If you plant them close to house or a garage or an out building then the frost line and the freeze line don't go down as far. I do not cover my fig trees anymore, and I do not bury them, and people can't believe how big my fig trees are every year filled with figs. The deer come from far away to eat the figs. A College in area wanted to grant me a PhD in fig growing, but I refused, as Pride cometh before the fall.