The important thing, I think, is to understand that it is primarily warmth from the ground that provides protection. The wraps purpose is to capture that warmth more than to insulate the tree. The main benefit of insulation is to keep the warmth where it is, but a tree doesn’t generate warmth… the ground does. A frame helps.
However, now that I’ve given the issue some thought I think wrapping and bringing trees inside is a complete waste of time- Just use soil topped with heavy mulch and you will sustain a nice low tree that will produce all the fruit you likely will need if you aren’t drying it.
So obvious, and so not done in the U.S… but I just found out that the method is common is parts of Europe and Asia.
I did not have a bale of straw or enough mulch to totally bury my fig.
The last two years, I have put a wire cage around the fig, piled some big scoops of mulch a couple inches high on the bottom and then piled leaves on top filling the cage. Every now and then, if the leaves looked like they’d sunk, I’d pile more on so it was totally buried and the leaves were pretty packed. I actually think because the leaves were pretty dense it stayed reasonably dry inside.
My figs are small and the main shoots only died back at the tip, even though we had some pretty long, cold spells.
This year, with one fig, I decided to try training it to the ground. I’ve seen this called the Japanese method or “step over figs” like this: Step over figs.
I am not fancy so I just took the two largest shoots and pinned them to the ground with those big landscape staples. For that fig, it was very easy to bury.
I think @TNHunter is basically doing both of these things (cutting off the fruiting shoots while leaving big main branches & burying his fig) and I sort of copied him but ended up using what materials I had available.
I live in a brick house with a concrete porch which extends over soil. Heat from the house warms the brick and concrete. Which warms local soil.
I have a Florea on a low cordon. It produces branches for about eight feet. The cordon survives. I usually cut and sell the branch’s. I don’t have time these days. I’ll remove in the spring.
Houses here in suburban paradise are close and the ground between them warms a touch.
Bottom right is an unknown fig. No protection. This is just an experiment. Second year there.
So try to take advantage of micro environments on your property.
I grow red pink and black currants here. They do very well not needing full sun. Although this is a southern exposure the houses block some light. My house faces south.
