Mid-Missouri zone 6b. Got our first frost Oct 16, 2024 (26 F). It kocked all the leaves off our Hardy Chicago and two Improved Celeste figs inground in our orchard. Last night, temp dropped to 23F, so tomorrow I will set a barrel over each tree. This will be their third winter inground. Last winter was hard on all our fruit trees, killing the figs to the roots. They were late coming up due to the very cool spring. All three produced some figs, but not many.
I have two more Hardy Chicago figs growing on the south side of our garage. Their leaves looked healthy and good until last night. That 23 degrees got them. I will wrap them in a few days or so.
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Are you using 55 gallon poly drums or wood barrels? That’s a good idea, by the way. Are you going to protect with any additional materials inside like straw, wood chips or anything like that?
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My first fig roots have started to appear. Its on my DFIC0023 F. Carica x palmata. I plan on using it for rootstock because of its vigorous growth (which can hopefully outgrow RKN). Not a shocker that its roots are noticable first.
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@sharq
I would add granulated sulfur to the soil in the planting hole and reapply to the surface at least annually.
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Fig Air Layer Question: I have one 40 inch vertical branch of Campaniere I want to turn into two air layers simultaneously- one above the other. Any reason this won’t work? Won’t do until first week of June.
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I’d start when leaves first emerge from leaf buds and ensure at least two leafing buds are between the layerings. Keeping sunlight out is key.
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This is my first time ever with fig cuttings. I had to use some rubber bands on the top because the grafting tape wouldn’t stick to itself and kept coming off. Tried to put the tomato tape as close to the soil as possible. Does this look okay? Any advice.
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That doesn’t look like parafilm but more like Saran Wrap. Buds may have a tough time breaking through.
Personally I would get parafilm M - the one with paper backing.
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@ABugInAHug
It takes some practice and patience with yourself 
. You probably noticed that parafilm-type grafting tape stretches a little. You need to wrap with just enough stretch for it to cling to the cutting but too much can be a problem.
I like to pre-cut the tape so I’m not wrestling with the roll. Estimating the length needed takes practice and sometimes I need a do-over. Pre-cut also makes it easier at the top. The length needs to extend beyond the top to allow overlap above the cutting. But some of mine open up above the top anyway. Some of those root so I just vow to do better next time.
Ramv makes a good point about growth pushing through the parafilm. It will have difficulty if there is too much overlap.
Another good point is that it is rare for all cuttings to root – even if they have sprouted leaves.
I’m not sure why you have put film over your pots. This could encourage rot. The media needs to aerate at the top and drain at the bottom.
Today:
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Does anyone have advice specifically with Violette de Bordeaux? Some places online claim it is a small fig at only 6-10ft tall (Violette de Bordeaux Fig Tree), while others claim it is just a normal fig height.
If it really is a smaller tree, I plan to space it 8ft from my other trees. Otherwise, it’s getting 10ft of room.
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It is not a smaller tree but slower growing. Some people who need to control size use it as a rootstock. I’ve grown it now for 10 years each in two different southern California locations. Out of over 600 fig cultivars it is the best tasting and most disease resistant of them all.
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Thank you! I’ll give it 10ft and expect it to grow very slowly.
I plan to plant it as one of the two fig trees I’ll grow (and probably graft onto it when I can’t resist a new variety). I plan to plant it and an Italian honey (wanted a different flavor profile).
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@zone7a
I recommend you try this for your 2nd tree:
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Excellent fig especially caprified. I got rid of mine because of splitting issues. But mine was in a 7g container and because of the hot summer had to water every day. Plus I have a large established Peters Honey a few doors down and that fig is really tough to beat for a honey fig.
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It is grafting tape, or at least it was sold as that…I have purchased some ParaFilm and might have to wait a week for it. Hopefully the moisture won’t leak out the tops in the meantime.
Thanks for all the advice! I think the grafting tape I got was very cheap, because even with stretching, it didn’t stick to itself. I’ve ordered parafilm, but should I only replace the top portion or unwrap the entire cutting? I worry about disturbing it too much. I did not double-wrap with the grafting tape, but did let it overlap each turn to try and lock in moisture.
I actually have the pots in produce bags (which I shamelessly grabbed from a local supermarket haha). I am following the combined fig pop and tree pot method. The idea is supposedly that the bag will retain moisture like the fig pop method, and doing it in a tree pot will prevent the need to transplant and potentially lose rooted cuttings to shock. These are the guides I followed:
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@ABugInAHug
I wouldn’t disturb your cuttings. Think of it as the first of many experiments.
Consider trying this next time:
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I wonder if this ripens early enough for zone 7a?
Good. You should be concerned with stretching it over exposed portions of the cutting, with a little overlap on the film below.
Richard not sure but Lou Monti grows it in Zone 7B here’s a video of them. He grows figs in 2 locations I’m not sure which one his PH is in but I would bet he grows them in both since it’s his favorite honey fig growing it for over 28 years.
Here’s the Peters Honey I eat but they’re caprified. Sorry about the really pics and lighting. They’re big super tasty and highly prolific.
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