I don’t have experience of your climate but I’d put it in the garage. It’ll lose its leaves and go dormant. Don’t let the soil freeze or dry out totally. But don’t water more than just a little to keep it from dessicating.

And is it really a seedling? Or a cutting? A seedling is a gamble and may not be a garden worthy plant. A cutting will be a clone of its parent.

Thank you. I will try that.

He has his own fig tree so quite possibly, it’s a seedling. He said he has a lot of them.

My brown turkey sends out a lot of suckers so you may have a sucker which would be identical to the parent.

Keeping it in the garage is the safest bet - I planted the brown turkey and a celeste in fall about five years ago (got 'em on clearance and there was way too much other stuff going in the garage already). We had a mild winter and they did fine.

Thank you, Cecily. I have no idea where I’ll plant this tree but I’ll figure it out. I think you’re right that it’s a sucker. Well, the figs from its parent are delicious.

It’s dropping below 40 tonight so I just carried it into the garage. I think we’re in for a hard winter but that’s not a scientific forecast.

Can you ascertain from the neighbour whether it’s a seedling or sucker/cutting? However good the figs on the parent it’s still no guarantee of fruit quality from a seedling.

I will definitely try to find out more. The tree donor was actually my neighbor‘s father, so I only see him ever few weeks. I am fairly certain that it is a sucker.

Moses, thank you so much for the extra advice.

Marilyn - Is your garage attached to or part of your house or is it separate? If it is attached, it should be okay even if unheated except maybe the coldest nights. If the garage is not attached to the house and is unheated, you will need to watch for temperatures in the 20s or lower as noted, and bring it in somewhere. Also if your garage floor is concrete, make sure you elevate the pot off the ground a bit so it is not sitting directly on that concrete (maybe put it on top of a small box or crate or plant stand).

Good tips, thank you!

it is attached, unheated, concrete floor. I had planned to ask my husband how cold he estimates it gets but I will follow your advice, regardless.

Marilyn B

Another option for small young plant if you have attic or crawl space and an old bedsheet/blanket draped over higher than plant a stick in pot.

In past have done that here in z5 then following season in attached garage.

Martin

Marilyn,

You could hang a remote reading thermometer on your fig tree. They're not too costly. Place the sensor on the fig tree, and keep the reader unit in your kitchen where you can check temperatures as often as needed at a glance. When the temps go below 25° F., move it temporarily to a warmer spot. Above 40°F., for too long could cause a dormancy break. That's no good. You will find the ideal spot in your garage.

Moses