Category: Planted Fig
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A Novel Approach to Fig Tree Winter Protection
Materials you will need: twine, PVC pipes, two for each bed, a hacksaw to cut the PVC pipes to length, also you will need a drill to mae the necessary four holes for each bed. You can easily pick up PVC pipes at your local hardware store. The raised bed I was working on measured…
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Fig Cuttings with Character
It’s late November here in Zone 6b (Mid-Hudson Valley, NY), and my fig trees have finally gone fully dormant—perfect timing for pruning. As always, trimming day means a bounty of cuttings, and I’m constantly on the lookout for ones that stand out in some special way. The thick cuttings are always my favorites—they root more…
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Moisture: The Hidden Threat When Winterizing Fig Trees
Under that plastic bag is a pruned Italian Honey (also known as Lattarulla) fig tree, all tucked in for winter. I filled the bag with dry leaves gathered from the property—every single one checked to make sure there wasn’t a trace of moisture. They were perfectly crisp and dry, just what I wanted. My plan…
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Figs love to go dormant
Fig trees enter dormancy after they finish producing their main crop. Dormancy is their built-in survival mechanism—a way to conserve energy and protect themselves through the cold months. This quiet period ends only when temperatures rise again in spring (Ref 1). As I write this on November 17th, 2025, here in the Mid-Hudson Valley of…
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Getting straw to winterize the potted fig trees
This coming week, I’ll be preparing my fig trees for winter, carefully wrapping and insulating them against the cold. To do this, I’ll need plenty of dry material. Along with the beautifully golden straw I recently purchased from a local source, I’ll also use the crisp, dry leaves I gathered from my own backyard.There are…
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No dormancy under gentle conditions
Zone 6b, nestled in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, brings its own quiet rhythm to fig growing. My collection of potted fig trees has been braving the chill, remaining outside day and night without a hint of protection. Their leaves have all fallen now, signaling that it’s nearly time for them to retreat to the cozy…
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Fencing Your Garden, A Wise Move
Your garden is a labor of love—whether it’s bursting with vegetables, blooming with flowers, or simply a peaceful retreat from daily life. But even the most beautiful garden can suffer without protection. That’s why installing a fence is more than just a good idea—it’s a wise move. Animals are one of the biggest threats to…
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Green Portland Cuttings and New Friendships
Let me tell you a story that’s been quietly ripening for about six years—like the best kind of fruit. It all began on a family trip to Portland, Oregon. We stayed at a cozy hotel nestled in a charming neighborhood, full of strollable streets and local shops. Just around the corner from where we stayed,…
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Notching test was successful
Do you know that you can induce budding in a fig tree by notching above a node? This technique is commonly used to encourage a latent or dormant bud to break and grow into a new branch or shoot. How Notching Works: For Fig Trees Specifically: Tips for Success: If you’d like to reach out…
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Spread spent coffee grounds around your fig trees!
I recently blogged about NPK (Ref 1, Ref 2), which stands for Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K), the three essential nutrients that are the backbone of any good fertilizer. In fact, these three numbers on a bag of fertilizer represent the percentage of each nutrient, in that exact order. For instance, a 5-5-5…