What do you mean by that?

Is it a good idea to move them outside as soon as the temps stay above freezing or to keep them inside until the very warm weather arrives sometime at the end of April?

I think edweather was suggesting to move some of the trees in order to compare the results. I would recommend keeping them in the porch a bit longer, as their growth would definitely slow outside.

I have moved my kumquat tree outside and would have my figs outside now.

Or do the fig shuffle.

Do you know if your figs need X amount of chilling hours? I know the ones I have do which is why I left my trees outside. Some trees are more sensitive to cold than others and some aren't which is why I am asking.

Denise, hello)

These figs have been completly dormant since last fall. They have been use to very cold temps on that porch which has just recently begun warming into the 70's quite rapidly actually. Just two weeks ago that porch would not warm up past 50 but now that the sun is intensifying, it can get pretty hot on there. But the thing is, they are waking up, I can see many early breba crop and leaves starting to emerge. BUt they would defintely get lots more sunlight outside.

So I am stuck between a rock and hard place.

Leave them on the porch and keep them warm with litttle direct sunlight?

Or, leave them outside to the elemnets and let them awaken accordingly to the temps? Being quite cold at night, still high thirties to low forties?

Will leaving them outside help them harden and help them adapt to the temps?

Which is best. I am not about to play bring them in bring them out since especially I don't get home till after 8 p.m in 5 gallon containers. They can be quite heavy.

I will say this. It still gets pretty cold on that porch at night, mid 50's once the sun goes down and teh low 40's by very early morning on my way to my job at 5 a.m., and they are doing ok as far as I can see. Even with those cold temps at night, they are still pushing healthy growth.

Ugh...

Mike

Just keep them on the porch until Saturday... It should warm up considerably next week and maybe you can leave them outside for a few days and than bring it back.... Shouldn't be much longer until they can go outside permanently.

To answer your question, Figs need warmth to wake up. Once leaves start emerging, they'll need light. Once leaves start growing, you should move it outside to start hardening the plant and adapting it to outside light. If you let it grow too long with low lights, they'll need an adjustment to outside light (Shade).

Again, I'd say you should be fine until Saturday and than consider moving them out for the weekend and back in Monday morning or if you're lucky, you might be able to leave it outside.

Yes, I was suggesting to move some of them off the porch, and leave some on, and see how it goes. Being in Zone 6 it probably would'n hurt to move them, but maybe leave them for a few more days for the next warm spell. I have a fig in the ground down here, and we have plenty of frosts and a few freezes, and I don't protect it at all. Figs are fairly cold hearty, but I realize containers are different and can experience hot/cold swings, as opposed to figs in the ground.

Mike, you have seen pictures of my sunroom. So based on my experience, your trees must like where they are or they wouldn't be growing new leaves. My citrus put out new growth and blossoms in the sunroom and there was no sunlight. So, as long as your porch has bright light and until you feel comfortable in putting out your trees, leave them where they are. To help me with the citrus shuffle, my husband built me a ramp that collapses so I can easily take it out and use so I don't have to lift my trees to move them from the sunroom to the patio. My trees are all on plant dollies. Would a ramp help you move your trees from the porch to a deck/patio? My husband used some plywood, 1x1 or 1x2" pieces to match the height of the door frame and some string which substitutes for hinges. Sounds weird but it works great for me.