Good day, does any of forum friends have a VdB planted outside up North? Just wondering how hardy the tree is. If you have one planted outside and live in 6 or 7, do you winterize your tree? What methods of winterizing do you take?

Thanks,

I set up my young tree in a corn stalk teepee last winter, it died to the ground anyway. I will bend it down to the ground and cover this year and hope it does better.

dennis - try check in with marius...i believe he has one that is potted in ground, just south of cleveland

Thanks guys. I haven't planted mine in the ground yet. All of mine are in pots but I want to place one in the ground. But if it dies to the ground like Black Mission, then it's best to just leave it in the pot. Fig have a different taste when planted in the ground. Last year I planted trees in the ground based on how fast they grew. That theory worked great last year. I had 3 trees, Smith, Alma, and Hunt dido not develop any figs worth eating until I placed them in the ground. Smith, Alma, and Hunt produced some excellent tasting figs this year.

I have room for about 20 more trees in my orchard. I am trying to decide which one to put in my orchard. I got several VdBs and would like to place one there. My Ronde de Bordeaux does very well in my orchard. It's getting big! The only winter protection I give it is a thin wrapping of burlap. This year I will cover my trees with a Shrub jacket filled with leaves. I just wonder how the figs will taste once planted in the ground. Thanks!

Hi Dennis,

Last November I gave away few fig trees to my aunt who lives in Charlotte, NC. One was a VdB in a 5 gallon pot, she planted it in ground late Nov. and it survived the winter without no protection. Matter of fact all the trees that I gave her survived the NC's winter in ground.


Navid.

My 2 cents...

Navid, that is great news!  I have 3 or 4 that are about 3 years old in 15 gallon pots.  My Atreano, LSU Purple and Byadi had not damage outside all winter.  However, my LSU Gold did.  I played taps as I tossed it in the trash.  I discarded my Brunswick fig like H2 recommended and that sucker started growing again on the trash pile.  So, I'm going to have to burn it.

Thanks George.  My GM#9 and GM#14 that I got from you 2 years ago are planted in my orchard and doing very well.  You have some very nice fig trees and I am so happy to have them here in Charlotte.  We usually have a mild December.  But the bad weather comes in Jan and Feb; bad weather being ice and snow and more ice!  What I plan on doing is placing a shrub jacket over those that are about 3 years old.  I would hate to loose my large Smith tree so I got a jacket for it too.  There are some like Black Celeste and Strawberry that I have to protect.  This year I did not get any figs from my Strawberry fig tree.  It was the only tree in my orchard that did not produce, and Black Mission.  I plan on digging up my Black Mission and keeping it in a pot. 

Hi Dennis,

In my Backyard Violette did well,with a plywood box filled with dry leaves.
I would recommend that protection to anyone that have young figs in cold climates.

would this work in nova scotia? Zone 5

I'm in 7b, southeast Virginia. I have a VdB and Negronne (Edible Landscaping) in ground. They are both 4 years old and remain uncovered during the winter. They are sheltered from the wind against a 6-foot fence and receive full sun. Neither plant has suffered any die-back of mature growth.

Hi, I put  my VdB in the ground in spring 2010. It made it through the first winter without problem, the only think I did was mulch it with about three inches of weat straw. The tree was only about two feet tall when I planted it.

Karla

Thanks guys for all your comments. All of my VdBs are in 15g pts. I've made room to add 20 more trees to my orchard, two will be VdB. Thanks