I am considering installing another greenhouse about 30 by 96 to grow figs in ground and keeping the minimum temp. about 40 f. What are your thoughts and these would be mainly stock plants with others growing outside. I am in South Georgia. All thoughts are appreciated.

30 x 96, , makes my 8 x 10 seem a pittance. wish I had the room, go for it Hershell!

The thing is I have a 30 by 96 and a35 by 96 already full of citrus. I am a greenhouse contractor so you get the idea. They are full of citrus. I guess I could plant a few figs in between some of the smaller citrus but I am concerned about competition.

That would be pretty nice, Hershell, but I don't think you really need to keep it that warm in the winter.

Madera, CA is typically considered the fig capital of the USA with very nice growing conditions.  Winter temperatures there are pretty much like at my place with several days getting into the mid to upper 20s and down to the lower 20s in some years.  I had 45 nights with frost this past winter and did have some die-back on some young growth (and also on the palmata hybrid DFIC 0023).  I think keeping it from going below 30F would be fine

The greenhouse could also be a big benefit in sheltering fruit from summer rains which, in some years, might make the fruit on your outdoor trees not so great.

If you're not familiar with the trellis methods used in Japan as shown in Ken Love's photos, they are certainly worth looking into.  From http://www.hawaiifruit.net/index-figs.html

Figs (Ichijiku) in Japan
Fig orchard in Chiba Japan-3 months later(6-8-04)

• Container and field Fig tests in Aichi-ken(3-23-08)
• Fresh Figs sold in Tokyo (5-27-04)
• Fig growing and marketing in Japan-report (3-21-04)
• Figs at the Nagoya Japan Fruit Park (3-20-04)
• Figs at the Hamamatsu Japan Fruit Park (3-20-04)
• Aichi-ken Japan Agriculture Station(3-19-04)
• Fig farm & pruning in Aichi Japan(3-19-04)
• Fig orchard & pruning in Chiba Japan(3-8-04)
• Fig orchard in Chiba Japan-3 months later(6-8-04)

Hi Hershell, I agree with Harvey. You and I live in the same 8b zone, and it is rare to have any of the figs I keep in my unheated shed die , even those in 32 ounce containers. As you witnessed on your visit last week, the trees that succumbed to the cold were those planted in fully exposed areas of the orchard. The cold hardy varieties had no problem..

Do you do work in NorCal??? :)

I have never been there but have always wanted to go, so yes I could. And I do work for figs. So using a greenhouse as a cold frame with no heat would probably be better and would protect from birds as well as rain and severe cold. Any other thoughts?

Hmm...may need to talk! :)

Make it 9 times as big.  You'll thank me.  And to show your gratitude you can come build me one   ;)

If I had a fig greenhouse I'd heat to about 30F. Since that's our average winter low the heating bill in a 30x96 would be only a couple hundred a yr here. Since you already have greenhouses for citrus you could estimate the heating bill easily. 30F would be as good as anything warmer for the figs.

For the citrus I have a thermostat set at 40 and the irrigation comes on and keeps it from getting any colder. I have had figs in there this past winter with no problems. I have had this working for about 15 years and have a friend that heats with well water as well.

Harvey. You have my number or I can call you. Just let me know. I contract through Atlas Greenhouse, Alapaha Ga. I usually install Educator models at schools and universities. And I agree it is never big enough!

Hi Hershell, I ripened a few figs in an unheated greenhouse last fall. The high humidity from not being ventilated on cold days caused thin skinned and fuzzy figs to mold, they still split when it rains as well. Battaglia Green and Barnisotte were the best performers for me out of a dozen or so.

I was wondering if ANYONE has experience starting cuttings inside the mulch boxes that most of us use.  Seems to me the constant temperature due to decomposition and the humidity would favor the rooting process, and the heat comes from the bottom of the pots being used for rooting.  A digression, but a cheaper alternative than greenhouses.

hoserbanan, my greenhouses have drop down curtain systems on the sides for ventilation. They are cheaper and more efficient to operate than fans.

Hershell, you and I are on the same wave lenght!!!  I am currently in the process of researching material for a new greenhouse to fully enclose my container trees.  Mine will be around 34 x 55.  I've made a few sketches and have in my mind how I'm going to design mine.  I Like the idea of opening up the sides to let in fresh air but I don't want to let any critters or birds in. Some rare trees like O'Rourke, Smith, and Beall can't handle a drop of freezing weather without a great deal of dieback!  These are some of my prize trees.  It's a pain transporting trees inside especially if you have a many as I do.  I asked my wife if we could move to California.  Her brother lives there....she's thinking about it but I don't think she's going to want to be away from the Carolinas. 

As for my new green house, I'm thinking of a 3' base framed out of 2x4 and plywood so I can install 8 or 10 windows with screens.  I really don't want to cover it with 6mil plastic but that is the cheapest way to go.  I'm planning on installing some cross beams and girders down the center to support the frame and will allow me to walk down the center and sides.  I'm also planning on incorporating some solar energy somehow.  I already have the panels and some of the electrical stuff.  I don't live out in a rual area.  I live in a subdivision without any rules.  Whatever I design, it has to look very professional and clean.  I really like Bass's greenhouse.  One day, I will visit him and get some tips.

I got plenty of room for a 34x55 greenhouse.  I've even thought about building it out of screen doors and Fast Framer kits but that's too costly.  The most economical is the dome shape.

Dennis, the sides help a lot to get a cross breeze in, the problem though is all the hot air at the top has no where to go.  If you are worried about birds getting in, just use bird netting, half inch or so should work great without restricted airflow, helps keep out most moths too.

If possible I would suggest to have something that opens on the top so you can vent out the very hot air, gets up to 50 Celcius in the summer time for me.

We build houses with ridge vents but I don't recommend them because of the expense and wind damage. Houses with drop down curtains get a cross Breese and are the easiest to keep cool especially with 8 foot sides. I will try to get some pictures posted soon. I am on a job in Atlanta now but should back home mid week.

My hoop house is 12 feet fall so I am getting about 3 feet or so on the walls so the temperature rises quiet rapidly, ridge vents are great if you have a control system with weather station so you can prevent wind damage, venlo by far are the best in my opinion but you also need a control system and money to build it.  I have grown commercial vegetables in both styles, even the old wood houses with high peaks, but only once did I have wind damage on the ridge vents, this was caused by a tornado and the structure was not sound so the wind picked up the corner of the vent and ripped it back even though it was closed.  It did not help that the exhaust fan below it got shorted out by the rain.  

I guess I keep forgetting that people don't always have control systems or the time to constantly monitor their greenhouses, that and the money for them is very high.

Hershell, are you familiar with FEMA regulations regarding construction of greenhouses in flood plains?  For other types of construction regulations require that structures be built at 10' above sea level (200 year flood plain level is 9', so says the Army Corps of Engineers).  My home sits at sea level and my farm ranges from about +4' to -8'.

I will try to check on it but I don't t think it applies to greenhouses.

Harvey, they recommend first checking with your local code enforcement office. If you need structure info I can help with that.

Thanks.  I hate talking with those folks.  Pole barns are exempt from building permits in our counties as well as most counties in the state.  I called and spoke to the building department to confirm that before building my pole barn.  They told me I had to pay $250 for an exemption evaluation.  I figured that was liking asking a police offer for permission to drive through a yellow light so I just skipped it.  I did report it to the assessor so they are charging taxes on it.  I'll try to muster up the patience to give them a call.

Sometimes it is easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission. I get inspected a lot. I personally would just build a greenhouse.