Wake-Up & Put-Down Planner
Get a protocol recommendation based on your 7-day overnight forecast.
Built for Ficus carica growers in the US & Canada.
Fig Seasonal Timing Reference by USDA Zone
The planner above calculates personalised dates from your live 7-day forecast. The table below gives general guidelines for container Ficus carica growers across North American hardiness zones. All dates are approximate and should be adjusted based on local conditions and the 10-day forecast.
| USDA Zone | Typical Last Frost | Wake-Up (Move Outside) | Put-Down (Move Inside) | Growing Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 4 | May 15 – Jun 1 | Late May – early Jun | Mid Sep – early Oct | ~110–120 days |
| Zone 5 | Apr 15 – May 15 | Early–mid May | Late Sep – mid Oct | ~130–145 days |
| Zone 6 | Mar 30 – Apr 30 | Mid–late Apr | Mid Oct – Nov 1 | ~150–165 days |
| Zone 7 | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Early–mid Apr | Late Oct – mid Nov | ~170–185 days |
| Zone 8 | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Early–mid Mar | Nov – early Dec | ~195–215 days |
| Zone 9 | Jan 30 – Feb 28 | Late Feb – early Mar | Dec – early Jan | ~225–245 days |
| Zone 10 | No frost / rare | Year-round outdoor | Not required | Year-round |
Key Thresholds for Container Fig Growers
- Wake-up trigger: Overnight lows consistently above 4°C (40°F) with no frost in the 10-day forecast.
- Put-down trigger: First forecast of overnight temperatures at or below 2°C (35°F), or hard frost imminent.
- Dormancy temperature: Store in an unheated but frost-free space — ideal range 0–7°C (32–45°F). A garage or basement works well.
- Watering in storage: Water very lightly (every 3–4 weeks) just enough to prevent roots drying out completely.
- Head-start for late varieties: Slower-ripening varieties (Black Madeira, Yellow Long Neck, Calderona) benefit from being woken up 2–4 weeks earlier than the table above suggests, to maximise the ripening window.