Figs in High tunnels or Green houses?

[Singing Gardener]

Hi,
I'm wanting to hear how people do growing figs in unheated high tunnels or lightly heated Greenhouses in cold areas. I was afraid if they were inside they wouldn't go dormant. How long do they need to go dormant? Will they go dormant just from the sun lowering inthe sky even if its above freezing?

I'm in SE Iowa with 30 - 40 fig trees of various sizes. All potted, spending the winter in the basement or Garage. I'm wanting to build a home for my babies! But would like feedback as to the best route in an area where it can get seriously COLD! LAst winter it was way below 0. Tomorrow its forecast to be -8.

One friend here in zone 5 has a Chicago Hardy in a small heatable high tunnel and her Chicago Hardy fig was ceiling high in one year. It survived a VERY cold winter. She only put wood in the cob oven when she needed to. . . Not sure how often that really was.

I'd also like to network with any other Northern Figsters, especially in Iowa or N. Missouri and Northern Illinois.
Thanks

[zone5figger]

Funny, your name echos Singing Nettle Farm in Maine which received a grant to study just that, they have a few Mt. Etna type figs in a high tunnel and also winter wrap them with remay, a row-cover material. This will be their first winter in-ground, so time will tell.

[fitzski]

drivewayfarmer(Kerry) on the other forum pointed me to this article a while back.

http://www.newenglandvfc.org/2013_co...own%20Figs.pdf

http://www.newenglandvfc.org/2013_co...use%20Figs.pdf

There is also a farm in Vermont that is growing figs but I'm not sure what they are doing for winter protection.

http://paradisofarm.com

Hope this helps.

[hoosierbanana]

Kerry shared this a couple years ago.

http://www.newenglandvfc.org/2013_co...own%20Figs.pdf

[hoosierbanana]

Had trouble with editing the link above, should be:

http://www.newenglandvfc.org/2013_co...use%20Figs.pdf

[Singing Gardener]

THank you so much. I'll check these sources.