All plant behavior is normal. They are reactive organisms and have no control over how they respond to various stimuli. The TRUE dormant period of a fig is very short - usually less than a week (100-200 chill units, which we can roughly translate into hours), and the roots never really go dormant. Decreasing daylight (technically it's increasing night length) is the primary stimulus pushing the tree toward dormancy, with increasing chill deepening dormancy. As soon as the tree has received enough 'chill time' it technically passes through dormancy and enters a period of quiescence, or quiet rest. It will remain in this quiescent period as long as soil temperatures are cold enough to inhibit growth (I move mine outdoors into good light as temps allow, and back under cover as temps dictate.

All that doesn't solve your repotting dilema though, does it? W/o knowing how far along your tree is as far as its spring push, I cant tell you whether you should HURRY and repot it, or just pot it up for this year and vow to stay more on top of things next year. Any chance you could provide a picture? Are any leaves opening? I would probably let the leaves be my guide. If it's just budswell, I'd repot immediately, but if you have leaves opening, I think I'd just cut (saw) a little off the bottom of the root mass, cut some deep vertical slits (in the root mass) with a utility knife, and pot up until next year.

Al

Al,

Thanks so much for the explanation and the advice.

"All plant behavior is normal."

What a lovely thought! If only that could be said about us. :)

I still haven't figured out how to post photos, but for sure there are no leaves yet -- so I'll plan on the re-potting for this weekend. Will I lose this new growth?

I should let you know that all my experiments with rayon fell apart when we entered an early and unusually heavy rainy period here (which we are still getting, off and on) and I gave up on that, bit the bullet -- or the stone, I should say -- and bought some #10 crushed granite. It wasn't easy to get the stuff up to my unit -- a quart or so at a time -- but I managed, and, working with small quantities, I put together your recipe for 4 clay 3 bark and 2 granite. I'm sorry to say I couldn't manage the sifting (I began to have coughing and eye problems), but what I have will, I hope, be at least close to a proper soil.

Claire

I also have two bilberry plants on the balcony. One went dormant about over 2 months ago and looks completely dried up. The other is still sporting its yellowed leaves on some branches and now -- yikes -- I just saw ten rosy-green buds on those branches! These also need re-potting, since they were root-bound when I -- not knowing any better at the time -- potted them up into 1 s. moss/1 perlite. Should I also get this budding bush right away -- and the dead looking one too?

Claire

I have my trees Brown turkey, Black Jack and Italians in the Garage and all of them showing buds. I did not give them any fertilizer and I water them 4 ounces of water every month, 4 ounes of water to 16 inches pot is basically nothing. I was thinking to take them outside but it is freezing over there. My garage temperature is alsways above 35. It is insulated and I think it gets heat from the house because it is attached.

I think some trees fight going dormant. I have an air-layered Pananas Purple inside my insulated garage that refuses to go dormant. It is in a 1 gallon pot. I clipped it from mom in late October with a tiny roots. I did not think it was going to make it but the weather changed to cold and I want to try it. Now it has a side shoot almost as tall as the branch with little green leaves. I have about 70 other trees in the garage too. All those went dormant except a few others that have decided to start going dormant. I measure the soil on all my trees using a moisture meter prior to watering. Last year my garage got down to 30 degree one day. Dennis

I'm glad mine aren't the only ones acting up. ;-)

Just buds at the moment. They showed up shortly after It lost leaves in Nov. due to a cold snap.

I guess I'll re pot it soon.

JoJo

Hi Claire,
Here's a picture of mine taken about 2 weeks ago or so..
It hasn't changed much.

It's good to hear your mix is coming along.

Wishing you the best of luck!
I will probably tackle mine next week.

{{gwi:55669}}

JoJo

JoJo,

My fig and I thank you for your good wishes.:) The repot -- which I got to on Thursday -- was easier than I expected as the roots were not, after all, tangled up or even large. The nursery soil, though, did take some work as it was very compacted just under the plant. The buds weren't as green as yours to begin with (kind of reddish, in fact) and it seems to me that today, they are even darker -- maybe dying? Do you think I will lose them?

I also re-potted my bilberry and those buds look about the same as before.

And, I also did a transfer -- potting up only -- of a plant that had never gone dormant. It was a very green, thriving low-bush blueberry with flowers and berries, some turning purple/black. And today every leaf is completely wilted and dying. Have I lost this bush for sure? :(

Claire

Hi Claire,
I haven't transplanted any of my larger plants into the gritty mix yet. So I honestly can't say what yours are doing. Especially this time of year. They may just be sulking.

I know someone will be along that will be able to better help you.

JoJo

I had mine in a cool dim basement, watering a pittance every few weeks, and the little devils still figured out that the days were lengthening, and as soon as days got longer, they started to bud! In Iowa, for goodness' sake. Their only light was through old thin cotton curtains on the west basement windows, but they somehow still knew.....

Claire I would say your tree behavioral in your zone is absolutely normal. I hate all of you in zone 10 in cosy warm weather (Just trying to be funny). All my Figs and I am in zone 7 are potted and into the Garage in winter. I started in late February or early March to wheel them out in the sun and back in the Garage at night. I have all of them blooming. By this way I defeating our freezing weather and extending my season. Last year I had two crops. Wish me luck this year.