Young plants and late dormancy?

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DallasFigs

Registered:1358877623
Posts: 990

Posted 1389194792	Reply with quote #1

I started way too early this year. I didn't expect them to grow up so quickly. I have a couple of trees that I rooted about 2 months ago and are 1.5 to 2 feet tall in 32 oz SIP. They look very healthy with lots of strong leaves and good roots. They can drink up to about 250 cc's of water a day! But mainly, their getting too big to handle indoors (in my fig closet). Would they be able to handle going outside and going dormant as long as I ensure they don't have to bare freezing temps? (say minimum 38F). I'm sure we still have a good month left of cold temps. That picture is about a month old, so it's even bigger now. __________________ James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a Follow me on EBay Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,712

Posted 1389195064	Reply with quote #2

That's great growth! I'm curious to hear the answers myself. __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

blueboy1977

Registered:1375760370
Posts: 459

Posted 1389201459	Reply with quote #3

I had the same question, only I rooted mine outdoors in the shade in Oct. I let them grow and shuffled them many times into the shed and back out in the sun after the leaves had hardened off. They ended up going dormant toward the end of Nov/mid Dec. They are only 5 or 6 inches tall and seem to be doin fine outside. When the temp starts to drop I move them inside at night. I would think that if you put them in the shade untill they get used to it they would be fine. __________________ Rob Zone 9a/9b were the too meet. South Houston Tx Growing: Black Madeira, Smith, LSU Scott's Black, Improved Celeste, VDB, MBvs, RDB, Unknown Peach/Apricot, Salce, Malta Black, Texas BA-1, JH Adriatic, Atreano, CDDN, CDDB, CDDG, Strawberry Verte

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1389214226	Reply with quote #4

You could either put it in a 1-2 gal pot and under more light or you could slowly let it adjust to cooler temps. If you let it get too cold you'll get dieback of the fresh stem. If it's in the 70s now I wouldn't expose it to anything under 60 at first. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

GeneDaniels

Registered:1384021772
Posts: 1,014

Posted 1389216683	Reply with quote #5

I think 2 month old growth is way too young for exposure. I would repot to something larger and keep them in the house until the daytimes are at least above 60F. I once moved a young fig outside too early and lost all the growth. It started over, so it was not a major loss, but if I had kept in in longer I would have been 18 inches ahead of the game. __________________ Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1389263504	Reply with quote #6

Hi, Just my two cents of the day: I would have up-potted - the growth is too important for the size of your pot. My believe is that figtrees need a minimum amount of time to harden their wood. The growth we see is the first growth of the year and figtrees usually do two growths per year ( May-June + August-October). Being disturbed now will lead the tree to let the growth die-back but the rooting system should be kept as long as you don't expose the pot to freezing temps . If possible I would consider keeping it growing inside until spring. But if you have no other choice ... Take a chance and see what comes out . For me, I took that lesson last year when all my 3 kept inside small figtrees died all of a sudden in May or April - so October to April in house caring for them ! This year I decided to start them as of 1st of January so 3 months later - hopefully that will make it. The cultivars I'm using are not the same, and if I loose them this year, that will not worry me too much. If I do succeed this year then, I'll try next year with some other cultivars - "Sultane", "longue d'aout" and "Brownturkey" (or/and some other, who knows?) just not to name them - those would be backup trees. If my two of this year do succeed, they'll be offered to the two neighbors that did ask for some . __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1389273173	Reply with quote #7

James, In my opinion your best option is to up pot it now and then just shuffle. On those nights it may frost put them in the garage. If it is going to freeze put them against a shared wall with the house in the garage or bring them in the house. That is what I do.....it does not hurt mine to get down in the upper 30's or low 40's outside as long as the days are warm. Constant cold and wet would be a bad idea though. Make sure you take your time transitioning them to and hardening them off to the sun.

DallasFigs

Registered:1358877623
Posts: 990

Posted 1389277515	Reply with quote #8

Quote: Originally Posted by WillsC In my opinion your best option is to up pot it now and then just shuffle Quote: Originally Posted by jdsfrance I would have up-potted - the growth is too important for the size of your pot. Quote: Originally Posted by GeneDaniels I would repot to something larger and keep them in the house until the daytimes are at least above 60F Therein lies the problem.. i just don't have indoor room for up potting them. I already have 3 in larger 2.5 gal SIPs. And now wifey is complaining about gnats in the closet. Been watering with Gnatrol for a couple weeks, but still have many. I mixed up a stronger batch last night, so maybe that'll help. I'm probably going to have to move my nursery into the attached garage for the rest of the winter. It'll be cooler, but perhaps not cold enough for them to go dormant. Then shuffle them outdoors on warmer days. __________________ James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a Follow me on EBay Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1389279152	Reply with quote #9

James, Granted I am one zone warmer than you but I will start moving cups to pots here in the next few days and then outside they go. First in the shade and when hardened to the sun direct sun after that. I will shuffle them if there is threat of a freeze which is a royal pain for 150 1 gallon pots....but it is nothing like the shuffle the northern growers endure and with much larger pots.

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