Mulching Fig To Prevent Winter Kill

I planted an Italian Honey Fig a few years ago, and it's about 3 feet tall at this point.  I've heard that green figs can take longer to start producing fruit than other fig varieties, and it might be 4 to 5 years after planting before we eat our first fig.

During really cold winters figs can get winter killed down to the ground, but in the spring new growth will come back from the roots.  The thing is, if that happens the clock on getting fruit starts ALL OVER AGAIN.

Obviously I don't want to loose the progress we've made, so I looked into ways people protect figs in the winter to try and prevent them from a hard freeze.

Weirdly, considering how popular figs are, I couldn't find much information on this.  Growing information usually just recommends planting figs near on the south side of a wall for some cold protection, and leaves it at that.

So this winter I'm experimenting, and went the straightforward and simple route.

I just bought a bale of straw and piled up a mound about 2 feet deep around the fig branches once it lost it's leaves in late fall.  I made sure to shake straw down around the branches.  In spring I'll remove the straw pile.

I'll let you know how the fig fares over winter!