On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 21:43:05 -0700, "Denise Bachman"
wrote:



"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
.. .
I have a lovely Brown Turkey fig that is on my deck in a huge patio
pot. The pot is 20" high and 20" across. This is not something I want
to bring indoors during the winter. It would be the size of a small
fridge.

How do I best protect it? I have had several options recommended to
me, such as wrapping the entire pot and tree in burlap and filling the
loosely wrapped tree part with leaves. I know that the wonderful
Italian gardeners in this area sometimes take a yard-rooted fig and
bend it over into a shallow dug trench & bury it for the winter.
Obviously, that isn't an option with a tub plant, and so I turn to the
wisdom on this group.

I am in northern NJ in zone 7.

Boron

In the ground is always the safest place -- any reason not to plant it? How
about digging a hole and putting the whole pot in, then. And the very best
insulation is bubble wrap, which you can buy in huge rolls, wrap snugly
around the trunk and pray it doesn't get REALLY cold. But the roots are what
must really be kept from freezing - the top will come back if the roots
don't freeze.

Denise

There is not enough light in the yard for it. Most of the yard is
shaded. I grow cukes, beans, tomatoes, roses, peppers, herbs - all
sorts of things - in pots on the deck because of the shade. The lemon
& lime come indoor in the winter, but I am afriad the fig is just too
big.

I am not sure digging a 3' x 3' hole is going got be much fun, nor is
buying bubble wrap. The tree was under $40. Lovely as it is, I just
may give it up to the gods or just do burlap & leaves.

Boron