Hi all,

    I have a relatively new Desert King fig that I got from Logee's in CT and this will be it's 2nd full year with me.

    Right now, it's in "cold storage" in my unheated greenhouse which mostly stays above freezing but last week it dipped into the high teens.

    Should I try and keep this warmer seeing that with DK you only get the breba crop in the Northeast?

    Should I bring it into the basement (mid-50s) when temps dip below 10?

My view of an unheated greenhouse is that it's harder on a fig than outdoors. Mine gets just as cold at night as outdoors unless heated. Then by day it heats up way hotter than outdoors unless well ventillated. That seems like a recipe for a dead fig. An unheated garage would be far better than an unheated greenhouse. The garage would be warmer at night and cooler by day.

I agree that a garage would be a better option but unfortunately, I do not have one and i have no space to build one.

This is my first winter with the greenhouse and it seems to be staying about 10-15 degrees above the nighttime temperature.

The daytime temp is usually only 5-10 degrees above the daytime temp.

I'm just wondering if a DK can handle a few nights in the teens without damaging the breba crop.

Hi fitzski,
At 10°F, you have sort of no risk, especially if during the day the temp goes up above 30°F.
Try to stay above 5°F (-15°C) with no wind chill and you should be safe.

jdsfrance
It is possible that the plant may survive at -15C but are you saying that DK breba will survive at -15C too? I am not sure.

Thanks for the responses. I have a digital thermometer in the greenhouse that takes a temperature reading every hour so I'll know how low it got in there and for how long.

This will be the 3rd year of this tree so I'm hoping for some figs this year.

If I don't get any this year, I'll protect it more next winter.

Fitzski ,
This post may have some info you could use for Winter protecting your unheated GH fig.
Hopefully something useful if the links still work.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/fig-presentation-from-ne-conference-6783355?pid=1281775780#post1281775780

The link I was thinking of is down the page under Specialty Fruit heading.

Thanks, Kerry.

So wrap the figs inside the GH to provide more protection during extreme cold.

Never thought of that.

I'll try and wrap a couple this weekend.

My large fig has been unwrapped but sheltered for years without any issues.

Last year was the first real year with other varieties and now I can't stop getting new ones.

Thanks again.

@OttawanZ5 : I'm referring to "dormant" brebas . I'm not speaking of brebas that are already actively growing; and I'm speaking of -15°c for a short time at night , and not -15°C for two weeks in a row at daytime.
In that case yes, they do survive. At least mine do .

@fitzski : you could use the 80 liters trashcan technique inside your GH . See my post, on winterizing fig trees.
              you could use fresh wet manure inside the GH, as decaying manure produces heat .
              if your GH is near the house you could use hot water containers to warm the GH a bit during the night
              Or Christmas lights around the branches of your trees .
              Check your GH for any opened hole you could clog to avoid cold air. Throw tarps over the GH . Figtrees don't need light while dormant.

thanks for the response.

The GH is lean-to style attached to the back of the house.

The clothes dryer vent actually vents to the GH so last night when temps dipped to 10, i did a load of laundry and then turned the dryer on to dry the clothes.

It heated the GH to mid-40's and the overnight low in the GH was 25. It was 15 when I woke up this morning.

I'm not sure my wife would appreciate the decaying manure so close to the house but it's an interesting idea :)

Here's a picture of the GH.

Brilliant Kevin, great planning.

i'd like to say it was great planning but the dryer vent was there before I put up the GH.

I was going to move it but never got around to it and now I'm happy I didn't.

There is also an electric outlet and water faucet inside the GH now.

Before the GH, all the figs wintered in the bulkhead (basement entrance) on the right side of the picture.