We both love figs. I love them fresh, in jams, fig preserves, freeze dried . . I can’t think of any way I wouldn’t love figs. My grandma had a huge fig tree. I was a child but I could walk up under the branches that touched the ground and sit under the tree and eat figs til an adult found me and made me stop eating them.
In Texas, we had 6 or 7 fig trees and they were great producers there. I did a little research and found a couple of types of figs that should grow well here without too much pampering. We planted three of them last year. It was in the Fall when we found them and planted them. Then we had several nights when the lows were in the -20 range and I was afraid we had lost them.
They looked dead but we had that happen once in Texas so Vince cut them back and we hoped for the best.
Vince planted them in a line and the one in the middle was the first to get a few leaves back. The other two still looked dead but last weekend, the one south of this one had leaves and earlier this week, the one north of this one has a few little baby leaves I can see.
It looks like all three of them will survive. I’m betting we get a few figs this year. Some of the trees we had in Texas produced way more than others and I think all the ones that will survive our winters aren’t the best producers but . . a few figs are better than no figs, right?
Kren says
My grandfather & dad always had a fig tree in their yards. When winter came they would bend the top of the trees to the ground and cover them with leaves. In the spring they’d rake up the leaves and the tree would straighten. My grandfather lived about 30 miles south of Chicago so cold winters and we were in St Louis. The trees survived the winters.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Yes, Vince said his parents did the same in New York. Do you remember if the new growth came up from the ground or if new leaves came on the old branches?
Rita says
We have done the same in Ontario, Canada, and the leaves came from the branches and have loads of figs. Good luck with yours
Karen says
If I remember correctly they came from the old branches but that was a really long time ago. I wonder it that’s an Italian thing. All of my grandparents immigrated from the ‘old country’.
Karen says
I wonder if that’s an Italian thing. All of my grandparents immigrated from ‘the old country.’ I think the new growth was on the old branches.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Since we have three trees, next winter, I’m going to try bending one over and covering it and see what happens.
Karen says
I wonder if that’s an Italian thing. All of my grandparents immigrated from ‘the old country.’ If I remember correctly there was new growth on the old branches.
Rebecca L says
I got quite a chuckle out of picturing little Judy hiding to feast on figs!
What I couldn’t resist from my grandmother’s garden was raspberries–I probably ate much more than my share. Not a problem with all the apples and blackberries! (There were so many)