Due to the illinois winter we had this past season All of my figs have been top killed. even the hardy chicago. now today while mowing i noticed some new shoots comming up from the unknowns. so far nothing from my knowns. i just hope i get to eat some figs this year.

Two of my three inground were top-killed, even though I covered them. It took a long time for they to show signs of new life, but they are coming back. The Hardy Chicago was the last to make shoots. So keep your hope, they will probably come back, but it may be even as late as June before you see anything.

In fall of 2012 "afigfan" sent me a nice one-gallon JH Adriatic. I put it in the ground and it appeared to be thriving, but then suddenly crashed. Upon closer inspection I saw that the drip emitter was constantly oozing water, which saturated some mulch in direct contact with the trunk, causing a wide ring of bark to rot and slough off right at the ground. I was very disappointed, as that was a variety I had really wanted. The trunk eventually dried out to nothing but a brittle stick, so I pulled it up. As I was about to throw it away I noticed one or two live-looking roots, so I stuck it back in a one-gallon pot and left it in a shallow tray that gets watered every day. It took several weeks, but eventually it sent up a tiny shoot and is now back in the ground, doing great. I know it's not the same as freeze damage, but the point is that figs are pretty resilient and will often survive major setbacks.

best of luck, dave.

i've just put my plants inground here in 6a, so i gotta ask.

what protection did you give them? what would've worked better?

PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES!!!  PLEASE:)