The Enigma of the Fig

If you look at the gardens of your Italian neighbours, you will find fig trees here and there. At the end of the summer, they are laden with tender fruit that has a subtle taste and an inimitable texture.

Have you ever wondered how these Mediterranean trees can withstand our harsh winters? The answer lies in a procedure that is simple yet ingenious, one that stems from the desire to enjoy figs at any cost.
Try it out:

• In the fall, bind the branches of the fig tree
  to reduce their spread.
  
  

Photo: © Vincenzo Pietropaolo

• Starting at the trunk, dig a trench about
  the size of the tree.
  
  

Photo: © Vincenzo Pietropaolo

• Uproot the tree halfway and lower it into
  the trench.
  
  

Photo: © Vincenzo Pietropaolo

• Cover it with soil, leaves and materials that
  will insulate it from the cold (wood, plastic, etc.).
  
• In the spring, dig up the tree, raise it and replant the exposed roots.