Fig – Freeze Damage

Q: My fig tree has not put any leaves or even any little buds yet. Did this past winter kill it?

A: I’m on the edge of my seat trying to decide the same question about my mother’s figs which, like yours, seem to have little life in the branches. I see tiny buds beginning to show green growth but healthy fig plants should have big leaves by now. (This was written May 1, 2014 after extreme cold in Jan.)

It’s possible the buds will die as freeze damage moves through the thicker parts of the limb. But it’s also possible the buds will slowly open and produce leaves by the end of the month. I think you should be open to both possibilities.

Don’t prune yet.