses. I am in upstate NY Zone 5B and it was brutal up here. If my little ones made it through the long winter ,I may have some spares for you. Please let me know.

         

Thats too bad Frank .
Many years ago i had a celeste and brown turkey in our outdoor shed and they perished.
In attached garage which does get into the teens for weeks at a time in January the figs do just fine.
Sounds like you do not have garage.

As a note 10 year hardy chicago was planted inground and its first winter died almost to soil level.
Now this winter was much more brutal with 25 days of below zero temps with coldest near 20 below
and thats without wind chill factor.

Tree is out there naked with no structure protecting it and the north and west winds can be brutal on our winters. No winter protection other than snow and few leaves at its base.

It looks like it may have some die back when i looked at it recently time will tell.
It was and still an on going experiment.

Dont despair its sometimes fun starting over and watching the fig trees grow.

I continue to be so thankful for all the forum members who have been so generous with their offers of trees, and for the very friendly, upbeat expressions of support and optimism.   I was very dismayed when I first suspected that my special trees were killed, but hey, it happens.  Honestly, I was surprised it didn't happen sooner.

I am treating this whole revolting development of losing my collection as an adventure.  Now, I'll get to grow some new trees and be just as fanatic and obsessive-compulsive with new varieties. 

I pray that this thread doesn't turn into a litany of similar stories.  This was a winter to remember.  Spring is the season of renewal.  So, I'm gonna renewal my collection, and be smarter about storing my trees. At least that's my plan.

MARTIN....you are right.  No garage.  Just a 6ft X 8ft storage shed....filled from top to bottom with crap, fake Christmas Trees, lights, extension cords, tools, and, my trees.  I'm hoping that your in ground 'Hardy Chicago' pulls through with flying colors.  Maybe the deep snow gave it some protection.  You'll know soon enough if it's alive.  Good luck.


Frank

I am afraid this winter was one we will remember for a long time.  Sorry to hear of your losses but am glad you are already planning your rebound! 

(I'm only getting my first cuttings rooted now but would be glad to share any duplicates that take!)

This post is not giving me hope on having inground figs in zone 6a.

Shailesh, well said :)
Ekierk, this thread has rattled me too.
This is the year I'm planting 20 varieties in ground.

Frank, so sorry to read this.  It sounds like you already have a couple offers for a replacement Atreano.  I'll be happy to give you an airlayer of the Red Italian (I started from a cutting you gave me a little over a year ago) later this summer.  Just let  me know.

I always thought that a 2 inch or more diameter would make it much more tolerable to cold temps. I also am rethinking planting this year. Frank, I have a small salem dark start if you'd be interested, I really don't have much.

At first I was not going to start this thread, but I'm glad that I did.  Yes, it's embarrassing to have to admit that I lost my whole collection -which could have been avoided- but some good will come from sharing my BIG FAIL with all you forum members.  This forum is a clearing house for information.  We decide what gets posted, and how this information is going to be used.  We have the luxury, thanks to Jon, to just write and press a button, and instantly share our experiences, good or bad, with the whole world of fig growers.  This is our coterie of fig growers, all sharing the same interests.  It's unique.

Let me again thank all of you for your kind and comforting words and for all the offers of replacement cuttings, and trees.  I'm good.  I have already started to rebuild, but on a smaller scale.  I have some sources for most of my older trees if I need them, even the "Red Italian".

I know some cold-climate growers are worrying about their trees.  Please remember my trees were and still are, all containerized.  So will my new trees. I have no choice.  Grounded, older, trees will react differently to adverse conditions.  In ground trees will take cues from Nature and do what needs to be done to prepare for winter dormancy.  Containerized trees depend on the grower for everything, and can become knocked off their natural schedule if culture is wrong, or worse, poorly timed. 

I killed my trees.  That's the truth.  Yes, the winter was brutal.  I got lazy, and too complacent.  I should have been smarter. I should have gotten my trees in a shed, and I should have given them some heat.  If I did that, this thread would not have to be started.  What's done is done.  Smart growers will learn by my failures.  (Note to self:  Physician, heal thyself....be smarter next time and anticipate and correct adverse conditions).

The new additions to this thread will be written in the weeks to come.  Triumphs and losses will be shared. 

Mother Nature writes The Book, and all we can do is read it.


Frank

Frank, sorry for your figs losses.  Seems like you have a good attitude about it, and are on your way already. 

I uncovered my in ground trees that were well protected and found one ok, and the other the top 2 feet  or so was burnt and brown.  Will likely need a severe pruning, but hopefully is ok.  The one that was OK was hardy Chicago, so I guess that is true to its name.  My low temp I think was -2, so not that low, but the duration of the cold and snow pack i think created an 'ice box' that was too much.    This winter was just incredible hard on lots of plants. There are several mature holly trees around here that are severely winter burned.  

