Growing Figs in the Home Garden

Growing fruit trees in the low desert of Arizona can be done successfully if varieties with low chill hours are selected. What does the term ‘low chill hours' mean? Chill hours are the accumulation of hours between 32°F and 45°F in which deciduous trees are dormant. These hours can generally be counted between November 1st and February 15th. 1 Deciduous fruit trees must go through this period of low temperatures to break their winter dormancy. Fruit tree buds cannot come out of dormancy and break, or open, until the number of chill hours required for that specific variety have been accumulated. Chill hours accumulated in the northern and eastern United States are quite high and chill hours in southern and southwestern parts of the United States can be quite low. This is one important factor in selecting the right fruit tree variety for your area. In Southern Arizona, the average number of chill hours accumulated each winter season can be as few as 250 and as many as 400.