My Winter Growing Figs ( Updated )

oldghost
1326847832

And the saga continues....

I moved my waking fig trees to a much colder spot. ( it's been averaging 40-45 degrees. ( some nights even colder )

I have not noticed any major new growth, but the green buds are still there plus a couple of small new ones.

I haven't noticed any die-off but I have noticed a TINY bit of new green buds.

They have been in the colder spot for a least two weeks now.

The trees with the most growth I placed near the sunny window in the apt above.

They took off! In a matter of days a lot of new growth and new height and new figs.

I figured since those trees were so determined to grow, I added a couple ( Three ) full spectrum grow light to help them along.

The White figs are no longer white ( Thank God, they were spooky), and my Altreano has 8 brebas on it.

My small Fico Preto is zooming.

I think this is the best I can do.

*. Keep the active ones growing under the lights till spring.

* And leaving the others alone and let them go into dormancy when they are ready.

Unless someone here thinks I should nip off any new/existing growth ( Fig, or leaf )

from either the ones in the cellar or the aggressive growing ones in the apt.

As always, Thanks,

Warning: Lots of Pics.

Attached Images

Quote

go4broek
1326849608

Nick,

The ones in the cooler area will not go dormant at those temps. All they will do is continue to grow albeit more slowly. You must either allow them to keep growing or attempt to harden them off by exposing them to increasingly cooler weather until the tender growth hardens and then you can expose it to freezing temps without damaging the tips or rush the process at the risk of damaging the tips by exposing the plants to soft freezes and cool temperatures to force it into dormancy over a period of a few weeks. Good luck!

Quote

oldghost
1326919900

Hi Ruben.

I appreciate the help.

I really cant get them colder.

I don't understand I have other figs in my attic area that is basically the same temp, and for the most part they are not waking up.

The problem is the days and nights in my area hasn't really gotten that cold.

But shouldn't 35- 45 degrees be cold enough for them?

what do people in warmer climates do?

Attached Images

Quote

Dieseler
1326921476

Temps at 35 -45 here is cold enough for my trees to start dropping the leaves easily
I let mine that are older than 1 season hold get hit with temps in the high 20s to start the process and then i bring them in garage no matter what the temp but i can guarantee they go fully dormant soon after as temps here quickly get cold.

Thats my climate Nick yours is warmer i figure.

I'm not sure as i never was in your area ever but i would have let the trees that are over a season old get hit with some nice cold high 20s temps and then bring them into that 35 to 45 degree area that is if it even got that cold out there by you in the first place.

Again im no expert i just go by what i do here for many years in my own climate which is cold in winter.

Quote

go4broek
1327014177

Nick,

What I recommended is what I have done for my potted figs. I start them year round so they are not all sync'ed to the changing seasons. I still have a few that I am hardening in preparation for dormancy. Some of them had fruit close to ripening so I delayed their dormancy in the greenhouse until after I had harvested the last few figs. Now they are done and the tender growth is hardening after exposure to cooler temps and a few soft freezes. Some varieties seem to break dormancy b4 others despite the same storage conditions. Long Yellow and Winterville's Unknown Green are two of those. Like Martin said, you have to expose them to those mid-20 temps a few times to get them fully dormant and then 35-45 degree temps will maintain them the rest of the dormant period. Take care.

Quote