As the days get shorter, it’s time to start thinking about what we need to do to overwinter our plants. While your plants have enjoyed being outside this summer, most will need to come in before the temperatures dip below 50 degrees consistently. However, something we often get questions about is overwintering citrus and fig trees, and what extra steps we need to take to make sure they’ll get through the winter season.

Citrus, like most houseplants and tropicals, like to be transitioned slowly back inside. You can move them from out in the full sun to under a tree or a covered porch before moving them completely inside. This will give your plant time to acclimate slowly to the changing temperatures and daylight exposure.

Before bringing your citrus inside, there are a few things you should do:

• Trim off any dead or unhealthy-looking branches. This helps the plant to direct its energy to all the parts of the plant that need it most.
• Thoroughly hose down your plant by washing off any unwanted hitch-hikers from coming inside with your plant.
• Apply some mosquito bits or diatomaceous earth to your plant. This will help keep your plant bug-free from the bottom up. We recommend using a spray like a neem oil or safer insect soap for the top part of your plant to kill any bugs you may see. And the mosquito bits and diatomaceous earth for the soil, for bugs you can’t see. (This is especially important in the overwintering.)
• No fertilizing from November to March. You can start fertilizing with Espoma citrus tone starting on March 1^st.
• Watering is extremely important! Water the plant as you would as if it was outside. Remember, the roots are at the bottom of that pot so you need to make sure you water the plant enough to ensure the roots can gather up that water. If you only give the plant a little each time it only goes down a few inches in the soil, which is not helping the plant.
• Remember, nothing goes back outside until after the last chance of frost, sometime around the last week or so of May.

Figs require a little different care than most citrus or houseplants. Follow these simple steps to keep your figs happy over winter.

• Let the fig tree get hit by the first frost or two.
• Once the frost has done its job, it’s time to take the remainder of the leaves off and trim up your fig tree. You basically want to make your tree look like a stumpy stick figure by trimming the branches way back.
• Next, wrap it up loosely in some burlap and place it in a cool, dark spot for the winter. Usually, an attached garage, basement, or attic works best.
• Now that your plant is ready for its long winter sleep, you will give it about 1 cup of water every month during this time. It’s enough to keep it alive but not letting it come out of dormancy.
• Sometime around mid-April slowly bring your fig tree out of hibernation. Do this by unwrapping your fig tree and bringing it to a nice cozy sunny location in your house. You can now start to water your fig tree as you would if it was outside. Your fig tree will stay in its new location until it can safely be put back outside for the summer, which will be after the last chance of frost. This is usually around the last week of May. Give or take a week or so either way.
• Once your fig tree returns to its home outside you will start fertilizing again with Espoma 5-10-5 garden food monthly. And don’t forget to add 1 cup of lime just once when you give your plant its first application of garden food. The lime will give your plant the magnesium and calcium it needs for a healthy growing season.

As always, we are here to help! If you have any questions about overwintering your plants feel free to email or call us. Happy gardening!

As the days get shorter it is now time to start thinking about what we need to do to over-winter our plants. While your plants have enjoyed being outside this summer they need to come in before the temperatures dip below 50 degrees consistently. Now that covers most plants. But, there is one plant that over-winters very differently, Figs.

Follow these simple rules.

1) Let the fig tree get hit by the first frost or two.

2) Once the frost has done its job it’s time to take the remainder of the leaves off and trim up your fig tree. You basically want to make your tree look like a stumpy stick figure by trimming the branches way back.

3) Next wrap it up loosely in some burlap and place it in a cool dark spot for the winter. Usually, an attached garage, basement, or attic works best.

4) Now that your plant is ready for its long winter sleep, you will give it about 1 cup of water every month during this time. It’s enough to keep it alive but not letting it come out of dormancy

5) Sometime around mid-April slowly bring your fig tree out of hibernation. Do this by unwrapping your fig tree and bringing it to a nice cozy sunny location in your house. You can now start to water your fig tree as you would if it was outside. Your fig tree will stay in its new location until it can safely be put back outside for the summer, which will be after the last chance of frost. This is usually around the last week of May. Give or take a week or so either way.

6) Once your fig tree returns to its home outside you will start fertilizing again with Espoma 5-10-5 garden food monthly. And don’t forget to add 1 cup of lime just once when you give your plant its first application of garden food. The lime will give your plant the magnesium and calcium it needs for a healthy growing season.

We are always here to help, any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to call or email us.

The wait is over! Our courtyard here at Van Wilgen’s is filled with Lemons, Limes, and Brown Turkey Figs. The amazing smell of citrus fills the room. Growing Your own citrus or figs can be a very rewarding experience. By just providing them with their basic needs you will be able to sit back and reap the rewards.

Citrus need:

• Full sun for adequate growth.
• Well-drained slightly acidic soil.
• Water sufficiently so the water is reaching the root ball. Once or twice a week.
• A high temperature of 70 to 85 degrees is ideal, and the low temperature should never go below 50 degrees.
• Remember plants are living organisms, and just like you or I, they need food too. Apply espoma citrus tone once a month from March to November.
• Citrus is a tropical plant and can’t be left out in our zone over the winter. So, don’t hesitate to come in or call us in the fall and we will walk you thru the best way to bring your citrus in for the winter.

Figs need:

• Full sun for adequate growth
• Ph should be between 6.0 and 6.5.
• Water thoroughly once or twice a week as needed.
• Fertilize during the summer months with espoma garden food 5-10-5.
• At the beginning of the season or as soon as you buy the fig you will add approx. a cup to a cup and a half of lime just once for the entire year, this slightly raises the alkalinity of the soil which is what the figs need to thrive.
• Figs are a tropical plant so give us a call in the fall and we will walk you thru overwintering it properly.

There’s nothing like homemade lemonade or lemon tarts made from your very own citrus tree. We love to get pictures and stories from our customers, so at the end of the season send us pictures of your tree and what you have made with your harvest.

Darlene Granese, Greenhouse Manager