So the weather forecast in NJ is predicting below freezing temps from tonight until next Tuesday with bone chilling lows (possible below zero) on Saturday and Sunday. Although you can see that my inground trees are well protected, I'm thinking that extra protection will be needed to prevent die back since it will be below freezing for 6 consecutive days.

I know it's not the safest method, but has anyone ever used heat bulbs in outdoor spike lights as added protection for your covered figs? Specifically where you have multiple days well below freezing. I don't want to overheat either. I'm thinking about running an extension cord for each tree to a spike light a certain amount of feet away from the tree as an additional heat source. I don't have christmas lights to use. My concern is, besides safety concerns, is whether or not this would work and how far away to place the lamp.

You can see the level of protection the trees were covered with. I just don't think it will be enough for 6 days straight of freezing and single digit nights without supplemental heat.

Any advice would be helpful! Thanks.

I caved in and bought the supplies at Home Depot. I plan to put it on a time to cycle on and off. How many hours would be good? 3 on, 3 off? I don't want to overheat. Also how far should I place the spike with the bulb from the tree? It's a 120w heat reflector bulb. Planning on 1 bulb per tree. Thanks.

I have used this method on citrus, and so far so good, but recently I read an online suggestion to use C7 or C9 Christmas lights, these are 5 or 9 watt bulbs and sold typically in chains of 25, the advantage is they are wired so that if one bulb goes out the rest of the chain keeps working, and heat is heat it does not matter if it is from 1 250 watt bulb or 50 5  watt bulbs.

I wish I could offer you some advice on the timing but without experience that would be difficult, however I do think that they may be a help in this snap of frigid temps. Hopefully you can get some help/tips as the weather is definitely upon us now. It was 8 degrees this morning when I woke up here in eastern PA! It's days like this that make me afraid to put them inground.. Stinks because (this year at least) we have had very little "polar vortex" action.. However this is unfortunately always going to be a worry for us northeasterners.. Sunday will be the worst from what I'm hearing, so maybe reduce the timers to only 2 hours off in between cycles then? This is a tough one! Wishing you the best of luck in your efforts to keep them from suffering dieback and would appreciate your feedback on how your efforts pan out this spring when you uncover :)

Hi figgi11,
I would have made a temporary hoop house next to or around or over the fig trees and put the lamp inside.
The reason is to keep the heat near the ground.
If you let the lamp in the open field, the heat just keeps on vanishing in the air.
Good luck !

Actually no. The heat lamp is fixed warmth bc of the light, as opposed to a blower which is considered variable. The warmth is reaching the object regardless of wind. It's like Aruba. The breeze makes it feel like the sun has no effect until you wake up the next morning with raging sunburn because you nixed the sunscreen. The idea is just to provide a bit of supplemental warmth to prevent freeze. You can feel the warmth on the tarp regardless of wind.

You have the inverse square law that says every time you double the distance you lose 75% of the radiation. Same for light that is why you have to keep florescent bulbs so close. You may need to move them closer if the temps get crazy.

Good luck!