Only have a couple in ground, so limited information, but I figure every data point and learning helps.
I have a 3 year old Gino's Black and 4 year old MB VS in ground, planted on the South side of my house, about 4 feet from the house.

1) This was the first year in ground for each.

2) Neither were sufficiently hardened off and had late growth (common to first year in ground trees?) and had leaves I cut/pulled off when I covered for the winter.

3) Had to cover because a hard freeze was predicted for the next several days. (mid 20's)

4) As part of the protection I included mothballs, placed in a small plastic coke bottle, to deter rodent damage, placed near the base of each.

5)  Like most of the country we had a colder than normal winter.  Had a couple stretches where the temperature stayed in the single digits with wind chill well below zero for 4-5 days in a row.  Much of the winter we saw teens and low 20's for lows, with highs staying below freezing.

5) Uncovered both this past weekend.



A)  Gino's Black:  Was still limber enough to bend to the ground and I did so to protect.  Covered with a couple old towels, then and old, "old style canvass tarp".  Topped that with a cheap blue "plastic weave" tarp.  Anchored all sides with 4x4 posts

        Results:  NO WINTER DAMAGE.

B)  MB VS:  Was unable to bend to ground w/o cutting roots, so I did not.  Took ratchet strap and pulled all branches together into a silo looking structure.  Wrapped with pink fiberglass insulation.  Wrapped with cheap blue "plastic weave" tarp.  Was afraid of insulation getting soaked with water and causing issues so topped it all with heavy duty black trash bag and secured all with duct tape.

       Results:  The black plastic trash bag was a mistake as it did not allow venting resulting in moisture build up.  The inside of the "silo" was wet and portions of the insulation was damp.  Had slight mold growth on the top 1/3 of the tree.  BUT it looks like despite this, only 2-4" tip damage on most of the branches, 2' damage on one, thinner, greener when covered branches.  I do not know how much of this was caused by my mistake in not letting things vent and moisture built up.

Thank you for the info.

I'll add mine single report from 6b in Pennsylvania. 1 tiny BT dropped in the ground September is toast. Due to real life getting in the way it was never really covered properly, just some leaves thrown on top in January after we already hit 0 degrees. Unless roots push out growth (doubtful) there's nothing left.

Careful with th emold, I lost a good 6 feet on all my step over figs because I tented the blanket instead of wrapping if the bark slips off easily then it will be rotten.

Hi Greg I tie up the tree vertically then tie around pink fiberglass insulation, then put leaves around the base and cover it all with a blue vented tarp, which I tie around the tree, I have never had die back or mold, not even this winter. The tarps breathe fairly well but by wrapping them well and vertically, I have never had moisture get inside them.

Chivas and Rafael,
I think the moisture and mold got me.  I will be sure to not use the plastic and make sure it is vented.

Hi,
On one of my trees, I got mold due to a forgotten fig I left hanging on the figtree.
When I removed the plastic bag from over the tree, the fig was all mold and silk sticked to the trunk where the mold had turned the trunk to brown .
That tree was a bit special, as it was tared apart from the mother plant in May 2013, and so it was jung and too softy.
If everything goes well, out of the 5 branchlets one is alive and will make brebas - which would be already a good start ...
In fact in fact is sort of an experience, and the lesson is learned. I should have waited a year more to tare it apart from the mother tree !
It was a branch I bent down and allowed to root - It stayed like that a year or two, and so I thought it was enough.
But the mother tree is nether watered so not an easy situation to deal with for the small tree ...