| I was given a four foot tall kadota fig tree in the spring. It has been outdoors in a pot all summer and has fruited twice. I live in Rhode Island and have been told that I should bury it in a trench each fall and re-errect it each spring. My question is, can I just keep it indoors year-round and still have it be healthy and able to bear fruit? Also, if that is possible, how should I then care for it and keep it an appropriate size? Thank you. |
| Fig trees are deciduous and will lose their leaves in the fall. They need a rest period (dormancy) in cool temperatures. Rather than try to keep it indoors in a container, I would plant it in the ground. Fig trees are hardy to about 10F (USDA zones 7-11). If subjected to colder temperatures, the tops of the trees will die back, but new sprouts will emerge from the roots in the spring. Just how much winter protection it will need depends on how bad of a winter you have and the microclimate it is in near you home. Around a home there are several different microclimates based on such factors as how close to the home they are, which compass direction from the home they are, whether the location is sunny or shady in winter, etc. Some gardeners will cut the roots on one side and lay the plant over where it can be more easily covered with leaves and a tarp for winter protection. A slightly less effective but much easier option is to cut the fig bush back to a more manageable height and place a ring of wire fencing around it. Then fill the ring with lots of leaves and cover the entire structure with a tarp to hold in the warmth of the earth. Remove the tarp and leaves (leave some as a mulch around the tree) in spring when the danger of a freeze has passed. Best wishes with your fig tree. |
