Hello jolj, I guess it must look like a hard sell thing, but in reality, I'm just an appliance repair guy in Florida. I was raised on figs and at last, I have a collection of 6 varieties, so this is really exciting to me. My etiquette might be lacking, but my interest and desire to encourage others are genuine. I have nothing to sell, and in fact, have long ago offered free cuttings from my trees to any and all. Three people have taken me up on that offer. I even pay the shipping. Right now, I need to let the trees get settled, but once they start really branching out, I will again extend this offer of free cuttings, and now, from a wider variety. Perhaps I am becoming an internet fig troll. If so, do please put me in my place. All I wish to do is to get people who love figs and fig tree growing to never give up and to never stop experimenting, and to please remain in the forums and share their triumphs. Read the forums and you will see how many people struggle and need encouragement and kudos and such. They are not kids, and I do not talk down to anybody, but they are human and sometimes need suggestions and to know that others are rooting for them. In brief, here are things I encourage: 1. Pruning to stimulate fruit production and 'bushing'. 2. Mulch and lots of it, because it helps so much in so many ways. (Yes, I do promote that back-to-eden guy's video. No, I don't know him, but yes, he has great ideas with simple, affordable applications. 3. Posting photos and links. What's a picture worth? 4. Networking. What good is it to withhold good techniques and tips? 5. Clever techniques for container growers. I recently stumbled online upon Larry Hall up in Michigan. His container gardening system's self watering technology is very interesting. When I ever lose a fig, it's because I am too busy fixing appliances to remember to water adequately. Larry has that problem fixed right. 6. Encouraging new members and first time growers. Nobody just decides one day to grow a fig tree. Each of us has a background tale which brought us here. Without prying, it's cool to hear from others about their long trek to this point. 7. Making fig growning fun and exciting. It should not be so much work and worry. ==================================== In your second message, you offered some very good advice. I am hardly a know-it-all regarding gardening. I can use all the good, sound advice out there. Guys like Frank in the Bronx is a constant source of new info for me. Every poster out there has a different list of tricks and tips. I'm here to encourage, but mostly, I am here to learn from smarter people. I am originally from New Orleans. We're a bit louder and less polished than the good folks in other places. I do not mean to offend, and apologize to you if I annoyed or upset you. I shall attempt to mind my manners in the future.

Dormant gingers respond to heat more than anything. They don't sprout as fast as one wants, its just the way they are. They aren't sprayed with any chemicals to prevent sprouting. As for the bag method, I store dormant rhizomes in paper bags sometimes, so it definitely doesn't give them a jumpstart. In a pot, in a warm area, they will sprout fine. It will take awhile if the rhizome was in complete dormancy. If you got it out of the refrigerated produce section, chances are its going to take longer. sometimes you can luck out and find one sprouting. regardless, once established in the ground they'll establish their normal season like the rest of the gingers in your area. remember it may have come from the southern hemisphere and be really out of whack. it would still sprout though. you can chop a piece off as needed. some people have preferences and want the dormant dry stuff. in zone 6 you will need to lift them and store inside. you want them dry, but not completely in the open air, just enough to get some kind of air flow/ exchange. also, soaking doesn't help speed up the process. It is hard to do if you have kids/animals or other creatures in the way, but if put a bag of rhizomes on the floor in front of the refridgerator where the hot air blows out, they sprout pretty easily... again, not the most convienent thing but i've done some like this in late winter to get a head start on them. Tim Chapman

Hello everyone and thanks for your compliments. I had to bring the plants inside last night. It was 36 degrees when I went to bed and awoke to temps of 30 degrees and a pretty good layer of frost on my windshield this morning. We get decent temperatures for a few days at a time and then a single night of frost. It's been that way for the past month. We even had temps in the eighties one day last week. I need to check the forecast for tonight.....not sure if I can leave the plants out tonight. I'm thinking about taking Friday off from work so I can get a head start on setting things up. Still have too much to do before planting. Jay

With most plants if you dig the hole the same size as the container, the roots will continue to grow as if they are in the container. The roots will grow in the area of lease resistance. If the walls of the hole is the same as the walls of the plastic container, the roots will continue to grow in a circular pattern. If you did deeper than the container you will need to plant on a small mound to allow for the planting hole to settle. You do not want to plant a level and then have the hole sink and cause water to stand around the base to the tree. I have seen trees grow for 3 or 4 years and when they die and you pull them up the roots are all still within the planting hole. I say all this on my experiences in Texas. But I would think that the same principles would apply for all areas. If you had good loose soil digger larger than the container would not be a big deal. The soil would be loose and roots could penetrate and grow out. But with tight, hard soil it is hard to get the roots to leave the good soil from the container.