Need advice about Lowe's clearance fig

13 years ago

Hello, I got a 'chicago hardy' fig off the clearance rack at Lowe's in early autumn. Very excited! I repotted it into a five gallon container with a mix of compost, sand and bark to hold until I could get it planted. Which I never did.
It dropped all its leaves (early, I thought, but maybe not) but still has green buds.

So, please, I need some advice about the best way to overwinter it, then plant it next spring. I think the garage is too cold--I lost a fig that I tried to keep there two years ago. Currently I have it in my cool (50F) basement, where there is some light from windows. This is where I overwinter my amaryllis and dahlias. Will this be a good environment for it? Do I need to water it (I don't water the amaryllis and dahlias)? Or would it be better to sink the pot into the ground and wrap it -- some other sites suggested this but mentioned that it needed to be kept dry. Our ground gets quite wet in winter.

I think that I may need to put it into my raised bed come spring, but that will be away from the house (I really don't have anywhere close to the house for it that isn't shady).

Thanks, I know that I will get good help here!

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Comments (3)

olympia_gardener
13 years ago
Hi, raee, I grow Hardy Chicago and I am in zone 5 too. My Hardy Chicago survives in unheated garage without much problem in past 4-5 years. This year, I put it in ground... It really likes this move... grow a lot more figs. If you decide to sink the pot in the ground, you really have to mulch it very well. My fig tree is under 2' mulch right now. it may need less mulch but without knowing how cold this coming winter might be, I don't want take chances. Hope this helps.
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Olympia. When you stored it in the garage, did you wrap or protect in in any additional way?

And, what is your site in ground like? I am concerned that I don't have a sunny site in the protection of the house, although I think that I could make room on the east side of the garage if I take out 2 roses.
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olympia_gardener
13 years ago
Raee, I did not wrap or put extra protection on the tree. I just move the pot in the garage and water it once or twice in winter time when I remember. Now it is in east faced ground with thick mulch under a tarp. Hardy Chicago is much hardier than zone 5... At least mine is. It was left outside in the pot back few years ago. its branches were all dead by spring time but the root did not die. It did took a while to show sign of live, but it eventually did.