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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Growing fig tree indoors during winter ?
 
 


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Dave

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I was wondering if anyone here has ever kept a fig tree growing through the winter indoors? 

I have a couple one footers that are still all green and I am not sure how good they will do in my unheated garage with my other trees during the winter in CT zone 6B if it had harden off no problem 

I'm just not sure being that it is still very tender? 

Dave

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timgoodin

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
I had a couple that looked like your picture that I over wintered last year.  I shuffled them in and out of the garage until December when I forgot them one night and they got frosted on (started frosting here in early November last year). 

I then put them the balance of the winter into my unheated about 40-50 degree garage and stopped watering them, just keep the soil from completely drying out into a powder.  They hardened off and became woody with a nice green bud on top.  Sprang back into growth in March/April when I started watering them pretty good and putting them out on warm days.  They have done ok but not great this summer.  I repotted them last month and they started looking a lot better and doing well so I think the slow growth this spring was poor soil mix.

I plan to try keeping some of my late rooted cuttings/air layers in a garage window on a shelving unit perhaps with some additional lighting this winter.  I'm seeing some good reviews online about advantages of an early start bringing them out of dormancy in the spring.  Wish I had a greenhouse or cold frame, maybe my next project.
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Tim Goodin
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My trees: Celeste, Brown Turkey, Hardy Chicago, Mission, LSU Purple, Gold and O'Roark, Desert King, Condria, Hollier, several others rooting

Looking for any named varities hardy zone 6 and tasty.
loquat1

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
My Zailata (Gk Yellow) was over-wintered indoors for the first 2 winters (cuttings taken in Sept '11, so now 2yrs old), and this summer just shot up. It now stands over 1.5m, and 4 large ground/base shoots have now reached the main crown. They will produce nxt year's layers. Just re-potted it in a larger pot, coz it outgrew its previous pot & kept falling over even in a light breeze. I'm even considering over-wintering it indoors for its 3rd winter as a final experiment in ripening current fruit development during nxt summer.  

Personally, I would not risk an unheated garage, unless you know for sure that the temp. never falls below 0. Garage temps (esp. when detached from main building) can fall well below zero if that is the ambient external temp. Why risk it?

EDIT: PS You can check out my pics here: http://s989.photobucket.com/user/loquat1/media/096_zps8289f2fa.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7
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Costas
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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Make sure you get some insecticidal soap, you may find spider mites, thrips, mealy buds etc when you bring them inside over winter, if you spray them first it should keep them clean, just keep an eye on them if you plan on growing them inside over winter.
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rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
It's easy to give a small plant enough light but as the plant grows and the leaves start shading each other it gets harder.  A plant without enough light will be prone to insect attack and other problems.
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loquat1

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Fair point Bob, but we keep ours by the patio doors/windows, where it gets about as much light as is available during the winter, which is quite limited anyway. I don't see how a garage can have any more light than my patio door area, which fortunately for us is South facing.

The real surprise to me was that my Gk Yellow retained all its leaves throughout both winters. The only thing that fell off was some fruit that reached large walnut size by around March. I'm not sure that depriving my tree of a dormant period is doing it any favors in the long run. That's my only real concern.
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Costas
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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Yes. I started several cuttings late last year, October and November 2012. They were grown indoors in a south facing window (no artificial lighting) in an unheated room. The temperature varied between 45 and 75 deg F depending on the time of day and the weather. attached is a picture that was posted in January 2013 in a post, commenting on insect pests.
[image]

The tree on the left in above picture June 28, 2013...
[image]
Liza

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Hello ,
Did you ever manage to get pictures of the fig ripe please?



Quote:
Originally Posted by loquat1
My Zailata (Gk Yellow) was over-wintered indoors for the first 2 winters (cuttings taken in Sept '11, so now 2yrs old), and this summer just shot up. It now stands over 1.5m, and 4 large ground/base shoots have now reached the main crown. They will produce nxt year's layers. Just re-potted it in a larger pot, coz it outgrew its previous pot & kept falling over even in a light breeze. I'm even considering over-wintering it indoors for its 3rd winter as a final experiment in ripening current fruit development during nxt summer.  

Personally, I would not risk an unheated garage, unless you know for sure that the temp. never falls below 0. Garage temps (esp. when detached from main building) can fall well below zero if that is the ambient external temp. Why risk it?

