Register  |   | 
 
Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > How Soon?
 
 


Reply
  Author   Comment  
Buster

Registered:
Posts: 142
Posted Reply with quote  #1 
At what point can I take my dormant fig in the garage
and bring it in?
I would like to bring it into my bird room, where I have
my European Goldfinches and Canaries.
The birds usually start breeding in February, if I give them
at least 12 hours of light.

The fig has been dormant for two months now, so another
month or six weeks I could bring it into the warmth.
I would like to get a head start, so I could get two crops.

Could it be done?
Would it harm the tree at all?

Attached Images
jpeg DSC04214.jpg (145.20 KB, 26 views)
jpeg DSC03993..000.jpg (140.00 KB, 42 views)
jpeg DSC04213.jpg (163.75 KB, 28 views)
jpeg DSC04600.jpg (168.68 KB, 29 views)
OttawanZ5

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 2,551
Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Jerry
Someone more experience will answer about getting early start for two crops. I wonder about storing fig plants in the garage in a region where there was a cold spell of -40F/-40C last week. Did you check what was the lowest temperature in the garage during this cold spell (min/max thermometer helps).
I knew Edmonton was hit with -40F/-40C  with wind chills making it feel like -46C. Calgary being a bit to the south might have been a degree or two warmer but still very cold.
Is it an insulated and heated garage?
__________________
Ottawan-Z5a, Canada
Buster

Registered:
Posts: 142
Posted Reply with quote  #3 
The garage was fine.
The snow melted off the car.
The garage is insulated, and my furnace room
is through the garage.
No matter how cold it is outside,
nothing freezes in the garage it never gets below 10C. 
Also the pot is in a big clay crock and it is all wrapped in sponge.
I checked on the tree almost every day during the cold spell
and it wasn't frozen.

Jerry
PM920

Registered:
Posts: 160
Posted Reply with quote  #4 
 Just a note off figs, Very nice European finches When        I went to Greece I caught them in the wild. They are great singing birds
 Paul
Buster

Registered:
Posts: 142
Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Thanks Paul.

I have three pairs.
Two pairs of the European variety
and one pair of the bigger Siberian variety.
Also one mule, he is half Waterslager canary and half Siberian Goldfinch.
He sings both goldfinch and canary songs! Just a pleasure to listen to.

Jerry
Buster

Registered:
Posts: 142
Posted Reply with quote  #6 
No one answered my question.

At what point can I take my dormant fig in the garage
and bring it in?
I would like to bring it into my bird room,
satellitehead

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 3,687
Posted Reply with quote  #7 

I wait until the leaves fall off, then I bring them inside.
__________________
Jason
Atlanta/Grant Park area - z8
2007_giants

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 743
Posted Reply with quote  #8 
From what I've read fig tree only need 100-200 chill hours temps below 45f you can research this I don't see any problem getting a head start other then if they break domacy and get hit by a frost, if you can keep them warm with that amount of light you should be OK, then again I'm a newbe

 http://www.sperlingnursery.com/InfoSheets/infofig.pdf
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/botany/msg0713574514797.html
__________________
SAL zone 10b-9b FL PSL
growing in pots
Dieseler

Registered:
Posts: 8,252
Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Buster perhaps someone from your area can give you a more correct answer.
Im near chicago so not sure but here is what i  do each year to somewhat get a head start. Sometimes in mid march temps might get into the high 40s with finnaly some sunny days and i bring the pots on driveway and back into the house later in evening . It takes a while and i never really took notes on how long but the buds on my plants will start to swell as they slowly start to come out of dormancy. Last season i did this and then weather turned cold and we had snow in April  so they stood in garage even though they were starting to wake up which is ok because garage is insulated and a little warmer than the outdoor temps just i do not heat my garage and the plants at that point are near the front overhead door and get there sun through the top panel of overhead door which has glass or plastic windows. I know your doing different and want to bring them into a warmer room , fig plants will slowly wake up if you give them more light and warmth which sounds like you will do. I would think you can get a nice head start when you want to basically just dont forget that warmer temps they will see you need to give them a little drink of water just enough to dampen the roots not a full watering at that point until they are outside because early on the roots wont absorb a lot of water . So in the end you should get a much better head start than i could just when you should start doing this im not sure.
Buster

Registered:
Posts: 142
Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Thanks Guys,

From what I've read fig tree only need 100-200 chill hours temps below 45f...

So another month and she shold be ok.
It will be three months of dormancy. 

Jerry
Previous Topic | Next Topic
Print
Reply