Recommendations for potted figs budding out NOW

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mjbaransky

Registered:1371235341
Posts: 64

Posted 1423439702	Reply with quote #1

Hi everyone, Its my first year of having my potted figs (several varieties) in my basement. Zone 6. It's fairly dark with a few small "basement windows". It is February 8th and I just noticed that the stems have slight green buds on them... Being that it is February 8th and likely a month or so until Spring comes - what's the best way for this scenario to play out? Thanks for the help/suggestions! Mike __________________ In Pots: Ronde De Bordeaux, Black Mission, JH Adriatic, Sals El Gene, Celeste (EL), Black Madeira, Sumacki, White Marseilles, Lebanese Red, Persian White, Genovese Nero Zone 6 - Nazareth, Pennsylvania, USA. (Lehigh Valley - Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton)

jc_figs

Registered:1416095240
Posts: 351

Posted 1423439978 · Edited	Reply with quote #2

U could set up grow lights and move them into a pot that is about wide enough that u can fit ur hand between the root ball and the pot wall __________________ Name JAILEN feel free to call me jc ........wish list...... black madeira ,ischia b lack, green ischia, patrics super giant, rdv, negronne, maltese falcon, lsu gold, lsu purple, lsu tiger, lounge d out, golden, celeste, black jack, black mission, brunswick, blue ischia, panache, strawberry latte, armenian, mvsb, col de dame, col de dame grise, col de dame noir, hardy chicago, peters honey, peti negri, unknowns, magnolia, kathleen black, labanese, and any othere except bt, and celeste improved bt or celeste are fine ,cuttings/plants zone 8a goldsboro north carolina. I'm proved Celeste or BT welcome!! figs growing brown turkey celeste and unknown yellow fig

mjbaransky

Registered:1371235341
Posts: 64

Posted 1423440292	Reply with quote #3

Thanks Jc for the suggestions. I was hoping for something less costly and time consuming. I was hoping to somehow bide my time without causing my plants damage. They are already in very large pots. I don't think re-potting is an option. They are pretty much at the size I intend on keeping them. Grow Lights, if I had to, I would consider that, but it sounds costly for now - Any votes out there for how to bide my time for a month or so without negatively affecting my plants? __________________ In Pots: Ronde De Bordeaux, Black Mission, JH Adriatic, Sals El Gene, Celeste (EL), Black Madeira, Sumacki, White Marseilles, Lebanese Red, Persian White, Genovese Nero Zone 6 - Nazareth, Pennsylvania, USA. (Lehigh Valley - Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton)

needaclone

Registered:1346812939
Posts: 604

Posted 1423443487 · Edited	Reply with quote #4

Are the buds just light green...? Or are the buds swelling up...? Or are the buds actually opening up and pushing out leaves? How many figs are we talking about...? Do you have any nice south-facing windows upstairs? I'm having the same problem. My basement is just a bit too warm to keep all the figs dormant for the whole winter. And the one uncovered window I have isn't helping matters. If they aren't leafing out, you can try to cover the window and cool it down a bit somehow. Do you have a garage or somewhere a little cooler you could keep them? I brought a lot of my figs up to sunny windows. But you can get a shoplight at HD or Lowes for ~$12. They hold two T12 bulbs, which are not very expensive. You can mix and match bulbs with different spectra. http://www.lowes.com/pd_420865-43921-MXL-101_0__?productId=4013481 For about $35 you can get two units and bulbs...which gives you a lot of light for not much $. The two-bulb T8 fixtures are only $1-2 more. I'm not sure how much more expensive the T8 bulbs are, but I think they may be brighter and more energy efficient. Jim __________________ Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M . Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano . ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000

dirtguy50

Registered:1398135169
Posts: 256

Posted 1423455474 · Edited	Reply with quote #5

jc_fig, you should not be giving anyone advise on this forum. You little con!! I hope others chime in here based on previous issues with jc_fig on here. Admitting you are using multiple names on this forum, using numerous birthday dates, sending threatening and inappropriate PM's to members. He/she, whoever you are has no business giving advise. __________________ No, your other left! Zone 6b, Keith in SW Wish List: Violette de Bordeaux & Marsilles Black VS