EDIT: PS You can check out my pics here: http://s989.photobucket.com/user/loquat1/media/096_zps8289f2fa.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7
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loquat1

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Hello Liza - good to hear from you again.

Ripe figs from my Gk Yellow? That would be something, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, not yet. The largest figs produced thus far are perhaps slightly bigger than large walnut size. And still very green. I might post a pic or 2 later for what it's worth to give you an idea.

No, I suspect the tree is still too small/immature to bear ripe fruit just yet. Don't forget, it's only a 2 yr old. I think it will also need an exceptional summer like the one we just had for the fruit to ripen - possibly next summer or more likely the one after that.

Inspired by Meghan's idea for saving the blossom/fruit on my loquat tree (see my HELP!!! thread), I've had an idea that might also help me extend the growing/ripening season for my Gk Yellow. It's a bit of a project, & I don't wanna go into detail right now, but when I'm done, I'll post some pics to reveal all. Then I'll let you all know sometime next Spring if Meghan's idea, combined with my 'enhancements', succeeded in given us ripe loquats again after a 5 yr hiatus.

Watch this space chuck.

EDIT - Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you. One of those air-layers has your name on it. Another one will go to Luke, which leaves me 2 for relatives.
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Costas
americanfiglover

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
I have my trees under growlights for the winter. So far so good, they are putting out new leaves and still kicking. 
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Jarrett
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cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 

Costas, looking forward to the final reveal of your project.

Dave, you got some great tips on here.  I think Chivas comment about taking precautions against insects is a good one.  Is that your RM in the picture? 
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
loquat1

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
I will be using something like grow lights next year if Meghan's idea (Xmas tree lights) doesn't work this year. I'm also using fleece, and a secondary 'enclosure' to trap and conserve as much of the heat as possible. Should work, but I have more ideas for next year if it doesn't.
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Costas
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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
I think I'm going to invest in a growtent
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Jarrett
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loquat1

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
A grow tent sounds very much like what I had in mind for my loquat tree. If it works, I don't see why the same idea can't be adapted for fig trees as well. It's just a case of finding the time and justifying the cost of materials, but another epiphany earlier today suggested a simpler solution that may not be quite as effective, but will certainly be a whole lot cheaper to implement.

@ Meghan - Don't worry chuck, I'll post some pics in 2-3 weeks (before the evening temps around here start to dip below 0 deg C) to show you all exactly what I've done. I can't tell you how excited I am at the prospect of having loquats growing on my tree again.
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Costas
Dave

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
The cuttings that we start obviously do well indoors during the winter I was curious how it would be for bigger trees? I knew a guy once that had 2 6 footers and treated them as house plants keeping them in his living room thru the winter  and by Springtime they were both dead 

Mehgan
yes that is the RM it's actually grown more since I posted this not as much as your tree though  lol
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loquat1

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Not enough light perhaps? I've successfully overwintered 2 or 3 5'ers, but they were in a well-lit area behind glass french doors and facing the sun. Never been any issues that I'm aware of.
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Costas
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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
I've got a few smaller plants that I'm going to keep by a lamp. I just got a daylight fluorescent bulb that has 6500k so I am gonna try that out this winter.
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Tam

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Good information, thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam
cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
Okay, now Dave's fly is moving. 
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
loquat1

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
Is it a threat to my fig trees?
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Costas
cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
Dave's fly?  I guess that depends on what kind of fly it is
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #22 
Dave, your fly isn't a Zaprionus indianus is it?

And I think you dosed that Red Sicilian with steroids before sending it to me.  That thing just hasn't stopped growing.  Literally an inch or more a day.
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
Dave

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Posted Reply with quote  #23 
Mehgan I think it's that Texas fresh air the plant came from good stock it's the biggest producer of figs that I have in my collection Are you going to keep it like a tree or a bush? 

As far as the fly it might be a Sciaridae

Costas your safe I doubt it will get thru the glass 
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cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #24 
I think I'll grow them both into small tree's.  They seem to have that upright growth pattern already so why not go with it.  Depending on how they do they might go in ground eventually.  You have to be right about the good stock.  Hopefully they produce as well down here as they do for you!  Is the red Sicilian you sent me similar to the red heirloom fig you have on ebay now?

Maybe it's not a fly at all.  Could it be a Tetrapusiinae? 
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
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