tomtuxman: The key is keeping your containerized fig tree dormant as long as possible until the spring weather will support the new sprouting growth without damages. Temps in the low 40s should do it. Temps. going into the 50s will push premature bud breaking, and the new soft tissue could be damaged by plunging temps. Your unheated front porch sounds OK...as long as the temps stay very cool. When trees are dormant, light will matter very little. But trees can also be in the "quiescent" stage, and strong light and warmer temps will trigger a growth response. When dormant, little happens....when quiescent, trees are ready for breaking buds. Just try to keep the trees as cool as possible, for as long as possible. Also, keep the soil hydrated, and not bone dry. Damp is good, dust dry is not. In early spring (March-April) when the warmer temps hit the trees in your enclosed front porch, new growth will commence. Give the trees full sun, or, as much light as possible. Better yet, bring trees outside during the day, and back in at night - (the fig shuffle) - to prevent damage to new, breaking buds. If weather stays warm, get your trees outside as soon as possible. They need the full sun, or growth will be weak, and easily damaged. This "fig shuffle" is a cross we must bear when growing in colder climates. The "Bensonhurst Purple" - "Chicago Hardy" - "Hardy Chicago" will do well, with proper care. Sal's EL is reputed to be very hardy also. Don't be fooled by that "hardy" qualifier....figs come from the Mediterranean climates, and in cold climate areas, can be damaged, if not killed, by adverse conditions, especially when grown in containers. Sustained, below freezing temps can damage any fig tree. Fig trees must be properly treated BEFORE dormancy, so they can survive the near/below-freezing temperatures even if protected, and in a storage area. Culture is everything. No fertilizers after mid July, or you'll push soft growth too late in the season. Soft, juicy wood, before dormancy = damaged growth from low temps. That said, your front porch sounds OK for overwintering containerized fig trees....with precautions, and observations. I hope this helps. You can do it. Frank This post was edited by BronxFigs on Sun, Feb 9, 14 at 7:23

Here in the DFW area I usually see my first one about Mid April. Numbers increase in May, then July and Aug are our peak times. Usually Labor Day Weekend is the last of the hummer wars. After that I'll see one or two every few days. By the end of Oct I'm not seeing any at all. Thanksgiving I take the feeders down and throw the poppy seeds out. I tend to see mostly black chin, sometimes its a ruby. Neither of these will share a feeder for me. The only time I've seen hummers sharing is down in the Hill Country. If you get some of those hummers maybe they'll share at your place? I've had lots of visits today to both the feeders and my native coral honeysuckle. Don't have anything else blooming that they like. There are tons of bugs for them though. By July I'll have a yard full of both bugs and blooms. Good luck building your hummer haven **** and **** getting them to claim it their own.

I have never been able to afford to take any classes in art painting. So I've had to teach myself. I started out probably 20 plus years ago with some books put out by Leisure Arts. I have no idea if these books, or any like them, are still available or not. But you might check out Hobby Lobby or Michaels if you have one near you. I haven't picked up a brush in a number of years because somehow or another, life got in the way. But the desire has struck again. I've gotten really interested in Bob Ross's method, it looks like it's really fast and easy, and fun. And at this stage in my life I just want to enjoy the process, not try to make any profound statements. So you might want to Google "Bob Ross Painting" to take a look. Michaels here has a number of his books, also most of the supplies he recommends. Hobby Lobby might carry them, too. Also, check out Ebay for his books, I got a couple of the older ones quite reasonable there. It's been quite awhile since you posted your request, I hope you have been busy learning to paint. Please come back and let us know how you are doing! Good luck! Rusty

You'll find many more details about all this in the FAQ here on Growing from Seed and on the Growing from Seed forum. But basically as soon as they germinate you remove the domes - most don't even use them - and take them off any heat mats used. Leaving the domes in place and on heat increases fungal disease issues and generates leggy seedlings with weak stems and poor circulation systems. A few of yours are already getting leggy and may begin to lay over so dome off ASAP and increase the light as much as possible and as close as possible. When you transplant them to individual pots be sure bury all that stem up to just below the cotyledons. Dave https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2766771/how-do-i-start-tomatoes-from-seed