Is three months or 2280 hours of darkness enough for dormancy.
I put mine away a few days ago, so November, December and January.
What is the minimum?

Don't know about the darkness but there is a minimum of chill hours.
Some fruits require 100 hrs and some require 700+ hrs.

Just not sure on the figs.

Good question though

Buster, if you want to place your fig in a green house after dormancy period then one month dormancy should be more than enough (enough time to relax a bit). However, if you are keeping it inside the house after the dormancy period then its growth and cropping performance can become iffy. Personally I wish my plants not to wake up 2, 3 or ) at the most 4) weeks before it is time that I can place them in the open.
But that is my opinion based only on my situiation.

Figs require 100 hrs of dormancy.

It's a technicality, but it's the increasing dark period that pushes plants toward dormancy (as opposed to decreasing day length), and chill that finishes the job by nudging plants toward deep dormancy. Cutting the leaves off of a plant, thinking that you'll be forcing it into dormancy is counterproductive because the reduced flow of auxin from viable leaves allows another hormone/growth regulator (cytokininin) to become dominant and begin activation of buds in the axils (crotches) of the leaves you removed. This reduces their ability to resist cold. The best way is Mother Nature's way - leave your trees outdoors until the increasing night length and decreasing temperatures push the tree to dormancy. If you leave your trees on the ground in the fall, they will probably tolerate temperatures as low as 20* until the ground gets cold. If they are isolated from the heat of the earth (like on a deck), it's best to protect them before they see temperatures lower than 27* if possible.

Once trees are truly dormant, it takes chill to release them from their dormant state. Figs are one of those plants that usually take minimal periods of chill for them to pass through the dormant stage. Note that the chill period required isn't measured in hours; rather, it's measured in chill units. There is a formula that determines how many chill units accumulate at different temperatures for a given period. IOW, the number of chill units that accumulate in an hour at 34* is different than the number of units that accumulate at 40*. Basically, these units accumulate at temperatures above freezing and  below 42-44*. I have no idea what the formula is because it's never been important, but if anyone feels industrious, I'm sure a chart can be found somewhere. ;-)

Once the tree has entered dormancy and been released from dormancy by chilling, it passes unnoticed into a state of quiescence in which the tree is fully capable of growth, but inhibited from doing so by low root temperatures. If the tree is exposed to temperatures >45* for several days, it will stimulate growth and most of the bud's resistance to freeze injury will be lost, so it's best to keep your trees as cold as you can (but above 27* if possible) for as long as you can into spring. You don't want your trees leafing out in the garage or basement when you have another month of potentially killing cold weather ahead.

100 hours of chill is commonly quoted as the required period of chill for figs, and there is nothing to argue with there. The temperature doesn't have to be constant - it can fluctuate wildly between about 27* and 42*, and can even go briefly higher, as long as it doesn't stimulate growth. Soil can freeze solid and thaw over and over again, with no ill effects, as long as root temperatures don't drop below killing lows, which is going to be around 27*.

Al 

Thanks AL!

Thanks Al.
I put the scissors away.
It appears that the nature has a different arrangement with the newly rooted plants rooted this year since these are the one not willing to change the leaves colour despite temperatures below freezing. The older ones are now dropping the leaves after a couple of hours at 22~25 F at night. 

I was afraid of the (special) stink the leaves could cause in the cold cellar if not removed.

It sounds like maybe I did a lot of work last night dragging and pulling up my potted trees becuase it was going to be 30 and some wet snow for nothing...

Better be safe than sorry...
You got some exercise too.

You'll hear a lot of chatter, like "My trees were out all winter and it got down to 10* at least 6 times ....." or similar, but the fact is, all roots (on the same plant) don't possess the same ability to withstand chill; and roots vary from tree to tree by genetic ability to withstand cold (though cuttings retain the same degree of cold-hardiness of the parent material). The first roots to succumb to low temperatures are the most important - the ones that do all the work - the finest roots. As root temperatures fall, progressively larger and more lignified roots die. Expose your tree to extreme cold and it may well live, but all you might have is essentially a big cutting that has to regenerate a large fraction of it's root mass before it can push the spring flush. This means less energy to make leaves and fruit, and a late start in spring.

That your trees might TOLERATE temperatures lower than the 27* I mentioned, doesn't mean they'll like it. For best vitality and best opportunity for trees to grow at/near their potential genetic vigor in the next growth cycle .... give 'em that cold rest & try not to expose roots to temps more than a few degrees below freezing.

Al  

Very True Ottawan and I guess it is a practice run for coving my inground trees, which I can see will need some work.  Thanks Al, this is all great information.

Excellent explanation, AL. Thank you.