This was my first winter with figs in the garage. I am interested in reading how others put their potted figs out for the growing season. I have read about Martin's approach and it would be nice to have those thoughts collected in one post.

Many of my 1- or 2- gallon potted figs are swelling and budding; others have leafed completely. The temperatures here range from high 40s to high 70s daily. This week I have been putting them out in the morning and back in at night. I went ahead and left a few pots outside last night and all was well. I am thinking about doing the same for the rest of the fig family because I don't have the time to put them out and.bring them in routinely.

I think I could be concerned about leaf scalding (or something else) but I don't think I have ever seen it so...I need a reason to worry about something otherwise, I won't and don't.

What do you do?

JD

If they were mine in Fla. I would put them out right now

You southern guys have too good!

I have to use tax day as a barometer!

_____________
Dominick
Zone 6a-MA

Thanks NYPD

Loved the winters up here for my whole life but after all this snow ( over 80 inches), I think another winter like that would push me  to get the wife to transfer down South, ANYWHERE! haha

I posted this somewhere recently....

The second the buds start breaking and leafing out, if daytime temps are over 55º, they're outside during the day in full sun on a south-facing wall of my house.  Any time the weather calls for overnight temps below 40º or excessive rain, they come back inside.  If you can manage to get them directly into full sun as they're starting to leaf out, they won't need to be slowly brought into the sun ("hardened off"), and you won't need to worry about leaf-scorch.

I realize how daunting it may be for some to pull dozens of plants out into the sun on a few days of rollercoaster weather.  I use plastic bun/loaf trays you find in your local bread stores, it's a 2'x2' tray, like this:  http://www.wasserstrom.com/restaurant-supplies-equipment/Product_914301

The trays have two handles for easy carrying and each tray holds 10 one-gallon pots pretty easy. 

After I sold my '68 Chevy pickup, I realized the wooden rolling dolly I kept the assembled front clip (front end) on would hold three trays perfectly.  It has inflatable tires on it from Harbor Freight or Northern Tool and rolls on rocks and dirt well.  I roll it to my side yard with 3 trays, pop the trays in one of my raised beds, then roll back in and get more!  Works like a champ.  Also saves my back!

Here are pictures of my 4 trays full of trees and my 3-4gal pots, taken yesterday.  Already have a good 4" of growth on some of them, after 10 days.

Here are pictures of the dolly I built which miraculously holds three of the plastic load trays seen above perfectly.

Note the wheels - rolls in and out and over everything with ease - cost $6/each.  It's about $10 in 2x4s and took about 30 minutes to toss together.

Here in Charlotte, I got too many to place out in the sun and roll back in at night.  I have 2 of my largest trees on my wagon.  When the weather is 70ish outside.  I will roll those 2 trees out to the sunshine.  My gargage is insulated and has 2 large windows so those inside are getting daylight and cold air protection.  All in my garage have started leafing out.  Those in my GH have leafed out. 

We broke a record on 70 degree temps in February but we are back to high fifties and mid 30s at night now.  So, I don't want to put all my trees out just yet and kill the current growth.  I have some up against my house.  And those I've move out so they can get more direct heat.  Those in the ground have not leafed out yet.  Hopefully soon!  cheers,

If it's helpful, I've only had to bring mine inside three nights in the last 2+ weeks.  It's rain on the forecast for the next 3 days so I may end up bringing them in again tonight and putting them back out Monday/Tuesday morning.

I like being able to put young, tender babies out on the carport to harden them off.  I can place them so they get early morning sun, or late afternoon sun, which is not as strong as direct sunlight and that works very well for tender-leafed plants.  If there should be a cold snap here, and Mike said one is coming, I can pull the tender babies up beside the kitchen wall under the carport and even cover them if needed.  I kept the young trees there all "winter" and if it was going to get very cold, I put one, or two sheets over them and they are perfectly fine (along with the Rosemary and Oregano).  They were dormant.  I pulled the three little ones inside for the winter, but they are outside now and I hope they will harden off all right.

noss

I do the in-&-out of garage exercise for sun and warmth only for those few selected (3 or 4 years old) figs that showed inclination in the previous year(s) to ripen figs if helped with sun light & heat in Zone 5.
The other ones will be brought out when it is close to mid or late April depending on how the spring is showing itself. These will be brought to the garage from the cellar as soon as the cellar temperature stars going above 10C. These can stay in the garage with some fluorescent light. These Will not ripen figs anyway and Will grow even when brought out to the sun in early or mid-May.
I may change my routine if I leaned a better routine.

Thanks all!

When I cleaned the garage, I put the figs out and reconnected the drip irrigation. They will stay out until the cold makes me put them back in...hopefully later versus sooner.

JD

I dunno about you, but the cold is already back up here.

almost all day, 33º outside with wind chill.  30mph gusts.  Total insanity.

hang in there spring is just around the corner!!!!!  I have been itching to get a fishing rod in my hand and go for a blast on the quad!!!!!  In no time we will be complaining about how hot it is!!!!!

I'm right there with you, Will.  At Dogwood break, my ass is going to be at the lake pulling speck after speck out of the water.

wow that sounds great I have a cousin that lives down in georgia and he keeps telling me to come and visit!!!!  I have spent alot of time in southern florida and have driven by the georgia coast line a couple of times and it really looks beautiful I might have to take him up on his offer and hook up with you for some speck fishing!!!!  

Jason,

Speck aka "Speckled Perch", but mor commonly known as Crappie.  And by "crappie", I'm not talking about the weather outside right now ;)

I have many a fond memory from infancy till my late teenage years of dangling lanterns off bridges and fishing for speck all hours of the night until noon or later the next day.  Fun stuff!  Don't get out nearly as much now as I did back then.  Surely miss it.

A quick follow up: The put the figs outside on March 4th in the flower bed. The figs on the concrete were rooted recently (during the winter), potted up, and live outside but get morning sun only.

JD

Thanks, Jason.

When people talk about specks down here, they mean speckled trout which is a saltwater fish (Spotted weakfish.).

noss

i catch those in the gulf with my folks

"Over Wintered in Garage, Advice on How & When To Move Out " and "Speckled Perch" all sound good but, living near the Ottawa River I still see fishing huts over the frozen river (though may not last long, hopefully). This is in addition to 10" snow we got the night before. So it will be a while before I start thinking of taking figs out.