Winter Is Coming..

[Pearcy001]

So while I'm not watching Game of Thrones this winter I'm going to be looking after my Bonsai. I was just wondering about peoples thoughts on keeping their figs warm over the cooler months. It's going to max out at 17 degrees in Melbourne this afternoon (and will only get much cooler in the coming months) and I know the poor little guys can't be enjoying it outside. I've only got two in my collection and had some spare bubble wrap laying around so I decided to wrap up their base to attempt to keep off some of the wind chill.

My question is, will this even help or could it even possibly have adverse effects?

Cheers,
Pearcy.

[Pearcy001]

FYI. I have not misted under the bubble wrap as yet although I'm sure that would help with humidity as long as it is aired out at times to avoid any root rot.

[Jarad]

Should you also be protecting the leaves as they may get damaged as well?

Maybe make/buy a mini greenhouse?

http://www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/ga ... shadehouse

[Scooter_M]

I have some good fortune with some large windows in a corner of a east/north facing corner of my house. I bring my figs inside for the colder months. My wife is big on fresh air and loves plants also so we always have some windows open. It still get some cooler air from outside and they survive ok "indoors" due to the openess of the windows, but is protected from the chilly southerly winds, and its always 5-10 degrees warmer inside.

I actually only just bought them in about 2 days ago with this cold front we just got in melbourne

[Waltron]

I only have One Fig and It seems happy to be left outside all winter. I used to keep it against a external wall during winter as [minimal] frost protection but haven't even bothered doing that the last two years. Still alive and healthy.

[Isitangus]

Put it back outside!!!
Maybe move to a sheltered spot but if it's been grown in VIC and grown up in VIc it should be fine!
Half way down this page is an appropriate read.
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com


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[cre8ivbonsai]

Figs outdoors are fine in a Melbourne winter* Unless you're in an area that gets frosts - that will burn their leaves. Generally in the burbs you shouldn't have a problem, but if a frost looks likely just pop them under cover over night. Melbourne winters are not like Europe or parts of the US that snow and actually freeze pots solid, so I don't see the need for bubble wrap. A green house environment may assist in keeping figs active/growing over winter (though air circulation may be an issue), but outdoors they will just slow down and become semi-dormant. They still need sun, natural air circulation and water. Also, to avoid root rot, make sure that the soil doesn't become water logged, a free draining mix helps a lot with this - though probably too late to repot this season.

[Pearcy001]

Thanks all for the advice! The article Isitangus posted really made it sink in.

Put it back outside!!!
Maybe move to a sheltered spot but if it's been grown in VIC and grown up in VIc it should be fine!
Half way down this page is an appropriate read.
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For some reason I'm more then happy to condition my trees to a 40 degree day in summer but scared of them in the cold (go figure?). I think it was more the fact that they are a tropical species out of their natural environment. One of the figs was obtained from Deniliquin on the Vic/NSW boarder late 2014 but I don't believe the temperatures would be too drastically different. The main problem I had was I live on the beach so I receive strong cold northerly winds in the cooler months, they were still to be kept outside just with the wrap on. In my noob worries I thought they would struggle with constant temps below 16 degrees.

Thanks all,
Pearcy.

[shibui]

It gets a fair bit colder up here than anywhere in Melbourne. One year min reached -7 and all the figs in the shadehouse were burnt to soil level but sprouted again the following spring. To me this means that protecting the trunk and branches is far more important than protecting the pot. Mine currently live in an unheated poly tunnel all year round. Temps get down to around 1C and occasionally dip to 0 with no fig damage.
In Canberra where it gets even colder most growers take figs inside for the winter - Laundry or bathroom seem to be good spots because they are not heated or air conditioned. Also easy to water without making a mess of the carpet when the pots are in the bathtub. I think because figs are rainforest species they can tolerate lower light levels and less air movement than temperate species. When you look at other successful indoor plants they are nearly all from subtropical rainforest areas.

Jim Webb was an experienced bonsai grower and was convinced that an annual dressing of dolomite in autumn made figs more frost hardy. Another cropping frost expert confirmed that Mg in plant cells does help protect plant cells from freezing so I guess a dolomite dressing would not hurt either.

In most areas of Melbourne figs will be fine with just overhead protection (verandah, etc).

[kcpoole]

In my noob worries I thought they would struggle with constant temps below 16 degrees.

Thanks all,
Pearcy.

I assume you are Williamstown north of Newcastle?

If so I would expect your Ficus to grow year round there. Mine here in western Sydney get down to 1-2 Deg in the mornings, but the coldest Midday temps they would see are about 10 Deg in the depths of winter.
I see growth on all of my Ficus continually through winter, so would expect yours to be the same or even better.

Ken

[Jarad]

In my noob worries I thought they would struggle with constant temps below 16 degrees.

Thanks all,
Pearcy.

I assume you are Williamstown north of Newcastle?

If so I would expect your Ficus to grow year round there. Mine here in western Sydney get down to 1-2 Deg in the mornings, but the coldest Midday temps they would see are about 10 Deg in the depths of winter.
I see growth on all of my Ficus continually through winter, so would expect yours to be the same or even better.

Ken

Hey Ken,

Williamtown in in NSW Williamstown is in VIC. I'm assuming the Victorians wanted to emphasize Williams ownership of the town (they're all strange south of the border)

[Pearcy001]

The "S" is for the literate.

[irish]

Hello.

I am in Junee NSW. Winter is cold here -2c. I have two Port Jackson Figs. One that is 6 years old, and in a 10 inch plastic pot. The other is a root over rock, three years old, in a styefome (spelling) box. Mine go in side every night, if I think it's going to be a half decadent day thay go out side, to full sun. I go to work at 8am and Finnish at 4 pm. As soon as I finnish work, 4:15pm, I take them in side.

Thay can stand a slight frost, but not two or three nights.

Cheers.
Irish Junee.

[kcpoole]

In my noob worries I thought they would struggle with constant temps below 16 degrees.

Thanks all,
Pearcy.

I assume you are Williamstown north of Newcastle?

If so I would expect your Ficus to grow year round there. Mine here in western Sydney get down to 1-2 Deg in the mornings, but the coldest Midday temps they would see are about 10 Deg in the depths of winter.
I see growth on all of my Ficus continually through winter, so would expect yours to be the same or even better.

Ken

Hey Ken,

Williamtown in in NSW Williamstown is in VIC. I'm assuming the Victorians wanted to emphasize Williams ownership of the town (they're all strange south of the border)

Whoopsie Ok just made another Ass of myself methinks
Anyhoo, if Williams owns the town, that should not there be an apostrophe after the s

See Pearcy, us in gods own country ( ie Sydney ), do practice the good Queens english (I probably just offended all the republicans there so sorry )

Now gettign back to figs, if your temps do not get below zero at any time and no frosts, then no need to mollycoddle a good ficus

Ken

[Pearcy001]

Thanks guys great to know!

Haha Ken, I was quite drunk when I wrote that.