Pot cultured figs are kept smaller than what their corresponding variety would get, size wise, grown in the ground, especially when the fig tree is grown in ground under ideal conditions such as in S. CAL, and allowed to grow to their normal size.

This works to our advantage, protecting the fig tree wise, because of pot cultured fig trees' smaller size.

In which case, keep your pot cultured tree small enough to be covered adequately in the largest, heavy duty, black plastic leaf type bag you can get. Keep one handy for each fig tree so that at a moment's notice, your fig trees can be protected from hail/wind storms.

If you put your fig trees out too early in the spring, and a frost period is predicted, these plastic bags are indispensable. New fig tree growth is extremely frost sensitive. Cover them when temps dip to 32°F or lower for the duration of the frost period.

Never leave the bags on the trees after the frost is over during daylight, especially on a sunny day, even if the weather is cool, in the 40's. Damaging heat builds up incredibly quickly under black plastic in sunlight, even when it is cold.

Easy on, easy of. Fasten them closed at their open ends around the pot with bungees. Pull the bungees tightly.

Moses

Great idea, thank you Moses!

Jokarva,

I want to add something:

In spring set out time it is not always possible to determine when the frosts are over. Protection often is needed in a hurry.

You may only need to protect your trees from freezing during a couple frost prone weeks then. At that time the trees are just leafing out. When protection from frost is needed the open end of the bag should be secured against the pot tightly with bungees, as already stated.

For hail or damaging winds later on when the trees are leafing out more, or are well leafed out, the same bag can be used then if it is roomy. Its bottom can be open, the bag even only covering about 2/3 to 1/2 down from the top of the tree. Protection is only needed from hail hitting from directly above. The bag doesn't necessarily have to be bungeed around the pot. Just secure the bag to keep it from blowing off.

Hail or wind can come any time during the growing season. The fig tree could be well leafed out with fruit ripening during a hail storm. The same spring frost protection sized bag that you used earlier can still be used if it is roomy enough. If it's roomy enough It will work, and not crowd a now larger, but same tree, because of the tree's currently expanded growth. You don't want to be crushing or damaging leaves or fruit.

With high winds it may be better to bungee the bottom tightly to the pot as was done for frost protection so that wind gusts do not inflate the bag, and possibly rip it off or burst it open.

Moses

A decade or so ago, there was an article in the Detroit Free Press about a local man that tipped his fig tree over and covered it with leaves every fall and had been doing so for twenty years. They must be pretty tough.

Figs are tough. A lot of people up north will prune back their figs, then cover them. Pruning keeps them to a managable size. If the tree is flexible enough, they can bend it over. go to the ourfigs forum for more ideas. Lots of recent posts about people uncovering their figs.