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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > They're waking up early!
 
 


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chome360

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Had all of them in windowless storage that stayed between 52-55 degrees at all time.  Didn't do the trick.  At first the small 5 gal pots were waking up, so I reluctantly moved them inside by a window.  Now all the 15 gal pots are waking up.  No option to bring them in doors.  Its been an unusually mild winter here in Seattle, but it could still drop below freezing anytime over the next 6 weeks.

Any suggestions?  The way I see it I have two options.  Bring them out and take my chances, or install a grow light above them in storage.  Don't like either very much.
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erics11

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Maybe transition them outside under a covered area for some indirect light?
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chome360

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
The potential upcoming icy temps is my main concern.
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erics11

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
How cold does it get? I believe there is a good amount of extra protection just from being in a covered area.
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chome360

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
No way to know for sure, but very possible the temp could drop below 30.  Definitely will get a few night of 32-35.  Snow in March is not unheard of around here.  Normally I wouldn't bring them out until late April or early May.
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Mario_1

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Time to do the fig Hop. "Hop them in Hop them out"
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chome360

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
I just got a shooting pain in my knees just thinking about it!  They're pretty heavy.

Upcoming weather below...

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Frankallen

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I would not do either! I had around 76 fig trees last year in 1 Gallon pots and they started to green up early with buds like yours  and I just left them alone. They will bust some buds but they are not getting the real warmth they nee to really start growing strong . I would not put them outside and I would not use no grow Lights ( If you use Grow Lights) then you will will have to condition them, when you do put them outside...Oh yea, out of my 76 small trees I lost 1.....All of this is just my opinion....: )
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Frank from Bama-  Zone 7-b Alabama

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FiggyFrank

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankallen
I would not do either! I had around 76 fig trees last year in 1 Gallon pots and they started to green up early with buds like yours  and I just left them alone. They will bust some buds but they are not getting the real warmth they nee to really start growing strong . I would not put them outside and I would not use no grow Lights ( If you use Grow Lights) then you will will have to condition them, when you do put them outside...Oh yea, out of my 76 small trees I lost 1.....All of this is just my opinion....: )


That's reassuring, Frank.  I have several budding out in a sunlit 50° garage and I don't plan to touch them for a while.  I hope I have the same luck as you did.
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wwjbrickd

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
For what it's worth I have three that I left outside in pots all winter (Kitsap county). I just mulched them with leaves before the handful of frosts we had, and have them against a light colored south facing wall. I had intended to bring them into the shed if it got and stayed cold, but it never did. They're starting to bud out now and so I've removed the mulch, and am just keeping an eye on the weather in case I need to cover them. (Just to clarify I have two that are real small tissue cultures I got late in the season which were totally mulched over, and one of them is a tissue culture that I got last spring which is about two foot high from the top of the pot to the top of the tree and is only mulched around the roots.)
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chome360

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Thanks for the insight guys. Great thoughts. Good to know that some have been fine with them outside. For now I think I'll leave them inside as suggested. I didn't realize that was an option. My small Olympian I started last year has about 27 figs on it already swelling up. I may need to bring that one out...
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