Digging out a fig tree is hard work, and risky to the plant. Getting a large root mass is difficult because fig trees often spread their roots wide. To get the best result: cut the roots with a shovel about 6"-12" from the trunk one year ahead of digging to improve the rootball.

Or just dig in the early spring and get as many fine roots as you can.

But chances are the trees have natural "ground layers", branches that have fallen down on the ground and grown roots, which you can transplant much more easily.

Thank you! I have a tendency to be overly optimistic when it comes to large projects, so you're not only saving me a headache, but my husband as well. I'll broach the subject with the neighbor, but focus more on looking for an appropriate ground layer. Would you do that now, or wait until spring as well? The figs won't be protected this winter, so at least some of it is going to die back.

I'd try digging the ground layer as soon as the leaves drop and potting it for the winter. You could wait till spring though, it won't make much difference in a year whether the top dies back this winter or not as long as it is happy after you plant it.

I think it wouldn't be impossible if you wanted the whole 5 foot tree, but it wouldn't be easy, either. You'd want to start digging a good distance from the tree, and also down to get as much of the roots as possible. Put it on a tarp, carry it over to your house, and replant.

Figs are very hardy and tolerant to some abuse, so it might be worth a shot if you like them and your neighbors are going to kill them anyway.

(I'd make sure I had a rooted cutting before doing this, however.)

For winter protection...it's very easy to put some stakes in the ground around the fig and then wrap some burlap around the stakes (If you wrap the burlap around the fig, you could cause it to rot...wet burlap clinging to the trunk isn't good.). It won't completely eliminate winter injury but as a quick and dirty method it works surprisingly well.

For the apples, if you want to save them, I'd take some scion wood and graft them to a new rootstock (there are directions online for doing this, and although it is a bit of work, it's not much, and not very expensive. You might fail, but even if you do, you're only out a couple of bucks and the time you put into it.). If you don't want to do it yourself, there are places online that will do it for you if you send them scion wood. It's a bit more expensive, but not prohibitive. $40 maybe?

Figs form large trees/bushes. A 5ft height implies it gets damage in winter to keep it that small. I would just take a few large cuttings when dormant and root them vs digging it up. If you're goal is to harvest figs, I would buy a named variety with known attributes so you can take care of it better and enjoy figs more.

Wow, thank you all so much! I think I will use the time before winter to prepare some places that a fig might like to live, and try my hand at making cuttings or finding an already rooted layer once the weather starts to warm again.

Georgia, I hadn't even thought about being able to salvage the apple tree! I'm pretty sure it's not a rare variety or anything, but I think learning to graft onto a rootstock would be a good skill to develop. If they don't mind letting me take fig cuttings, I'll ask about the apples.

A J, you're right about the winter damage--the year we moved here was bitterly cold, enough to kill the holly bushes in our yard, so I think the fig must have been killed to the ground. I know it's the first year I've seen figs on it, but they're not ripe yet and they're not going to have much time.

One last question: Until I get rid of some overgrown evergreens, my prime south-facing real estate is limited. Would a fig be happy on the west side of the house, where it wouldn't get as much sun exposure, but where it gets very warm and stays warm?

I agree with everything AJ said, except for when he says that you should just go out and buy a named variety. I think that would be a good idea if you ever decide you want more, but these old Italian figs often taste great and are sometimes even sought out by collectors. I mean, there's usually a reason the Italians kept their figs for decades after they got here, and didn't go to the store and buy a Brown Turkey fig instead. ;)

I think it's definitely a great idea to try to save it, both because of the warm feeling you had for your neighbors, but also because chances are, it does taste very good.

I think it's at least worth it to try, and if it turns out you don't care for the figs, well, you can take it out then. Or, as AJ says, kept it as a lovely potted plant, maybe for your deck or patio or something. I think fig trees have beautiful foliage and are so easy care, I'd probably have one or two even without the actual figs.

Just a thought.