they dont leaf out until may usually

Thank you for giving me some hope!

I have a 4yr old vdb inground in south jersey that dies back half way every year. It is still early for this area but I have noticed some buds swelling on my inground trees. Trees in pots wake up a month earlier for me.

Thank you both!

Mine is putting on leaves but I'm in 7b S.C. I don't have any die back during winter, it doesn't get that cold here.

I would think it is fine!

Check the small branches, if they bend and aren't brittle it should be OK!

Even if the branches do die back there is a good chance it will grow back from the roots. I had 5 trees die back to the ground, and all have little shoots or at least leaves or buds poking out of the ground or at the base by now.

My vdb died back quite a bit also. Only one branch is begining to leaf out, but there is new growth at the base of the tree.

Yes...even in zone 8.

Hi,

I live in Ont, Canada (zone 5 or 6 as the temperature
has risen in recent years).
My in-ground fig tree hasn't leaf out yet.
I moved my indoor fig to the ground last September,
so I am checking it how this little tree will leaf!

Hi Philly, born and raised there and now in Delaware, I had one in SW philly that we did not cover that came back every year. You should be ok but watch out for wind next winter unless protected by walls, fence etc. I would cover anyway. I don't get any leaves until about mid may (Delaware) but I already have a few green buds on my Chicago Hardy.

Good Luck
Bob

Second year in ground. Leafing out and showing a few tiny figs. BH.