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Wintering new fig trees/plants.

I brought several fig plants this year, some of them were damaged by deer just recently. About 5 of them are starts from this year and still have green branches. Should I winterized them the same as my older trees or move them indoors near a window for the winter? I usually bring my pots into the garage, no insulation and water once a month. Thanks for the advice.

Great question.  I have several I started mid-summer in pots and the stems are greenish/brown right now.  I am going to put them in my unheated garage over the winter and see what happens.

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  • Tam

Thanks, I want to know about that too.

Best,
Tam

In my opinion, this years cuttings and very young plants in general, I wouldn't expose to frost temperatures. Especially when most of the stem is still green and not really lignified. The older and thicker a trunk or branch gets the cold hardier it becomes.

I think a unheated frostfree room as Frank mentioned will do great.

  • Rob

Frank,

I live in MD, and my unheated garage almost never gets below freezing during the winter.  So if yours is the same, I think that's where I'd put them.  Indoors is a hassle.  If they are really super rare/valuable, then you could set something up with a grow light, but in 4 months time in the winter they are going to get a lot bigger, so you'll have to plan for that.

  I wish I could send  my saplings off to winter camp.   I just didnt realize all the details of wintering the youngins. I was told my garage here will have freezing temps. That blew a hole in my winter plan.

Soni you can always place a heater near your plants, or set them up with a grow light. 

Small potted plants I put in the garage with the established plants, but if a really deep freeze occurs, say 20 F or below I will bring them into my house until the cold snap passes.

I have many greenish brown young one gallon trees growing . Would it be better for them to be placed in my unfinished basement ? Temps are probably 50-60's - mechanicals are there so it is not that cold. Our enclosed unheated porch is another option. Temps there could get freezing . I've always put my larger trees there up against the house . I lost one new tree there, all my others were ok.
Appreciate any opinions. 

Hi Pattee

That basement might be warm enuf to wake them from dormancy, on the other hand a screened porch with no insulation seems the same as an unheated garage. Small pots can be wrapped with a little warming insulation or just brought indoors when there is deep freeze. Last year my one plant grown from a cutting was about 2.5 feet tall, it did fine in the garage, maybe twice I brought it indoors to a dark place for a couple of days.

Hi Rafael  
I wondered about the basement being too warm. My other thought was using some rolled insulation on the floor of the porch to set them on and around them . I have those large moving quilts that HD , Lowes & Costco carries also that I can use. The porch is enclosed with glass so the whipping winter winds will not be an issue. Maybe that's the better plan then.
Thanks Rafael!

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