Here's my tallest "Hardy Chicago" fig. Out of the six that I planted, one died over the winter. This one is around 3.5', which isn't bad considering that it was in a 2 inch pot last year:

HC fig at the end of the season:

Same HC fig after -6 C. The figs and every other outdoor plant withstood -3 C with no problems:

your figs look good Cameron.......fruit next season??

I've definitely got my fingers crossed for fruit next season! I'll be cutting down most of the figs like last winter, but will be leaving one intact to see if the wood can survive this winter.

I took some cuttings from the figs today to root over the winter. One plant was left with branches intact to see if they survive to see the spring.

Cuttings:

Green ends (softwood):

Hardwood cuttings:

Dipped in rooting hormone:

And planted:

I had good success getting F carica cuttings to root and I have trouble trying to root woody plant cuttings usually. Seems 3/5 worked so far, and about the same in past experience. Mine are in baggies because i dont want the new leaves to dry out. I just open up the baggies for a few hours every 2 days or so to make sure they dont get moldy.

Good luck with those Cameron.

Your pics remind me...we did that with grapevines years ago.
And then I forgot which way was up on the cuttings 😕
But most made it.

Barb

Canadianplant, I tried the bag method last year, but am pretty forgetful, and the cuttings ended up rotting!

Barb, I hope most of these will make it too! 😆

that a lot of cuttings! Keep us updated on their progress.

Here's an update on the now rooted fig cuttings. The first buds started emerging about a week ago:

nice rooting job Cameron..........I never protected my fig above the mulch........I'm sure the branches are all dead above the snow line......since we hit 5F.

Thanks, Tim. I didn't mulch my figs this year, I just threw some extra hay over them. My area has also hit -15 C (5 F), so we'll see how they do in the spring.

Cameron,
Are those the hardwood cuttings that are popping?
If so, was it the wrong time of year to take softwood/young green wood?

Barb

Barb, so far it has just been the hardwood cuttings that have budded. However, since I was cutting every portion of the fig plants down for the winter, I figured that it was worth a shot at rooting the softwood cuttings, rather than just throwing them out! Soon I'll have a better idea if the softwood cuttings have rooted or not.

worth a shot at rooting the softwood cuttings, rather than just throwing them out!

It would be good if both hardwood AND softwood worked during winter.
Especially as both are available that way.

Look forward to the results.

Barb