I picked up two grown locally that are a year old. One Celeste and one Brunswick.

The problem with my zone is that we NEVER know what kind of winter we are going to get.  It can be very mild to freezing.  Typically mild, with freezing every few years.  I tried planting a fig tree a few years ago and it died but it was a different variety. Mission if I recall.  They grow great in Phx area, not so much where I am which is 2 plus hours north at 5000ft elevation.

I am planning to winter these in my garage this winter.

How old until I can permanently plant them without worrying about winter?  2 or 3 yrs?  Any advice appreciated.  TIA

Forgive me if I'm off base but Z7b is a lot colder than freezing every few yrs. At 5000ft in AZ 7b sounds about right, maybe even generous. I'd think you'd see 10-15F most winters.

I say that because it is pertinent to giving a decent answer. In 7B you should be able to plant those figs next spring and be as good as waiting a couple more yrs.

We just never know is the problem.  It could freeze for a few days then get warm again. It can be mild all winter.  It can be cold all winter.  I've seen all scenarios.

So you think maybe permanently planting around 3 yrs old would be best?  I just want to make sure on what I do with these so they don't die.

I am in 7a.  I also grow Celeste and Brunswick. And had one Mission Black die on me.  I now wait till a tree is either 2 or 3 years old before planting them in-ground. If the stems are about 1"-2" in diameter they seem to be able to handle freezes with less damage. I put in another Mission Black a year ago last summer and although it has proved a bit more tender than either the Celestes or Brunswicks, it made it through its first winter.  If your tree proves to be too tender for your environment, would consider replacing it with a fig from the Mt. Etna family.  I have about half a dozen different ones and they seem to handle our weather quite well.

Everything I have read about Black Mission fig says it is not very cold hardy.  This article recommends for Texas to plant in the south part of the state, which would be zone 9.
http://www.texasgardener.com/pastissues/marapr08/Figs.html

So ironic - I used to live in Sicily under Mt Etna.  I was stationed there and have been in those mountains (chestnut picking though).  I'll look into that variety as well.  Sounds like I'm on the right track though letting the two I have now hibernate in my garage over the next few winters.  I'll repot in larger pots each year until I finally plant.  thank you 

Hi Perry,
Well, Zone7 is the limit for growing fig trees outside.
That being said, I mean , you better provide some protection every winter. I'm in that boat too .
I've been growing an hedge to cut the wind blow as this has a huge effect on the "wind chill".
I've been using dark trashcans to provide some sheltering to the trunks.
As I see it, I will do it every winter, but that's easy to setup and those protections won't tare like other plastic sheeting used by others for sheltering ...
Take your chance ! But if you loose ...

By the way, I don't think that Brunswick is really suited to our zone ... You'd better try Hardy Chicago, Sal's , Dalmatie, Longue d'aout, EBT , Desert king.

Early i have also think, that havy have Figs in 7 b. Just i have good hard Variity: Brown Turkey... and Seedlings from North Afghanistan, so the Problems finish. The Trees grow bigger and bigger and have more and more Fruit. I am lucky and grow more Seedlings. In this Winter i have make 400 new Seedlings. In Spring they come outside.

I wonder why some places won't ship Chicago hardy to AZ?

I live in zone 7b-8
I have 70+ fig trees in ground.
I root in winter then transplant in early march to the ground.

Die back to the ground is common in my zone
for the first couple years of growth.
They almost always have grown back from the ground come spring.
Each year I get less die back as the tree gets older.
It has been average about 3 years old for the in ground before I stopped getting the winter
die back.
Doug

jdsfrance, I really appreciated your response. We also have ALOT of wind.  So much so that our peach trees bloom beautifully each year with lovely buds and then the wind kills them.  We also have issues with early springs - and then a hard freeze.  Maddening. Rule of thumb here is not to plant veggies until late May when all the snow has melted from Flagstaff Mtns.

My other problem is I only having growing land on south, west, and north of house.  This makes growing certain veggies very difficult. Pumpkins, zucchinis do great on west side.  Tomatoes & peppers not so much.  This year I experimented with containers on E. side of house and they did great.  Getting garbage sized pales for greater yield on tomatoes and peppers for next season but I digress.

I'm looking into the hardier figs.  I'm also going to ask a nursery up here why they don't sell the hardy ones.  I don't mind babying them for a few years in pots in the ground and then putting in garage for winter.  I also have a few spots where I could plant up against the house if that would help.