Here’s my version I made today of Scott’s aluminum backed bubblewrap fig envelope. Many, many staples along three edges and a box of ground staples with 20 bricks all around bottom edge. Then I mounded mulch over the edge. Before covering I put a cardboard box over the fig stems so they wouldn’t poke through the wrap. I split the two end joints about 5 inches so they’d lay flat on ground.
If I do this again I might try to make a tall cone of bubblewrap with just one long joint I can tape with Gorilla tape. And I’d use say 6 inch ground staples instead of 4 inch. And I’d do it December. I have three winterizing methods in place, will report in Spring. Thanks to everyone for tips!
Here in Maryland I see one 11 degree day forecast next week. That would be coldest so far this winter season. Am tempted to throw a second tarp over a couple young figs if that would help. Or just leave it to Fate.
Temp is supposed to do the same thing here Saturday, I have my HC in pots though and inside, they are just now waking up , I was hoping they would stay asleep another month
So I figured I would share this IFTTT applet that has been super useful in alerting me when I need to be extra careful in protecting my figs.
I modified it in the following ways:
Description: If tomorrow’s low drops below 20°F, then email me to protect figs Alert Temp: 21°F Subject: Hard freeze warning - {{TomorrowsDate}} Body: <a href="{{ForecastUrl}}"></a><img src="{{ConditionImageURL}}"><br> A low of {{LowTempFahrenheit}}F ({{LowTempCelsius}}C) and {{TomorrowsCondition}} tomorrow, {{TomorrowsDate}}. Make sure your figs are protected!<br>
When I get that alert I go out and plug in the cord which goes to the temperature controller set to keep things above 22°F which turns on a small heater. Only had to do that a handful of times so far this winter, and is better than keeping it plugged in all the time.
I think the more important thing is to protect figs from a sudden and steep drop in temperature (going from an average low of 30°F to a sudden low of <10°F) rather than keeping them always above a certain temp. So if you are in a colder climate like 6a/b and have a steady low of 20-25°F you might get away with setting alerts below something like 15°F.
I usually don’t cover my Figs
But this year I layed this bush down.
It has multiple shoots 6 ft tall
I took a bale of straw , made a small ring of straw in a circle on the ground,
To form a kind of gasket.at ground level.
Then pushed the shoots over , putting cardboard and straw in alternating layers on it.
Maybe 4~5 layers.
One bale of straw,… A lot of cardboard
Left several shoots sticking up , as a control.
This morning it was 13 outside. Strong wind.
Stuck a meat thermometer down to the ground, 35 deg.F
This was fairly easy to do.
And I think when I uncover it .I will just use the straw / cardboard for mulch.
Just hope it’s not a bunch of voles down there keeping it warm.
How about one of those wifi devices that you can turn on with your computer or phone that turn the plug on? I bet there is an APP for that, that would turn the plug on when it reached a certain temp… or better yet… I have a plug that has a built in temp meter on it that turns on my tractor heater when it gets below a certain temp… Heck you could sleep in and not worry about getting up : )
Well the temp controller would automatically turn on the heater below a certain temperature if I left it plugged in all the time. I will likely leave it plugged in all next year, now I’m just trying to learn if its reliable enough.
Replying to my own thread to say that this worked! So easy, just a wire cage filled with leaves protected my fig through a pretty harsh Maryland winter. Looking forward to getting lots of figs this summer!
I did that same leaf method winter before last here in Md and lost my Adriatic JH but not Takoma Violet or Battaglia Green. From now on I will pile one foot of wood mulch on base.
