We tried two new methods of protecting our fig trees last fall. The one I apparently forgot to blog about involved bending a young fig down so its branches sat directly on the ground, then piling old garden weeds on top to produce an insulative layer above which I layered a tarp for waterproofing. Despite reports that this is the preferred method of winter-protecting a fig outside its hardiness zone, our wet soil turned the attempt into a failure --- anywhere fig branches touched the ground resulted in dead wood.

On the other hand, our hay porcupine worked like a charm. Granted, this past winter was warmer than usual, so it's not an entirely fair comparison. But every branch survived and many are pushing out new leaves. If I ever have that much leftover hay or straw, I'll definitely repeat the trick again!