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ajv73

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I was so worried that the figs wouldn't survive a rough PA winter in the greenhouse. Seems I was wrong. I used an oil filled radiator as my primary heat source, with a small space heater with a freeze guard setting, as a backup. They all seemed to make it, except for my MBVS which sat right next to the radiator and seems like it got baked. I hope it comes back from the roots. I attached a pic - seems like they are doing pretty good for being March in PA. Before the greenhouse I'd bury them for winter. It would be late May or June before they looked this good. Seems like years past having enough good weather to ripen them was always a battle. I hope this year is different. I'm sure I'll have a problem in the future of running out of space as they grow - but it's fun for now. Thanks to all those who have given me advice..Tony

I hate to think what this did to my electric bill!

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Tony V. - Western PA, Zone 6a

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Amazing setup man. I love how brebas are forming on your figs. Congrats!
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pino

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Tony

How did you handle the heat fluctuations during the winter in the greenhouse?
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Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.
greenbud

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
What variety is that with the brebas?  How much % wise did it increase your electric bill from Oct to April?  Beautiful fig tree!  Will you repeat the same heating assist next season or try another method? 
eboone

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Those look great Tony!
Did they go completely dormant, or did you keep it warm enough that they kept their leaves?
If they went dormant, how long have they been growing again?

I am also curious about the effect on your electric bill.
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ajv73

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Thanks for the comments.  

So, how did I handle the heat fluctuations?  Not too well!  I'd turn the heater off when it was too sunny.  Otherwise, the fluctuations were huge.  Some days 50+ degrees.  If it was really sunny it might get up to 85 or 90.  At night it would be down to the high 30's or low 40's.  I have a digital thermostat in the greenhouse - it recorded the coldest temp in there this winter as 29.  I'm sure that required both heaters going pretty good because there were nights it was well below 0.  Overall they seem to have survived well.

As for my electric bills that is a good question.  My wife pays the bills.  I haven't asked and she hasn't noticed.  I'm sure it was probably pretty significant though.  But if it was too bad she'd be on my case!!  I'm hoping to build a garage this summer.  If I do I might run a gan line to the greenhouse.  That could change my heating options.

The fig pictured is a conadria.  It, and all the figs in there, went completely dormant.  The figs started breaking buds right around March 10.  So all the growth in the pic has been over the last 3 weeks or so.  I'm going to give them some fish emulsion fertilizer (Neptune's Harvest) this weekend. I assume that will get them going even more.

Thanks..Tony
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Tony V. - Western PA, Zone 6a
greenbud

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Thanks for answering the questions.  What you are doing seems to be working out real well for you.  I use fish fertilizer also.  I thought it was the same one as you use but it is "Alaska".  I also use MGrow.  It is amazing how much growth your figs accomplished over the last three weeks!
rafaelissimmo

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I also have a small greenhouse with an oil filled electric burner, it added roughly $100 to my electric bill. 1,700 btu's. Its expensive. I am only going to run it from March 1 in future seasons, the greenhouse is nice for waking up the figs early but not worth the expense and snow shovelling to cut a path to the greenhouse in frigid february.
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pino

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Your Conadria looks like it fared pretty well! 
Started growing March 10, I guess dormancy was not affected (90s during the day and 30 nights).  
Hope you get some nice figs.
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ajv73

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
I hope I didn't spend an extra $100 a month on electric. I'll have to ask my wife. And the temperature fluctuations were big but that was really only on very sunny days. Otherwise it stayed pretty even.
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Tony V. - Western PA, Zone 6a
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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
In my little hoop house the heater ran my electric bill up $200 last month.
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ajv73

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
My wife said our last electric bill was $140. That's for a family of 5. So it doesn't look like it was too outrageous. Unless that's an estimate and I get whacked next month?!?
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Tony V. - Western PA, Zone 6a
nycfig

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
My bill went up about $150 per month in Dec and Jan. About $200 in Feb. Have oil filled radiator and space heater in shed. Also have several heat mats and grow lights going.
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chucklikestofish

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajv73
I was so worried that the figs wouldn't survive a rough PA winter in the greenhouse. Seems I was wrong. I used an oil filled radiator as my primary heat source, with a small space heater with a freeze guard setting, as a backup. They all seemed to make it, except for my MBVS which sat right next to the radiator and seems like it got baked. I hope it comes back from the roots. I attached a pic - seems like they are doing pretty good for being March in PA. Before the greenhouse I'd bury them for winter. It would be late May or June before they looked this good. Seems like years past having enough good weather to ripen them was always a battle. I hope this year is different. I'm sure I'll have a problem in the future of running out of space as they grow - but it's fun for now. Thanks to all those who have given me advice..Tony I hate to think what this did to my electric bill!
~really nice i'm in pa. where you at ?~
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GinnyLea

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Tony, that is one nice looking fig!! Good to hear all your figs (minus one) made it through. What are the dimensions of your gh, and how many figs do you overwinter in it?? This is very inspiring as I am in zone 4, where we get a few nights below -20 in winter months. I have an unheated gh, and the hubs and I are thinking of hooking up some heat with one of those outdoor wood burners. Just to help take the chill off on very cold nights.
I am currently rooting some fig cuttings, and with any luck some will make it through to give me my first fig trees/bush. This is my second go around, as the first time I tried rooting fig cuttings, I failed.. That was about six/seven years ago and when I first started lurking around f4f. I have learned more since then..

Ginny
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