Hi All,

So I was transplanting some trees and doing clean up around others.  I noticed LSU Purple, Genoa, Golden Celeste and VdeB are breaking dormancy.  There were new branches swelling from just above the soil line on the Golden Celeste.  The others had new shoots growing below the surface. 

Of course, we had a cold front move through today.  Temps tonight will be in the mid 30s.  Fortunately the winds have died down and will be light tonight.  Two weeks ago, Aldo had pushed a three inch sucker from below the surface, but an earlier cold spell zapped it.

~james

We had wind here that was just crazy. Blew a squirrel out of the tree. The poor thing hit the ground and I thought it was dead, but it was just stunned. It lay there for a minute, then came to it's senses, jumped up, and ran back up the tree it had just fallen out of.

I was doing some stuff outside today and noticed that some of the Fig Residents in the pot ghetto were breaking bud. I didn't take time to see who, but that bright green was pretty noticable. If we get freezing temps I may have to blanket the ghetto with old quilts and sleeping bags, maybe throw some Christmas tree lights under there. I don't pass up an old sleeping bag at junk shops for this very reason.

GoodD,

If that wind would blow my squirrels out of the tree and leave them stunned I would welcome it. I would have been out of breath after that minute they laid there scrambling around finishing off as many as a could.  I understand not everyone feels that way, and I am not really a hater, and they are what they are. 

Yeah, they're just what they are. I know they bother some people's figs, but here, they don't. No one believes me. I don't know of there is too much other stuff for them to eat in the woods around my property or what, but they don't bother my figs. I have a little dog that patrols the yard and maybe that helps, I don't know. He loves eating ripe figs.

James, you are just 2+ months ahead of us. What you observe now will be happening here in April.
I wish our plants here in Zone 5 north could learn/remember after a few years experience that they will be experiencing a short summer and a long winter rest and adapt to have a faster summer cycle for growth and ripening.

My Malta Purple Red and Raspberry Latte decided to wake up this weekend.  Nothing else is quite there yet.  It's basically start of February and we've seen hardly any chill hours this year at all.  I know we're going to get slammed... this is the kind of winter that zapped a good portion of Ray Givan's collection.  I think my figs will probably spend the winter indoors growing this year.

Jason, those that have broken dormancy, where are they located?  Inside garage? GH?

Man, 90% of all my trees inside my garage have popped!  My garage is insulated but not heated.  I have 3 wireless thermo/hydometers that report temps to a single device.

Current outside temp inside is 72. 
Current temp inside my GH is 72.  Wireless sensor reading
Current temp inside my gargage is 56.  Wireless sensor reading
Current temp inside my shed is 55. Wireless sensor reading

I keep the temps no lower than 25 in my shed and GH.
Rouge de Bordeaux and a few others have already doubled in length!  Big leaves already on my NdC.  Weather today is suppose to reach 68 and 72 tomorrow!  I guess we are really in zone 8a now!  Crazy weather we are having, totally crazy!

80% of the tree at Figs 4 Fun are leafing out and some already have figs. Quite a few never made full dormancy, and still had several leaves. We have had at least one 80F day every week in January, I think.

Crazy weather! I was down on the river between Ohio and W Virginia and it was balmy, right around 60F. This is really going to screw up the fruit crops. If the warm spell lasts long enough and the buds break, then we get a cold snap, it's going to be rough on those trees. I lost considerable growth from some Japanese maples that way.

Dennis, mine are in the unheated garage, the first 3'-5' of wall is concrete and underground, one entire wall is two thin garage doors, and it's only insulated on 1/2 the walls and the entire ceiling, temps usually sit around 50-60, but it's still cooler than it is outside....

Ah well.  I don't mind, I guess.