All trees are out on driveway today . Five day weather forecast looks good for now .

What sort of music do you play for the event?

Martin, don't forget to take some pics! even if they don't have leaves its always nice to see a bunch of figs lined up in a driveway :)

Pete

me too!!! took out most of them today. there's a lot of new growth already and i'm concerned about sunburn. repotted a few also. the large ones i have to root prune because it's time plus there to heavy to carry out of the basement. my son does this for me. he swears a little, but helps his old man out.

luke

I've got to get my stuff out of the garage too, We are having terrific weather!

Oh Brent,
I read Martin's entry and started humming the Flight of the Valkyrie. Then I read your entry and busted out laughing. My wife came in to see what was wrong with me. Martin I'm with Pete, can't wait to see some pictures. You do take outstanding photos. With St Pattys day in a few days our cold weather here is over. Thanks you all made my day.

There not lined up in a nice way but grouped together to keep the little guys from falling over .
Sang  " Thats Amore" to them as my ritual.

Noire de Caromb looks like it has lots of damage to my surprise despite being stored in the attic but should be ok near soil level but still early i wait and see whats what.

One of my real small plants breba coming out fast maybe i leave 1 or 2 or maybe none i leave on depends how i feel.

Madeira  first to have nice green buds, most others dormant but tossing and turning trying to awaken.

Hello all

Xenil send me Pm via the forum i just open them for short time.

So...at what forcasted temps do you guys bring them in?   Anything below 35 and otherwise they stay outside?  I have several in my semi lit garage that are leafing out also.

thanks...

Martin, as I was watching the weather report and saw 80 degrees for Chicago, I thought of you doing the fig shuffle.....At least it will be a good exercise.

I had about 30 fig trees that I started in November and December and have been growing inside under grow lights.  Now I need to put them outside to make room for the cuttings from Encanto farms that I'm starting to put in pots and keep under these lights.  I bought a small verticle greenhouse (28 inches wide, 20 inches deep, 6 feet high).  I have a south facing garage so I have put the whole thing on wheels so that I can move it inside the garage at night if needs be. 

I just put them outside today, and it's good because it was overcast, probably good for them to avoid sunburn.  My concern is that, since they have been growing inside for a couple months where temperature is a constant 69 degrees, I'm not sure what temperature range should I expose them to.  Is it OK if they get down to 35 degrees at night, as long as they don't frost?  Or should I be more conservative and make sure they don't go below 45 degrees?  I figure I have about an extra 5 degree cushion with the greenhouse closed, since I've put some buckets of water on the bottom as a heat sink (and to keep the thing from blowing over).

Thoughts/recommendations welcome.

Thanks,
Rob 

Hi Rob,
just like indoor plants have to get used to outdoor sunlight, they also have to get used to the outside temperatures. Especially the leaves will be more sensitive to the cold and need to get used to the colder temps gradually.

Rob if those plants were mine and i read your post correctly those plants you speak of are 3 months old and i would not let my 3-4 month old plants if i had any go from indoors into a overnight situation of 35 to 45 degree's outdoors.
Thats just me though.

that's a freakin crack up . . the "Fig Shuffle" . . .
I've got a brown thumb and live in a belt where stuff grows almost all year.
It's so nice here, that it's really an embarrassment to not have great success in the yard.

It's so damn nice here that my figs didn't even drop all their leaves . .
I'm planting tomatoes in February

Kudos to y'all who actually get seasons . . . your dedication and love is respected.
Guess it's time to lay back in my hammock . . Barkeep . . pour another one!

Rob- Be careful of them heating up during the day too. Get a good thermometer inside the GH and watch it like a hawk.

Brent/Martin,

Thanks for the responses.  I realize that these are very young plants and as such should be subjected to fewer fluctuations than older ones.  My problem is I have had a lot more rooting success than I anticipated (thanks to those who provided cuttings/advice), it being my first try, and now I have nowhere to put them.  Guess that's a good problem to have.  So I will really baby the rare ones I have, but these extras have to go somewhere.  I've given several away.  For the rest it's either inside without being under a light or outside and somewhat exposed to the elements.  This process should add to my understanding of what they can tolerate.  If they all die, I won't be heartbroken.  And if they live, then I know that they can take it.

I do have a thermometer inside the GH, and it looks like on a sunny day it heats up to 100 degrees very quickly.  So if it's sunny, I really have to leave it totally open.  And if it's below 45 degrees overnight, I'll wheel the whole thing into the garage.  It really is no effort, so I don't see any advantage to leaving them outside if there's any risk of cold temps whatsoever. 

I have to learn how to read post better as i age.
Did not realize about the green house as i posted thread title fig shuffle and thought you were doing similar.
Although i have no set up such as yours if it gets to 100 during day if its up against wall what are the temps during early morning hours.
Im curious as i would gander that the heat from the bricks would kinda keep them from dropping real low.

As a note this is the first time i recall ever bringing my plants out at this time and not having to bring them back in garage at night so far the night temps are staying favorablet thru till next thursday which is the furthest i can see forward.

I really want to get them in the yard but its just to dang early here as i recall a few years back several inches of snow April 5th and the weather turned cold for a spell where they were kept in the garage even during the day.

Yeah early for you.

Here on the west coast (California) we are expecting a cold storm to come in this weekend - so be careful as it travels across the country.

Batten Down the Hatches Mates . . Calif is finally getting some water . . .

Been so long now, I'll probably just stand out in it, looking up into the sky
like a turkey (old wive's tale)

Just remember to keep your mouth closed.

Ha Ha Ha
Very Funny Dale . . .
I knew someone would pie me with that one

 

It sounds like you have a good handle on things Rob. If you can turn it often to distribute light to both sides I think it might help with sunburn too. I am imagining what the thing looks like though so maybe not?