Winter Care of Port Jackson Fig In Canberra ?

[gazzatash]

HI there Im new to bonsai and this is my first post that I have put up.. So looking for some help out there from some fig experts.. I have recently aquired 9 small Port Jackson Fig cuttings from a really nice chap up in Chatswood..They are aeriel root ready and look awesome.If anyone who has read some recent posts re PJ Figs, it was the same guy who Mitchell aquired his awesome PJ sumo stumps from.. Any how back to the point of the post. I live in Canberra and have a few deciduous trees like maples and the like but thought I would try my hand at some figs.. they look very interesting and can't wait till spring when i can start experimenting and see what I can achieve.. but untill spring comes along I would like to know how to care for them over our winter period? I have heard of people bringing them inside etc, but because there are 9 I just can't have them all inside, my wife would kill me..So is there a way i can keep them outside ? like covering them up at night, and removing the cover at morning ? and or is it the frost that kills them or the cold... Any advise would be most welcome. Ill put some pics up tomorrow just to show them of.

Cheers.

Gazza

[Bretts]

Hi Gazza
Quick answer for you is just get them under cover. Shade house green house veranda. That is enough for us out here at Parkes but You may be just a bit colder in Canberra

[Jamie]

gday mate

if it is going to get really cold then some protection will be good for them! if you can get a hot house or something like that you may get some growth if it stays warm enough. otherwise just try and keep them protected. i havent had any experience with keeping figs in cold weather before but i am sure someone from down there can help!

[Asus101]

Go talk to Leigh Taafe and ask him about his set up. Its simple but very effective.

[gazzatash]

Thanks Guys for the info.. I have put an old sheet and a basic tarp over them tonight.. hope that will be ok. I will go and see Leigh in the next few days and rack his brain good Idea. Im not as lucky as Jamie living in the warm.

[shibui]

One of our local growers in Beechworth (probably similar winter to Canberra) uses a small plastic house to overwinter figs. A single incandescent light globe turned on overnight provided enough heat to keep the figs frost free.
Here at Yackandandah, winter min down to minus 7, my trees now live in a chook heated poly house.
In the early days here I tried overwintering figs in the shadehouse under 70% shadecloth. They were burnt to gound level but regrew the following summer. I was able to keep them under the eaves in a protected nort facing alcove/ entry with brick walls and rock steps as a heat sink.
Good luck with the figs. Nothing like a challenge!

[Heshian]

Hi Gazza,

I live in Canberra and I only have a few figs. I just have them placed under the pergola at the back. As long as they do not get frost or left out in the open during the colder months they will be just fine. I do however take them inside the house for extra protection during the colder nights. I have previously left a tiger fig out all winter long under the eaves of the roof and I still have that tree. I only have a few small size figs so its easier to take them in and out of the house.
Hope that helps

Mario

[Matthew]

I bought most of my tropical figs including tigerbarks and willowleafs down to NE victoria. I have them in a hothouse which is humidity and heat controlled. The heating isent really large enough but should keep temps above freezing. As long as you have somewhere where frosts cant get in you should be ok. I know of growers who let there figs harden off by exposing then to frosts however since they just made the big move i wont be doing that to mine anytime soon.They are currently going through temps of 2 last nite with frost

[LLK]

As we are talking here of cuttings and don't know their size, I'd hesitate to recommend anything but good protection against low temps!

[bodhidharma]

Here in Central Victoria we get minus temperatures regularly. I have a glass house to keep my figs in but have had them survive in a shade house. Last year i left an established P.J out with a shade cloth roof but no sides and it did well. I think they can become partially frost tolerant. But, as suggested earlier, cuttings would be a no-no

[Mitchell]

Awesome!! What size man? Nice guy hey!!
They'll be fine, with a frost cover of some kind. Even that material fruit tree frost cover, from Buzzings.


Please get some pics up, I'd love to see.


Edit~ WAIT A BLOODY SECOND!! I bet you have my damn leaders!!!!!!
I reckon they are the leaders cut off my cuttings.... maybe

[Mojo Moyogi]

Don't let it snow on Port Jackson Figs!!!!

Snowfigs.jpg

This picture was taken at 4pm in the afternoon when the snow had just about thawed

My PJs are out in the open most of the winter. They have been snowed on every year and don't miss a beat.
Yes, Port Jackson Figs need to be protected from direct frost contact, but once they are aclimatised, cold temperatures are OK provided good soil structure and drainage are maintained.

Cheers
Mojo Moyogi

[bodhidharma]

[quote="Mojo Moyogi"]Don't let it snow on Port Jackson Figs!!!!



This picture was taken at 4pm in the afternoon when the snow had just about thawed

My PJs are out in the open most of the winter. They have been snowed on every year and don't miss a beat.
Yes, Port Jackson Figs need to be protected from direct frost contact, but once they are aclimatised, cold temperatures are OK provided good soil structure and drainage are maintained.

Thanks for that Mojo. Maybe i am a little to gentle on my guy's. I think i will experiment a little more with mine. I definitely know you can save them from frost and have done so by spraying them with warm water when i discovered them covered with frost one morning

[gazzatash]

Guys thanks for all of the advice.. and Mario thanks for your post, it is good to have someone down in Canberra with some experience with Figs.. I have decieded to build a simple structure to place the figs in over night.. just a box really that I can cover over with an old blanket and a H/D tarp. Should do the trick. Ill post some picks over the weekend and get everyones thoughts. Ill also add some picks of the figs.. i should have elaberated more on the cuttings... they are cuttings that i would say have been taken some time ago and look fairly established so thats why i opted to keep them outside under cover instead of bringing them inside..

Mitchell you made me laugh so hard with your comment... that I have your leaders.. You are proberly right !! I didn't actually get to met Don.. he was kept in hospital for the weekend as a precaution, But I did talk with him over the phone and meet his wife.. really nice family. Ill post some picks of everything over the weekend, just haven't had a chance to get some picks whlie the light is still good, can't wait to show them of. How is your sumos going ? and are you going to the AABC ?

Thanks again for everyone who posted... much appreciated.

Cheers Gazza

[craigw60]

Hi Gazza, I also grow some figs in a fairly cool climate. I have found what they really hate is to be cold and wet, I keep my figs in a poly tunnel over the cool months and they get very little water. It seems cold and dry is ok but cold and wet is a recipe for disaster.
Craig