So out I'm my yard I planted a Hardy Chicago, Peters Honey, and Celeste last year their from about 2 years old and the honey fig tree is 3 years old. Anyway I live on the line of 7a and 6b. I didn't really worry too much about winter weather hurting the cold hardy figs with winter protection. I wrapped the figs with some light winter protection just in case but I was not expecting how cold it was going to be this year. Temperatures dropped as low as 2 degrees the coldest it's been in years from what I can remember. I was defiantly concerned. Well about a week ago I cut all the trees just enough into the bark just enough to see if I could find any life. NO green at all, just total white and brown. I did a major face palm. The only tree that showed any life was the black mission tree in my garage, which was green under the bark. Im pretty disappointed, any hope the trees will recover? I'm a first time fig grower and was really looking forward to them baring fruit. Will they grow back from the roots? If so how quick? Any advice? Tips? I appreciate anyone taking the time to read and respond. Thanks

[QUOTE=alanmercieca]The only way to tell if they are alive is are they flexible, if they snap when you bend them they are dead. Fig trees are never green inside except on the very new growth, growth where even the bark is green.[/QUOTE]. I did notice the honey fig (the tallest) hump over all most touching the ground when it was coldest. It did spring back up strait when it got warmer outside.

Welcome to the forum - wish you had a happier first post!  I imagine you won't be the only one on the forum to have a rude surprise when they unwrap their trees.  My winter sounds similar to yours.  My two in ground trees (Kathleen's black and Sicilian Red) had a layer of burlap followed by a tarp on the outside.  Hopefully that will be enough.  I think I'll unwrap next week after the next predicted cold snap.

[QUOTE=Longshot]So out I'm my yard I planted a Hardy Chicago, Peters Honey, and Celeste last year their from about 2 years old and the honey fig tree is 3 years old. Anyway I live on the line of 7a and 6b. I didn't really worry too much about winter weather hurting the cold hardy figs with winter protection. I wrapped the figs with some light winter protection just in case but I was not expecting how cold it was going to be this year. Temperatures dropped as low as 2 degrees the coldest it's been in years from what I can remember. I was defiantly concerned. Well about a week ago I cut all the trees just enough into the bark just enough to see if I could find any life. NO green at all, just total white and brown. I did a major face palm. The only tree that showed any life was the black mission tree in my garage, which was green under the bark. Im pretty disappointed, any hope the trees will recover? I'm a first time fig grower and was really looking forward to them baring fruit. Will they grow back from the roots? If so how quick? Any advice? Tips? I appreciate anyone taking the time to read and respond. Thanks[/QUOTE]

Don't do anything for a month. If they grow good If they grow from the ground then cut the dead branches.
If the don't grow at all in 3 months replant against a south facing foundation wall

[QUOTE=alanmercieca]The only way to tell if they are alive is are they flexible, if they snap when you bend them they are dead. Fig trees are never green inside except on the very new growth, growth where even the bark is green.[/QUOTE]. Well what i really done was the universal "scrape test" to see if it were alive. But instead of a scrape I took only a small slice with a knife on the main trunk. But maybe there is still a chance.

I would not do anything until June. If the top is dead you will know for sure where to cut by then. I had the top die on a Celeste and HC and they both grew back from the ground and I still got figs that year, but they ripened later in the season than normal. Do not despair!

I am in about the same boat as you longshot. I covered my young trees, but they don't look good now that I have uncovered them. I am hoping the tops survived, but who knows?

Even if a branch appears dead don't cut it too quickly, it could still have some life in it. Give until the middle of June to see if it sprouts. You'll definitely know by then. If the branches are froze then it will more than likely sprout from the roots. Unfortunately I've had that happen too many times. Hardy Chicago re-sprouts for me and still ripens 90% of the figs.

My HC died. it was dead! just a year old.  I watered it like I did the others,  and branches came up from the dirt.  I would not be digging them up yet. Nor I would do any pruning yet. Let it all leaf out first and acess the trees later.  Sometimes they do surprise us.

don't do anything to them till night temp is above 50. they might leaf out. and if they are dead, they might sent a new sucker from under the ground. 

Hi longshot,
I don't touch them until august - if they are alive they'll come back .
In 2011, I started cutting the branches on a tree, and all of a sudden I knew I shouldn't have cut the last branch ... But it was too late.
The branch looked dried, but it was not as dry as the other ones. That is how I knew - so basically, you know when you cut them and not before.
So for me, the best approach is to not cut until august .

As for die back on branches, I'm really deceived .This winter was mild here - min night temp of -10°C/-15°C - , and I see dead buds on my BT but not on "goutte d'or" ... Go figure ... Isn't BT supposed to be the cold hardiest strain ?
My BT and my goutte d'or are 5-10 meters away one from the other on the same line...

You're not going to know until spring gets here.  I am also right on the same line as you.  I think my Hardy Chicago is fine, but it's about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, so not a tiny tree.  I didn't protect it at all and it dropped to 1 degree twice this winter.

If the top wood died, you may get suckers coming back up, I have had several trees die to the ground only to shoot up suckers, just leave it and forget it, as suggested if by august he isn't back, just cut him out.

Same situation with several dozen plants here in south louisiana. 2 weeks ago We cut them back to living wood, some only Half inch, gave them shot of Miracle grow ,put them in sun and already half of them are leaf n out.! We have Breba on trees here and frost might be on the way because the pecan trees are holding back. So I would wait a while in your zone,, Terry Sunset, La z9

I had a couple of fig trees last winter (2012/2013) that died right back to the ground(frozen solid)...I thought all hope was lost, but by the end of April they were shooting out new growth, and by the end of the season they were all flushed out and even produced some ripe figs...someone once said   "it ain't over 'til it's over"....good luck with your trees.

Hi all, 
I have never uploaded pictures. This is my first time. I'm doing it via Photo Bucket. 
We had a harsh winter, but some trees that I thought died came back. I wanted to share some pictures.

http://s42.photobucket.com/user/luigil/slideshow/

My Noire de Caromb is just breaking dormant buds in the last couple days, i don't think I will keep it around but they will come back.