This fella in the 1 gallon pot thinks it's time to wake up.  It's way too soon.  How do you handle ambitious plants this early in the year?  Will he go back to sleep?  My garage is housing over 40 plants and this is the only one showing activity.  Garage usually sits around 45-50° F.

 

Cooler would be better for keeping them dormant.  50F is warm enough that they'll wake up.  Not sure if you've got any way to cool it down, there in Virginia.  If you do have a way, that'd back them off, including that little guy.   (Maybe leaving a window open a little?  Or removing some other source of heat?).  If no way to do that, then I guess you'll have to let it (them) awaken.  Only real difficulty is if you've got danger of getting another freeze in that garage.  Those green tips and soft tender green tissues are vulnerable to die back if you get a freeze.  Good luck.

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a 

How long was he dormant before this?

It never drops below 40° in the garage.  They get fresh air when we take the vehicles in and out, so once or twice a day.  I can pull up the blinds to give it some sunlight but I can't provide cooler air on a consistent basis.

Gloria - they've been dormant since around November.

Frank,
  I've had a handful break out of dormancy early.  I keep them in a very cool part of my basement, but I don't think it is quite cold enough.  (Plus there's a window nearby, and I think maybe the light gets them all excited.
 So far this year I'm just putting them in front of south facing windows, and things seem to be working out OK.  I'm watering them but not fertilizing them.  They're growing slowly and nicely, not getting leggy at all.
  Last year I had a couple do the same thing, and I put them under the fluorescent grow lights I was using with the cuttings.  They did well, too.  On one tree I got figs early, as if the tree was forced. (...which I guess it was, albeit unintentionally.)
Jim 

Thanks Jim.  This particular plant isn't my prize fig or anything, so I may see how it reacts in its current location.  I'll be more nervous when my better varieties wake up.

Frank,
A few ice cubes in the pot each night when it's warm will help slow things down. I personally wouldn't worry about it yet. It doesn't get cold enough in your garage to freeze the growth. If a severe cold snap comes to town, then maybe I would watch the garage temps..but you have at least one car a day coming in with a warm motor and drive train to keep things from getting too cold in the garage. And speaking of warm motors, that may actually be the problem. In the early spring when I see buds starting to swell a bit but I'm not quite ready to shuffle yet, I open the garage door at night for periods of 10 minutes or so to bring the temp down in the garage. My wife's car really brings the temps up, which is a necessity in the grips of winter and a bane in March.

Calvin,

I never thought of the car engines warming up the room.  Some days we both pull in the garage close to the same time so that may really have an affect. 
But on the flip side, luckily, even on a 21° morning (today), the temps are still around 45° so I shouldn't ever need to worry about it getting too cold in there.  Thanks for the reply.

i usually let them sink or swim. they tend to swim lot better than sinking. most of my 1 gal broke bud. it's been colder than previous winters, but protected from wind and outside elements, i don't worry about them. 

Thanks Pete.  Good to hear.