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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Overwintering - When to tuck in potted figs...
 
 


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TorontoJoe

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Last winter was my first with figs. Then I had 2 CH in the ground. When the leaves (mostly) dropped off I covered it up using the methods well documented on this forum. Since then I've become quite the addict and have acquired a number of not so hardy varieties that I'm growing in pots.

When I covered up my CH in the ground last year I think it may have been too early. There were still some leaves that had not dropped and in the spring I had die back to within a few inches of the ground. This despite a mild winter.

As you can see here, this CH is not ready to go to sleep:

[Full_Size_Render] 

Now I have these two very small Negronne's and another 2 unknown green, warmer climate varieties that have dropped most of their leaves..but not all

[IMG_3156]  [IMG_3157]  [IMG_3159] 



We technically haven't had a frost here yet. 

So how do you know when the tree is really ready to be brought into the garage or covered for the winter?

Can you cause damage from overwintering too early?

Do you wait for them to be hit by a few frosty nights?

I'm not certain what I'm looking for...
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bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
way i used to do it was, if it's first yr tree, i pull them in after night temp dips below 40. if it's older than 1 yr, around 35. 
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"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
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***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
TorontoJoe

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Hmmm. Even if you still have leaves? I've hit temps lower than that already and the in-ground CH is looking as good as it did in late August. The other are dropping their leaves but not all of them yet. 

I understand the consequences of stowing them too late.

I'm trying to figure out if I can damage them by overwintering too early.....Do any of those trees look they're ready to be prepped for winter?

Not sure if it matters but its been pretty wet the last couple of weeks.
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Luzzu

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
the pots i would take inside (garage cold cellar)whereever you are planning on leaving for winter,the leaves will fall off
your CH is not ready yet, let the frost take off the leaves then its ready to be overwintered
Ralph
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TorontoJoe

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Thanks Ralph. Just so I understand. You'd put them away even with some leaves on as they are now? Meaning putting them away will make them go dormant?

This is my first time overwintering potted figs. My plan is to put them in my attached garage against the house wall and hang some blankets over them to help contain some of the house heat. I got one of those wireless thermometers so I can monitor the temperature from inside the house. If it gets too cold I was thinking I'd put an electric heating pad in with them to safely add just a tiny amount of heat. Normally it wouldn't dip below zero but you probably recall the two winters before last and how cold it got.

I know water can be the kiss of death for a dormant fig. How often to you check them to see if the do need any water? If it's really dry and they do - Do you give it a full soak or just add a cup or two? 
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Luzzu

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Just my opinion 
the small ones the leaves are going to fall off inside or out
but because they're tender shoots you dont want the frost to hit them it will burn the tips
your CH I would wait a while until the frost takes out the leaves
then if its in a pot i would take it out and put in the  garage if not dig around root ball put in a pot
and bring in garage 
my thinking is that being a small tree it might die back to the ground or worse

I wter a cup per pot once a month

Ralph
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ross

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
I recently made a video on overwintering:
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TorontoJoe

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Thanks Ross. Very impressive collection. Looks back breaking. I haven't put anything in a container larger than about 10 gallon. 

The way you overwinter is quite different than I've seen. It looks like most of the trees you have haven't lost their leaves and gone truly dormant. I wonder if that's a result of not letting them get hit by a couple of early frosts.

You also keep them in light which I've not known anyone to do unless planting in the ground in a greenhouse.

Clearly you have a method that's working for you. Do you get good harvests?

October 28th in Toronto and mine are still outside. But no frost yet...
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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ross
I recently made a video on overwintering:



Nice video Ross, thanks for sharing your trees with us! As far as I know Brebas form on branch tips of old wood, which is what is lost I'm a hard freeze. For me I clipped my leaves after the first mild frost, and now have them stored in my dark cold part if the basement that rests between 40 and 45 degrees and while sitting on concrete in dark they are sure not to grow. At this point better than 50℅ of leaf stems have now tried and fallen and no tips are wilting so all seems well there. Last year I tried to overwinter my trees with lights and warmth and it's true they kept a bit if their leaves all winter until spring. However, there was absolutely NO root growth during that 5.5 month period and their spring flush was not as vigorous as it ought to have been. So, to conserve the finite energy of the trees a year old and up I induced dormancy and cold storage. I suspect that they will put out a much nicer spring flush of growth this way given the stored energy! As for fruits late season, fruits take 90-110 days to ripen so if they aren't showing color and your temps arent above 55 a significant part of the day, I say clip them and conserve that energy. Why let the tree waste energy on fruits that will never ripen?
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Currently growing 50-60 varieties, this season's cuttings dependant. Hopefully I'll get to taste a few more this year...
TorontoJoe

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Quote:
Originally Posted by TorontoJoe
This is the same tree taken on October 30th one year ago just after 
the first frost hit. I trimmed the rest of the leaves and covered it up I 
also think trimmed a few inches of the top of each branch. I ask if I 
covered it too early as I got die back
to less then a foot from the ground. 
As you can see it came back nicely but didn't
think it should die back so much. I'm not sure if I should
[limp]
 

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