COGardener

Registered:1357441505
Posts: 814

Posted 1423456380	Reply with quote #6

What I do in the spring and fall is move the pots out of my garage every morning (weather permiting) and drag them all back in every night. I know it is a giant pain, and the more you have the more of a pain it is. I do not know if this is a plausible option for your situation, but it works for me. Windows block to much light and UV typically leading to weak leggy growth. Additionally, after being in a window the trees will need to be hardened off before they go into full sunlight or they will go into shock, plus other issues. High intensity lighting it's an option, if you don't mind the cost, yet it causes issues much like the Windows do. Good luck, I think this is going to be an issue for many people in many places this year.

dirtguy50

Registered:1398135169
Posts: 256

Posted 1423456667	Reply with quote #7

Hey Scott, yep the dreaded fig shuffle. I am new to this and appreciate all the information folks post here. I am a vegetable gardener so this fig thing is quite a challenge. It's fun though. Hope everyone has a great harvest in 2015!! __________________ No, your other left! Zone 6b, Keith in SW Wish List: Violette de Bordeaux & Marsilles Black VS

COGardener

Registered:1357441505
Posts: 814

Posted 1423460049	Reply with quote #8

Same here Keith, it has been quite an eye opening experience playing with the figs and doing the pot shuffe. This will be my third growing season with the figs, and I'm sure it will be fantastic. Like most things, they get easier with time.

jc_figs

Registered:1416095240
Posts: 351

Posted 1423481312 · Edited	Reply with quote #9

Umm keith or whoever if I truly didn't like figs and grow them y would I know so much and I'm not gonna argue with u and there's no reason for me to just be here to argue with u or cause trouble and I'm not causing any trouble now I haven't be on in months ✌ __________________ Name JAILEN feel free to call me jc ........wish list...... black madeira ,ischia b lack, green ischia, patrics super giant, rdv, negronne, maltese falcon, lsu gold, lsu purple, lsu tiger, lounge d out, golden, celeste, black jack, black mission, brunswick, blue ischia, panache, strawberry latte, armenian, mvsb, col de dame, col de dame grise, col de dame noir, hardy chicago, peters honey, peti negri, unknowns, magnolia, kathleen black, labanese, and any othere except bt, and celeste improved bt or celeste are fine ,cuttings/plants zone 8a goldsboro north carolina. I'm proved Celeste or BT welcome!! figs growing brown turkey celeste and unknown yellow fig

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,713

Posted 1423489879	Reply with quote #10

If you cannot move them to a cooler environment, say below 50°f, grow lights are your best option. If they're well on their way to opening buds, do not force them back into dormancy. Good luck...I know it can be tough to manage when this happens. __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1423492452 · Edited	Reply with quote #11

Hi, I (did) wait until first leaf is/was opened but not fully developed . So I brought 5 upstairs under lights and have 5 more waiting . Some have greening buds, but until I see leaves I'm not encouraging them nor hasting them for bud break . The ones I brought up, the leaf did green nicely and one tree is firing her third leaf ... I need to pot up at least two. They are in 1liter ( 1/4 gallon) pot and roots are already spreading in the plate under . And just for the laughter, my potting soil is in the garden and for a week we have 0°C. So yesterday, I had to warm up my potting soil for it to melt and become workable ... __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

Troyb

Registered:1423570189
Posts: 97

Posted 1423659993	Reply with quote #12

I kept my figs in the basement too and they didn't start budding until April. My temps stayed around 50-60, but there are no windows. Could you make your basement light proof like needaklone said?

james

Registered:1189185103
Posts: 1,653

Posted 1423667654	Reply with quote #13

One year (when I was more single than I am now and traveling a lot more than I am now) i replaced the entire content of my fridge with ~40 one to three year old trees for two months. I bare-rooted them first, wrapped the roots in damp paper, then foil. It worked like a charm. If only one or two small trees are starting to wake up, they may not need so much space. __________________ In containers - Littleton, CO (zone 5b) In ground - N.E of Austin, TX (zone 8b) 2016 Wish List: Dārk Pōrtuguese, Grānthāms Royāl, Lātarolla, Negrettā, Nōire de Bārbentāne, Rockāway Green, Viōlet Sepōr, Viōlette Dāuphine. Iranian figs are always welcome.

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