Length of dormancy for potted fig?

18 years ago

Hi Folks:

My Petite Negra fig is now in the cold room for dormancy. I think I left it there for one or two months last winter. but...is there a specific amount of dormancy for particular varieties and how is it determined? I remember running across a time table for dormancy maybe last year....? I seem to recall that 200 hours of dormancy was recommended.

Does anyone have any comments on this topic, or have the link back to the dormancy chart or similar webpage?

I never had trouble with Petite Negra and dormancy and I don't think there will be any trouble this time...but my curiosity is in gear.

thanks for any comments you'd like to make

Cheers

Maryanne in WMass

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Comments (6)

jroot
18 years ago
200 hours divided by 24 hr = 8.3 days

That seems too short a time for me. I put mine into dormancy in mid October and take it out in mid April. It enjoys the nap, and always gives me a good crop of breba figs in early summer, and last year gave me a 2nd crop in early October.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
18 years ago
So long as soil remains cold, trees pass unnoticed from dormancy to quiescence when the requisite amount of chilling releases the tree from dormancy. Actual amount of chilling required varies genetically by tree and is influenced by cultural conditions, especially temperature. 200 hours of temperatures between 32 - 45* F. is often given as a guide, but some trees, growing in tropical or subtropical regions might require no dormant period & others that are able to withstand relatively cold temperatures (for figs) may require a longer period of chill.

In any case, if your tree is quiescent, try to keep it cold as long as possible. Those plants that leaf out early will be weaker when it's finally time to put them outdoors & will not develop as quickly as those allowed to rest for longer periods. It's not that the longer rest provides additional benefit, rather that the conditions you can provide the tree if it flushes now will, in a very high % of cases - nearly all, cause a continual decline until the tree is moved outdoors; then, the tree will have to play catch-up for a good part of the growth cycle.

Al
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Sunnibel7 im in a colder zone but have similar circumstance with mine stored in attached garage. They break dormacy earlier because when it just starts to get warmer out the garage temps get much warmer and wake up my trees. Worry about both day and night temps, i bring mine out when the temp is at least 50 out, then at night they get wheeled back in garage its just to cold and windy in early spring. When night temps start to match or exceed the 50 degree mark then i leave them outdoors. Mine are elder trees. Yours as stated seem very young maybe a season or 2 old? My suggestion to you would be leave it by window and dont try to make it stay dormant or slow it down its a young plant and there usually pretty vibrant at that age. When the weather starts to get warm bring it outdoors for a while then back in at night, do this for a while till the night temps do not drop so drastically, little by little is best. Perhaps a 60 degree minimum daytime temp is good to start with then back indoors at night, i bring mine out like i said at 50 but there older . You said this Also, I boldly root trimmed my Negronne after reading much info. here on the subject! (Scary!)I read that the tree should now be "secured to the pot" to allow the fine roots to grow without breakage... Ok, how old is your negronne? Is it in its final pot size, I ask this as one usually does not root prune but simply pots up plant into bigger pot then when plant reaches final pot size they worry about root pruning in that pot, well either case after root prunning when you repot the plant it should not need support, only time i use support is for a smaller plants trunk to grow straight such as something like a wooden dowel or similar. I hope this helps you some. Best Luck Martin
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The third season they were in the large pots yes, one looked a little funny as the pot was big for it but i did it anyhow. The soil i used was just miracle grow poting soil that had the slow release fertilizer in it and as they grew i would mix about a quarter strength of the granular miracle grow with water in a 5 gallon bucket weekly for them. In the heat of summer the soil dries out fast so i have to water every other day but luckily i have the time. Your right you would not be able to carry them to the basement so you perhaps could grow in a 5 gallon bucket and just keep them small and manageable along with keeping the root sytem to match the size of plant. I never grew a fig tree in a small container but im sure one can if you keep up wth it and make it manageable for the pot. I tell you a short story on what my grandmother did with my uncles in Chicago with hers. She had but 1 fig tree not sure what type but it might have come from Sicily where she came from every year they would dig a deep enough trench to fit the tree in , they would bring the branches together and tie and then wrap with burlap. I remember them digging around the base of tree and pushing it over then and throwing dried leaves over it then they put a long pieces of wood on top and throw the dirt on top. It look similar to a fresh buried coffin and they left it till next season. It always worked for her but was a lot to do everyyear i guess why she only had the 1 tree. One of the uncles did the same in his yard as well for a long time till it was just to much. At one point he just used the pot method kept on a homemade dolly so he could just push into his attached garage. Its amazing what we do in the cold area's to get figs but its fun and hope to have the strength to do for long time.
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I tried to keep several fig trees dormant in the fridge in Houston last year along with my cuttings. Even in a bare-rooted state, a couple of the trees (along with two cuttings) put on growth while refrigerated. Both of the trees (moderate sized) survived without die back. Surprisingly, one of the cuttings (an LSU Purple from George) rooted this year. The weather in NJ is cooler now and should be for the next ten days. At least in the Princeton area, there are no days in the forecast with temps below 30 during that period. You might want to leave it out while you can to lull it back too sleep and then move to the coolest part of your garage when the weather gets colder. Here is a link that might be useful: 10 day forecast
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pitangadiego
18 years ago
Most sources list figs as requiring 100 hours chill.
chills71
18 years ago
My Panachee has broken its buds just in the past few days. I had it in a cool room (with a window) in the basement (the plants in the cold room without a window are still sleeping).

Its pushed leaves from each of its three stems over the past few days and I have moved it up to a warmer, brighter room.

~Chills
garlicgrower
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for your comments, everyone.

I'll let Petite N. sleep for a while and watch for signs that buds are willing to break. Then it will be moved tot he greenhouse
Cheers
Maryanne
ottobon
18 years ago
Hi garlicgrower. I see you are from Massachusetts also. My fig trees go into a cold room in early November and I begin bringing them out in late March. I stagger their removal times so as to have ripe figs over a longer period. Spring is near, Rocco

Length of dormancy for potted fig?

Comments (6)

jroot

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

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Length of dormancy for potted fig?

Comments (6)

jroot

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

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pitangadiego

chills71

garlicgrowerOriginal Author

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