This is my first year growing anything so I’m pretty clueless as to how I should handle this. Temps expected to drop down to as low as 27 this weekend. I suspect there is not too much to worry about concerning my in-ground apples, cherries, pluots, etc. But I have 10 potted fig trees and 8 apricot seedlings that are currently outside. What do i do with these? Day time temps will be in the 50’s and 60’s for the next several days but the night time temps will be below 32. Should I bring these inside during the night time and put them back out during the day? Can I cover them with a bed sheet or some other type of covering to help keep the chill off of them?
Figs are only one of those that might be hurt. And they need a light freeze soon to drop their leaves. You might put them in a protected area. But in general don’t bring things into a warm house. Plants are adapted to a gradual cool off and need it. Just try to avoid the sudden hard freezes.
I’m facing the same thing except the Great Lakes is protecting me a little so a light freeze only here even though speedster1 is probably south of me. My figs should be fine and start to drop leaves. I got 4 ripe figs this year. My first year. All from Florea which seems to be a winner here. It was a cutting and produced figs, this is very promising!
Plants that are well watered handle frosts/freezes better. I’d say that base is already pretty well covered right now for anyone in my neck of the woods that winds up with frosty nights soon.
I have better luck on figs this year, I got 30 ripe figs from hardy Chicago, Celeste, and brown turkey. I heard Florea is a good one for north, will try it if I can find some cuttings.
I have harvested all of my pepper, eggplant, beans today to avoid the frost damage to fruit.
Leave them out. 27 isn’t even a hard frost. It might damage any breba crop on the figs but the foamy things aren’t much worth worrying about, IMO.
With figs I worry when temps get below 20- they can usually take it down below 10F, although, if the containers are small, you might freeze the roots if you don’t insulate them. As FN suggests, they probably need a good bit more chilling before protecting should be done.
I can’t really speak with experience about potted apricots. All my potted trees are half buried in the ground so I don’t worry about them. Commercial nurseries often insulate them by mounding woodchips about 3/4ths the way up their pots around here to overwinter things with more delicate roots them tops (most species are this way).
okay thanks. The final winter resting place for the figs and apricots will be in my unheated garage which should be perfect. But I will leave them out for now until they drop their leaves barring any crazy cold <20 degree temps any time soon. The apricot seedlings are in small pots so I’m somewhat concerned about root temps and freezing with them. They are only about 4-6 inches tall and in 4" nursery pots.