This is a very sad story/event. It has been a brutal 2013-2014 winter, here in the northeast region!

In a few more weeks (when the real 2014-spring springs),
I can only hope that my losses are not that much...

This happened to me two years in a row.
When I first started and before I joined the forums I used to store my fig tree in the backyard shed.
If memory serves me I lost roughly 50 (more or less) trees each year.

It's been good the past few years since I started to store the trees in the garage.
But due to the extreme cold temps we had this past winter I expect some loss.

Right now I have well over 225 different cultivars and adding another 50+.
I will prune some of them soon. I will toss any bad ones and share the good ones with some friends.
I should have done this weeks ago but it's just been too cold. And I've been lazy.

I can put your name on the list if you are interested. I just can't say what for sure at the moment.
It'll be like a box of chocolate.

Good luck

Frank,
Thanks for starting this Topic.
I wasn't planning on posting because we had already conversed on the subject, but I applaud you for this topic and using this incident to aid forum members.

The dormant 5 gallon potted trees came thru this winter quite well with only minor tip dieback from the cold. They were stored on an open porch in a temporary lean-to shelter made of 2" Foam boards with a common wall to a heated space that was maintained above 60 deg F. The temperature in the lean-to never fell below 15 deg F. Next winter I will be adding a separate heater for the lean-to to keep the temperature just above 30 deg F. My only casualties were 12 buckets that were laid on their sides in an experiment to see if this would help in storage. These were also not affected by the cold but were eaten and gnawed by rodents, they were the only plants that suffered rodent damage. The dormant 1 gallon and smaller trees were stored inside in an unheated room, but were more severely affected by the prolonged cold spells. Also the transplanted in ground Noladark tree was left unprotected and only the 3/8" and smaller limbs have any visible damage.


The in ground trees in NYC all  have up to 12" of dieback on 1 year old branches and dieback of most branches smaller than 3/8". I will be pruning 5 of the NYC trees this week, but dont think that there will be much salvageable wood for cuttings. The in ground Bryantdark Espalier was also not damaged by the cold.
Good Luck with the rebuilding

Hi Pete-

Thanks for the additional information.

Interesting to read about the documented results and your observations regarding your storage methods.  Glad also that damages were minimal.

Within the next weeks figs will be breaking bud.  Bronx trees will be on my bucket list for visiting, and to see what damages this winter has caused.  I took note of what you observed regarding die-back on the original grounded trees that you discovered.  I am so happy that those trees will survive, and it's good to read that your espalier wasn't damaged.

Good luck with your trees, and thanks for all your help.


Frank

would love to help you out as well frank
keep me posted
eli

Philadelphia, lots of people talk about southern exposure for fruit trees.
Having moved to a property with lots of plants and trees, I have been reading A LOT about these things, so forgive me, I don't know where I read this bit:
If you plant fruit trees with southern or eastern exposure, the sun will warm up the branches of a fruit tree before the soil gets warm, and will cause desiccation of the fruit buds.
The idea (in whatever it was that I read) being that by planting on the North-South-West side gives a tree's roots the chance to warm up with ambient temperatures before the fruit buds and growing tips. I feel like it was an article about grapes or peaches, but the information stuck with me.
Just another point of view worth pondering.
Of course, with heavy mulching, the root zone can be kept warmer...

Wow, Frank. Very, very sorry to read of your loss.

A loss is a loss, but fortunately figs can be propagated from cuttings, and do grow relatively fast, and most bear fruit when young. 

Sincere good luck, Gina.

Philadelphia Gardener,
The Bryantdark espalier is "out in the open" , but as with most tree in NYC backyards, its not really open.
I've been taking pictures to document the hardiness of several of the trees from which I've collected cuttings, attached are a few pictures of this winters damage.
      .


Ruuting,
That info is useful and applicable for fruit trees that produce fruit buds, which if opened could be killed by a late frost. Its not as applicable to figs because the main crops are produced on new wood. The only figs that may be damaged would be the breba crop (that's why Desert King isn't more popular in the northeast) . Also figs need the additional warmth that is provided by the south facing exposure for better fig production and ripening.

Frank, really sorry to hear of this disaster for you.  Thanks for sharing this information - I understand and appreciate your concern for the rest of us. 

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This whole thread epitomizes why I appreciate all the people on this forum.

Frank has always been ready to share information and suggestions with those who are new to fig growing, both here and on the Garden Web forum.  And now - suffering really a heartbreaking loss, he unselfishly shares his story with the rest of us so that we hopefully will not suffer the same in the future.

And the outpouring of sympathy and offers for replacements is truely heartwarming.