Dormancy broken early

[abeadbapda]

So my container fig in my garage has recently sprouted leaves. Our temps have been in the upper 70s for a week now.

My question is what should I do now? Anything? Is this a major problem?

The weather will most likely drop down to the 40s or lower again some time before Spring.

http://m.imgur.com/a/552Vm

[jrdewhirst]

I don't have the answer but I'm glad you asked.

I think that this may be the most important question faced by people who grow figs in pots. From my own observations (see topic on factors driving emergence from dormancy), one week of 60-70+ temperatures is enough to initiate growth. I have to believe that most people store potted figs in places that get at least that warm at some point before the arrival of consistently warm weather. So most growers faced this problem.

Last year I had this problem. I kept the potted figs inside until the weather outside seemed marginally OK. But when I put the plants outside, leaves got burned and brebas dropped. Nevertheless, the plants all survived and the main crops were ok, if delayed.

[newnandawg]

I have had the same issue every year since I began with potted figs about six years ago. I have allowed them to do their natural thing
which is either to continue to bud out or stop. Generally, they have not done more than a couple of leaves but they tend to stop when
the temps go back down into the 40's in the garage. Never have had any ill effects.

As for the leaves getting burned when they go outside. I place them in partial sun until I see more leaves getting ready to open.
I then place the plant in full sun to allow all future leaves to open in full sun. The first tender leaves may well get burned and dry
up but that is not an issue.

[jrdewhirst]

Thanks. Have you observed any impact on brebas from the stress of cycles of warm and cold? My own Zumwalt (DK) and Weeping Black probably endured temps as low as 33-35 after the move out of storage. That was enough for the trees to drop them. To preserve the brebas in the future, I might have to shuffle them or move them out later.

[newnandawg]

No because my garage has never gotten cold enough to have adverse effects. Mid 40's will slow/stop leaf budding but does seem to effect breba.

[abeadbapda]

Thanks everybody. I guess I'll just take the wait and see approach

[jrdewhirst]

Keep us posted. I'm interested in gathering whatever data may help me better understand how much cold a fig plant can tolerate once it begins to grow. How much cold merely delays growth, how much aborts brebas, how much ruins leaves, how much kills branches and even whole plants? Thx.

[cis4elk]

How many fig trees in containers do you have in your garage and how big are the containers? I'm just wondering about the feasibility of mostly leaving them outside and shuffling when it get below 40. If they are a little heavy they can be put on a pot dolly and wheeled out not far from the entrance of your garage.

[jrdewhirst]

You probably didn't mean me, but I've got roughly 50. Approximately 25 are 10g, 15 are 15 g, and 10 are 20-25 g. I wouldn't want to shuffle them all but I might shuffle the best breba-bearers. That's maybe 10 of the 50.

[jrdewhirst]

Newnandawg -- my brother-in-law in north GA says that the past two weeks have brought temps ~65-70. Here in the past two Aprils, those temps have lead to bud break. I think you're further south, probably warmer. What's the status of in-ground plants there?

[newnandawg]

Joe, yes we have had temps in the 70's for over a week. That was after two mornings in the teens and highs in the 40's. We are now headed back to around normal temps of lows in the 30's and highs around 50.

I am about 45 miles south of Atlanta.

I was looking at my trees yesterday and there is not any bud break.

[jrdewhirst]

As you (and others) may have noted from my other posts, I'm trying to understand better the factors driving emergence from dormancy / quiescence. Based on my records here for the last two years, it seems that bud break occurred roughly 7-10 days after a prior 7-10 day period with peak daytime temps generally in the range of 55-75 F. Maybe someday we'll translate this into "degree days" or similar.

As you observe bud break this year, please let me know. It may help me reverse-engineer the process. Thx.

[CliffH]

Working in the yard this weekend, I found that all my fig trees (potted and in-ground) are already budding out now. The potted ones are further along, with some showing small leaves, but they all show some green. I had to change my weekend plans, and get some of my currently potted figs planted in the ground quickly! Hope we don't get another really cold snap!


CliffH