With its frozen shoots, the fig tree is a picture of misery. But there is hope. The ability of figs to survive in Germany is often underestimated. This is to be done when the shoots on the fig tree have frozen. How to prevent frost damage.
What to do if the shoots on the fig tree are frozen?
With apruning you can remove frost damage to the shoots of a fig. The best time for the rescue measure is in June. By early summer, a frostbitten fig tree will recover. Then you can clearly distinguish between he althy, green wood and dead, brown-dried wood.
When did the shoots on the fig tree freeze?
The shoots on the fig tree are frozen when branches and leaves arehanging limplyandcolored brown. If you cut through a shoot, brown, dead tissue appears. However, if you can see green, juicy tissue, the shoot is not frozen.
The young shoots on the fig tree that are affected by frost damage are usually up to 4 cm in diameter and always freeze back from -10° Celsius. Thick fig tree branches from 5 cm, on the other hand, only start to shed at 15° Celsius to the limits of their winter hardiness.
Can I save a fig tree if the shoots are frozen?
If the shoots have frozen, you can save the fig tree with apruning. In Germany, planted figs are allowed to freeze back to the ground without dying completely.
By summer, a frozen fig tree will recover and sprout happily. For this reason, postpone the saving pruning until June. At this time you can easily distinguish between frozen and dead wood in order to accurately measure the cutting depth. If in doubt, cut back the frozen shoots in stages until light cambium appears.
Which winter protection prevents frost damage to the fig tree?
The best winter protection for a fig tree in the garden and container is afleece covering. How to properly overwinter a fig:
- After the leaves have fallen, put a fleece cover over the garden fig, wrap the trunk with jute, mulch the tree disc.
- Bucket figs should ideally overwinter in a bright, frost-free place.
- Place the bucket outside on a block of wood, cover it with winter fleece, pull a plant protection bag over the crown, mulch the substrate.
Selection of location prevents frost damage
The wall of the house is the best location when planting a fig tree. Thanks to the radiating heat, the shoots are well protected from frostbite.
Tip
Rule of thumb for hardy fig tree varieties
Practice has proven it: self-pollinated cultivated figs are hardier than Mediterranean varieties that rely on the fig wasp as a pollinator. A prime example is the self-fruitful fig 'Brown Turkey' with a winter hardiness down to -15° Celsius. It is important to note that even hardy cultivated figs require winter protection in their first few years.
