Extending the season... on the wrong end!

figologist said:
@TorontoJoe Check out how I was growing citrus in the pacific northwest in a similar fashion - I did it even without grow lights!
Click to expand...

Others keep mentioning a dehumidifier but I'm opening the windows every morning. I'm going to check on the humidity in there. What do you think is a maximum acceptable RH%?
 
grasshopper said:
You can add mylar thermal blankets to the side walls of the greenhouse to increase light coverage for the lower canopy or the trees will drop those leaves.

I found some varieties are more sensitive to low light than others as I ripen them in the garage with shoplights in my first season here.

The temperature for fruits to continue to ripen is 20c/68F at a decent rate while maintaining a complex flavor profile. I tried 55, 60, 65, 70, 75. BM types would be noticeably less sweet and even a bit off taste if light is insufficient, less so with the Etnas.

Yeah, watering in the garage is a pain in the neck.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that is incredibly helpful data to have!!
 
I have a very newbie question. I live in South Texas with a very short winter and I could keep my trees from going dormant. My question is what happens if they don't go dormant. Do they just keep growing and making fruit or do the get confused and not make fruit? Right now I have a lot of first year trees and I really want them to grow big and healthy so that next year I might get figs on most of them, but I don't want to stree them out if they need dormancy.Do they need a dormant rest period?
 
betdempster said:
I have a very newbie question. I live in South Texas with a very short winter and I could keep my trees from going dormant. My question is what happens if they don't go dormant. Do they just keep growing and making fruit or do the get confused and not make fruit? Right now I have a lot of first year trees and I really want them to grow big and healthy so that next year I might get figs on most of them, but I don't want to stree them out if they need dormancy.Do they need a dormant rest period?
Click to expand...
I am also wondering about that. I already have a small one growing indoors in a window and I am thinking of keeping it inside all winter but I don't know what will happen.
 
Our trees in Sicily do drop their leaves in "winter" but they never truly go dormant in the way they do where I live in Canada. That is to say, in Sicily the sap never really stops flowing. They seem to go into a protective state. Here in Toronto the trees (especially in pots) usually screech to a complete halt.

I admit I've never given much attention to chill hours... but I figure even in south TX.... it shouldn't be too warm for fig trees.

@ETXfigs - I gave an LSU Purple to the son of one of my friends a few years ago. He was really getting into growing figs. He put it in a west window of the house with plans to move it... it set and ripened so many that they decided to not fix what's not broken.... now the tree sits in a west window and produces flushes of figs all year long...
 
Oh cool thanks for the feedback. Then I may just keep them all warm and fertilize and pretend it's growing season all winter so they can grow - I'll probably remove the first batch of figlets if they seem to be putting too much energy into figs - and that will take restraint but I want a healthy well rooted tree first before figs. I'll let you know if they do drop leaves and have a pretend winter anyway - that might be a natural response to shorter light hours. It will be interesting to see.
 
TorontoJoe said:
Others keep mentioning a dehumidifier but I'm opening the windows every morning. I'm going to check on the humidity in there. What do you think is a maximum acceptable RH%?
Click to expand...
I think you should get one of these rather then a dehumidifier at least you can put it on a dehumidistat. There are many cheaper brands on amazon.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4630.png
    IMG_4630.png
    296.3 KB · Views: 6
betdempster said:
I have a very newbie question. I live in South Texas with a very short winter and I could keep my trees from going dormant. My question is what happens if they don't go dormant. Do they just keep growing and making fruit or do the get confused and not make fruit? Right now I have a lot of first year trees and I really want them to grow big and healthy so that next year I might get figs on most of them, but I don't want to stree them out if they need dormancy.Do they need a dormant rest period?
Click to expand...
I used in live in SoCal, 10b. We had "winter" for about a month. The trees were outside the whole time, and they would drop the leaves in early spring like Joe said, and restart from there.
 
TorontoJoe said:
Our trees in Sicily do drop their leaves in "winter" but they never truly go dormant in the way they do where I live in Canada. That is to say, in Sicily the sap never really stops flowing. They seem to go into a protective state. Here in Toronto the trees (especially in pots) usually screech to a complete halt.

I admit I've never given much attention to chill hours... but I figure even in south TX.... it shouldn't be too warm for fig trees.

