When, and how, to pull potted fig out of winter storage?

7 years ago

I have a potted fig currently in winter storage in my dark, unheated attached garage. I’ve monitored the soil and have watered just a few times. All seems good.

my question though is

...what to do next? When do I move it out of the garage? do I ease it out? Put it outside during the day and back in the garage at night? or do I wait for the last frost and then just move it outside?

Featured Answer

Gred

7 years ago

These are very common questions on this forum. In fact this was addressed just a day or so ago. Furthermore, a search through earlier threads will provide an abundance of information on the subject. Still, I'll share my experience on the topic having a couple seasons behind me growing figs in zone 6, and over wintering them in the garage.

First off, it sounds like you've done the right thing by keeping them in a cold, dark, garage, through the coldest part of the season. When you take them out depends on your geographic location or growing zone and the resulting warming trends.

My garage has windows so they get some light, and I find that mine start to leaf out when the daytime temps start to go up into the mid to upper 50s consistently. Those temps along with the longer daylight prompt them to start. The higher the temps the faster they grow. I usually start shuffling them in and out when the first leaves are fully open and only bring them back in if the overnight temp is forecast to be less than 35 degrees, as they are a hardy variety.

When you are able to safely put yours out depends again, on your zone, the variety you grow, and the amount of work you are willing to do to get as much sunlight as possible for a productive season.

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Comments (6)

Noel Loza
7 years ago
Jim I have 4 fig plants potted, I've been putting them out for a couple of hours for direct sunlight and then moving them back into the shade. One day I forgot them outside and the sun burned the leaves off 2 of my plants. So now I just leave them under my car port, waiting for them to recover. After they adapt to the sun, I'll be planting them in full sun. I'll give them a week to adapt before planting them outside. I live in zone 8A.
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dbarron
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Err, a week might be far too short a time to harden off light changes.
Noel Loza
7 years ago
ok, I'll do it a bit longer and stretch it till April. hopefully that will do them good. thanks for the advice.
dbarron
7 years ago
If you change their location on a weekly basis (gradually into more sun), that will possibly work.
dieseler
7 years ago
Jim watch your weekly forecast .

As an idea here In March when temps reach mid to high 40s they go onto driveway and back in at night.

Have not reach that yet but after Monday for next 9 days daily temps will be all of a sudden in the low 50s but still back in a night until temps are steady and nightly lows are not in the 30s but at least in mid 40s.

Yes its called "the fig shuffle" a phrase i mentioned around 2003 when i was talking about how the season is slightly jump started here by doing what i figured most do in the cold zones shuffling the fig plants in and out of garage .

Martin