I'm expecting 33 Thurs. 32 Fri. 30 Sat. 35 Sun.

I think I'm going to pull plastic over my trees starting Thurs. and put bricks on the ground to hold it in place and have the wife go take it off when the sun comes up in the morning because I'll be at work. I guess I'll break off some buds and tiny leaves with the plastic but better that than have them all die. I have about 12 figs to cover.
The little ones in pots are coming in now after I touch >EnterI can't think of anything else to do.

Be very careful with plastic. I have found that plastic coverings will result in more damage if there is any contact between the plastic and the green growth. You will likely have much better protection by setting up a water sprinkler and lightly watering the tree during the early morning hours than trying to cover with plastic.

Last year at this time, we were getting into the mid 20's every night for 10 consecutive days, with ~8-14 hours below freezing each night. Figs were less advanced than now, but had small leaves and brebas. There was very little damage. I suspect a different outcome this year, as some of my figs have leaves out the size of my hand now, and we may hit low 20's this weekend. Ouch!

If your figs are just barely leafing out, a low around 30 F should not be a problem.

Thats one of the nice things about having them in pots, their portable. I carried the 8 that I had outside back in last night, good thing too we got down to 27F, just hope my inground fruit trees that I wrapped with sheets are OK.
Woody.

"Be very careful with plastic. I have found that plastic coverings will result in more damage if there is any contact between the plastic and the green growth."

Thanks for the warning. I can't get a sprinkler to my figs without buying one and 200 feet of hoze...and I really don't want to do that.

I have some local unknown figs that bare nice figs but can be replaced with little inconvenience other than time.
I might cover half with plastic as an experiment and let you folks know what happens. I'll be more careful with my bought and paid for figs.Thanks to a vole attack last Summer a trafic cone will cover my Mission fig and that should protect it from anything including 4" hail :-)
The voles will need wire cutters and armor to get it again.
Its in front of my house and I think I starved the little critters into eating the fig. They have not bothered my other figs in the back yard (SO FAR).

Kiwinut,
That is somewhat of a relief for me! Looking at my LATEST
local 10 day forecast minimum temperatures: Thur 33(33)*F,
Fri 33(32)*F, Sat 32(28)*F, Sun 34(33)*F. The figures in
(**), are the forcasted minimums a day (or 2) ago. So do
an UPDATE on the non exact science of weather prediction!
My figs were in the garage with a min/max thermometer
registering 20*F+, slightly above the 'safest' 20*F min
temp touted for figs. Now a few days after (letting my
dogs out), I see VERY green buds but NO leaves (yet).
Having so many, putting them in the garage requires many
more huffs and puffs! So I do not that.

I was thinking of a cheap 'painters' thin plastic cover
DOME, for a night (or 2). Now I like your idea of
waking up (once or twice) in the middle of night and
spray some (warm/hot water) better. Will have the garden
hose conected to a (twice turn hot/once cold) outlet
beforehand). However, since I have NO new tender leafs
it seems that I have to do NOTHING?!

From my recent GH heater mishap experience (see 'Disaster'
FF thread), 32*F (0*C) does some damage to 'tender' fig
tips/leaves (min/max thermometer had registered ~31*F).
Funny that ~1/3 of my figs were affected, lost only
1 twig, not all figs are equal or maybe it was a very
localized temp thing?!

Also, I let some of my 'other' sub/tropical GREEN plants
from my GH for hardening outside to make space for my NEW
fig cuttings, guess I will have to pull them IN my garage
on the coming Fri/Sat nights...

George (NJ)

Clarification:
20*F is the top safe temp for DORMANT fig wood,
(some say that it is 10*F or even lower for ROOTS).
32*F- (freezing) is NOT tolerated by young tender
green fig leaves...

Due to my own stupidity, I had to pot up 9 trees last night. I knew cold weather was coming, but couldn't wait any longer. I was relieved to see they upped the low temperatures a bit for this week. I will have to move them in at least Friday night and maybe Saturday as well.

The trees already broke dormancy while bare-rooted last week. So most of the new growth has already bit the dust.

~james

I wrote to Paradise Nursery, who sold me the fig, and Sybil basically said 'better safe than sorry' -- I'd asked if I should cover it with an old wool blanket! I think what I'll do is put a few stakes up around the tree so I'm not waiting it down too much, and just sort of drape the blanket over it at night and uncover late mornings until this cold snap is over. Thanks for the advice everyone, and good luck with your figs!

George,

Since you have no green growth yet, I don't see why you need to do anything. Last year, the leaves did get zapped around the edges, and some were killed outright, but the figs just put out new growth like nothing had happened. There certainly could be sensitivity differences in varieties. Mine are all "hardy" types, Celeste, Marseilles, Brown Turkey, and Hardy Chicago. They are usually late enough most years to never be bothered by frost.

I notice the forecast here keeps creeping UP now instead of down like the past few days, with some clouds rolling in tomorrow night. That could make a big difference.

If you have small trees which are leafing out, or have buds which are bursting, try covering them with an inverted garbage can. Be sure to remove the can in the morning as the sun's rays can cook what's inside, even on a cloudy day.....Elder

Frost this morning, but not a big deal. However, forecast is now going DOWN big time. Looking at possibility of upper teens to low 20's Saturday night now. Bye bye brebas!

Grrrr. My Petite Negra had already broken dormancy and unfurled its top knot of leaves. We went from a daytime high of 80 Monday, to a daytime high of 40 Tuesday. I assumed I couldn't put it back in the dark cold hallway since the leaves had already opened up, so it's in the cool living room, and I'll just have to baby it for a few weeks I guess.

The two Celeste's I just got from Paradise have buds but haven't opened up, so I put them (in the shipping pots) in the cold hallway.

Grrrr.

Now it really looks like it might snow here.
Which is very strange for Eastern Va. in April.
We hardly got any snow during the Winter.

I go from being more concerned to less and back to more concerned. 2" snow might be a more serious problem for figs?

Here is a link that might be useful: accuweather link

I got an email from Sybil at Paradise (where I got the fig) and she recommended I cover it, just to be sure, so I've been putting a blanket, supported by a trash-can over it at night and taking it off late in the morning. So far the green buds look fine so I think we'll make it through the crisis. Now if only my poor Rosemary fares as well...