@ETXfigs - I gave an LSU Purple to the son of one of my friends a few years ago. He was really getting into growing figs. He put it in a west window of the house with plans to move it... it set and ripened so many that they decided to not fix what's not broken.... now the tree sits in a west window and produces flushes of figs all year long...
Click to expand...
That's why I haven't moved Izbat An Naj outdoors. It is doing so well in the window that I like to keep going with what is working. It has more than doubled in size and it is almost too big for the window. I am going to have to figure out what I'm going to do with it. I am limited to where I can put it in the house because I have a cat that will destroy any live plant. The room where the fig tree is now, is a room that we keep the door shut and he can't get into. I am thinking about getting a large dog kennel/cage and putting the fig tree in it so he can't destroy it, and placing it in front of a larger window.
 
Interesting subject. We do have a couple members from Southeast Asia. I wonder what happens there. Also there are avocado fruit trees that will produce all year long.
 
TorontoJoe said:
Our trees in Sicily do drop their leaves in "winter" but they never truly go dormant in the way they do where I live in Canada. That is to say, in Sicily the sap never really stops flowing. They seem to go into a protective state. Here in Toronto the trees (especially in pots) usually screech to a complete halt.

I admit I've never given much attention to chill hours... but I figure even in south TX.... it shouldn't be too warm for fig trees.

@ETXfigs - I gave an LSU Purple to the son of one of my friends a few years ago. He was really getting into growing figs. He put it in a west window of the house with plans to move it... it set and ripened so many that they decided to not fix what's not broken.... now the tree sits in a west window and produces flushes of figs all year long...
Click to expand...
That’s awesome!
 
Try looking for what are called “X pens”. Short for exercise pens, x pens are metal foldable playpens that people use for portable exercise areas for dogs when they travel. Many of my cat friends also use it to protect their Christmas tree and other houseplants from their cats.

P.s. there are usually x pens on fb marketplace for cheap.
 
Vitooch1 said:
I think you should get one of these rather then a dehumidifier at least you can put it on a dehumidistat. There are many cheaper brands on amazon.
Click to expand...

The humidity hasn't been too bad. with the windows open a little it seems to be venting enough without losing too much heat
 
It’s getting cold. It was a giant pain to do but no way I was going to let so many I-258’s go to waste. I ended up putting up the other greenhouse. I had to fold and tie in a bunch of branches. I put in a heater to keep it above 18C. I’m squeezing a bunch of container trees in there as well

IMG_1407.jpegIMG_1408.jpegIMG_1411.jpeg
 
Just a little update on this... I've ripened dozens of figs since putting these greenhouses up. More on the in ground I-258. We haven't been anywhere near a freeze here but I think the quality of the figs is much better given I've been keeping the temps above 18C. I think higher would be better but I'm trying to find the best balance between quality and energy use.

Even with windows open by day, the humidity is noticeably higher than it should be. There's circulation so no mould issues or anything like that but I have had a bit of splitting on trees that normally not.

One interesting think. I'm only adding light in one of the two greenhouses. The one with the light is ripening fewer fist than the one without. The one without is exposed on all sides with more natural light but I think the heat is what's really helping

I think maybe another 100-150 figs and I'll take it all down and call it a season.

IMG_1450.jpgIMG_1451.jpgIMG_1452.jpgIMG_1453.jpg
 
TorontoJoe said:
Just a little update on this... I've ripened dozens of figs since putting these greenhouses up. More on the in ground I-258. We haven't been anywhere near a freeze here but I think the quality of the figs is much better given I've been keeping the temps above 18C. I think higher would be better but I'm trying to find the best balance between quality and energy use.

Even with windows open by day, the humidity is noticeably higher than it should be. There's circulation so no mould issues or anything like that but I have had a bit of splitting on trees that normally not.

One interesting think. I'm only adding light in one of the two greenhouses. The one with the light is ripening fewer fist than the one without. The one without is exposed on all sides with more natural light but I think the heat is what's really helping

I think maybe another 100-150 figs and I'll take it all down and call it a season.

View attachment 14570View attachment 14571View attachment 14572View attachment 14573
Click to expand...
Another 150, ha? ;)

I admire you dedication...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top