Your heating pad is the first problem. Get rid of it. I root on top of the refer.

The cuttings may be on their death bed. Used the baggie method as described by Dan and you shall have figs. You have to do EVERY step until you get the basics down and then you can fiddle.

As for killing your cuttings, dont worry, I've killed hundreds before I got the hang of it! Follow the directions dan has in the posting:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0219281423245.html?52

Here is a link that might be useful: Rooting Method

I pretty much agree with Bas. I've rooted thousands of deciduous cuttings by sticking in a damp, sterile medium and applying bottom heat to keep the cuttings in the 70-75* range. I normally provide some type of tenting to keep humidity very high, but vent the tent. Keeping air temps a little cooler than soil temps (10*) is also helpful. I remove bottom heat a soon as the cuttings have struck.

Because heating pads (for people - and if that's what you are using) feel warm to the touch even at low settings, we know they produce temperatures higher than body temps, so temperatures of 100* and higher should be expected, even at low settings. This is too high for either seeds or seedlings unless you use some sort of insulating barrier between the pad and the container holding the seeds/seedlings. Additionally, they are not intended for continual/long-term use or to be left unattended because of possible fire/electrical hazards. This would be especially true because you'll need some kind of insulator between the container and the pad to keep soil temps in a favorable range, which could cause the pads to become hotter than they might when used for what they are intended for.

Al

I'm going to have to agree with Bass on this one. I tried all the different methods posted on the forum and others as well but I must say I am pleased with the results obtained using the seed germination-heating pad that my son bought me for a Xmas present a few years ago. My other son bought me the thermostat for the pad.

I'm small potatoes compare with Bass as to the amount of cuttings he starts vs. the small amount I try to root.
I keep the mat temp at a constant 72 degrees verified by a thermometer I have sitting in the plant try containing my potted cuttings.

I don't have any problems with mold so far. Most of the 15 cuttings I started are already potted up and placed into the natural sunlight. I plant mine in fine peat mixed with
perlite. They take water in from the bottom of the cups.
If I see a fair amount of roots through the cups then I pot them up into larger quart containers and place them in trays on my 6 ft. long basement window self.

All these years I had very few problems with failures after I place them into larger pots and a different growing medium. At this stage I just use the Miracle Grow potting mix. When I move them later to a 5-gallon pot then I use the soil mix that I make up where they grow from then on.

Yes sir I really enjoy the heating pad along with the thermostat made for the product. I find it to be fairly accurate.
I hope we all get decent growing weather this season.

Good luck to all.
Lou NE. PA

BASS,

Is your 95% rooting success rate based on the number of sticks that do develop roots or is that your final success rate in producing trees that are fully harden-off? There is a big difference between the two and I want to make sure I understand your definition of rooting success. Also, have you ever measured the relative humidity in the air above your pots? I'd like to know that level if you have measured it. Do you know the temperature ranges of the air above your pots?

Al,

A 70 to 75 degree F rooting temperature is well within the normal room temperatures in my house......is that outside of the normal room temperatures in other areas? I understand the desire to create a slight temperature differential on the cutting.....that is what Jose is doing by placing his on top of his refrigerator. As you pointed out not all heating pads are the same, and neither all the tops of all refrigerators.

Dan

I root my cuttings in the greenhouse. Temperatures in the greenhouse are kept between 55°-70°. Humidity ranges but usually around 50%. heating mat is set around 75°. in about 2 weeks they develop good roots and good growth.

I had tried the rooting in the bag, didn't work for me since the roots are too sensitive, and you need to keep humidity too high.
If you find a way that works for you, just stick with it. I can only speak from experience.

Bass,

Thanks very much for the pictures as they are worth a thousand words. You do indeed have a very nice greenhouse.

I "CLEARLY" see why your method works so well. I agree 100%with you.....stick with what is working. Others may run into some problems if they deviate much from your rooting environment. So your overall rooting success in attaining trees ready for you to sell is about 95%......hard to beat that achievement.

I'm sure I will refer to this picture as we discuss the various rooting methods in other threads. Thanks again.

Dan

Bass I also have a very large GH. How exactly are you rooting? Are you just stabing the cutting in the well draining mix?

Lou, does your setup look similar to Bass with your cuttings sitting in cups over your seed mat? Sounds like you are rooting indoors is that correct? I don't blame you for not changing a thing since your setup works well for you. I am trying to understand why some fail and others succeed. Your answers will be helpful in confirming my suspicions. Thanks.

Dan

Ok, thanks, I put took them off the mat and put them in the most stable room temperature spot in the house. I think the one I originally had in the cup will make it (maybe, I dunno, it's in a clear cup but I sure wish I could see through the mix), I guess I'll just wait and hope for the best on the others. I wish I would have posted here first. I looked through a lot of sites before doing anything and thought I looked into it enough to figure it out and didn't want to be the annoying guy to post the same question that must get posted here all the time. I guess I'll know better next time.

I apply rooting hormone sometimes before I stick them in the mix.
You really want to try and imitate nature the ground warms up while the air temperatures is a bit cooler.

Here's how it's done in the Mediterranean {{gwi:756594}}

Dan,
My cuttings are started in my basement in which I have zoned heat to keep around the 68-degree mark in the winter months. I do have my oil furnace located in the area or room (large room) where the cuttings are as well. That may add a bit of heat during the times it is running.

As of this time I have three plants in the tray. Three have top growth and some roots showing. I'm holding off a bit until I see more root growth before transplanting (potting up).

I forgot to mention I do have a set of fluorescent grow lights hanging above the cuttings that are timer controlled.
This helps when I get the leafs to grow before substancle root growth takes effect. Bass has me beat because of all the natural light his hot house provides for him. I should have one as well but I don't so I choose this method over the others. I use the rooting hormone as well on heavy thick cuttings as well.

I did not mean to step in Al's toes with my last post. His was not there when I started to compile my post. I did not see it until I refreshed the page.

I am happy my sons bought me the heating matt and the proper thermostat that goes with the pad. Watering from the bottom also provides moisture for the cuttings as well as the water in the tray evaporates. I only fill the tray up about 1/4 of an inch above the bottom of the clear cups containing the cuttings. It's neat because it doesnÂt require constinent care. I do mist when I have leaves showing on the cuttings -- just once every two days or so.

At this time I am in the process of doing some carpenter work so I placed my heating pad on my router table. I usually use the worktable on my radial arm saw, which is a lot larger. I am using the saw quite often for the job I am doing so it canÂt be helped. The heating pad I have is suitable to fir two planting trays on it but not on the router table. ItÂs to small to allow for that.

I just took a few photos Ill place below so you can get a better idea of what I my set up looks like. One photo shows the cuttings already potted up and growing on one of the two 6 foot window shelfs I have. A couple are not sporting leaves as yet but do have buds and a large root mass that filled the see through cup. That's the reason for moving them to the window.
Lou

Hi Lou,

Looks like you have it going your way with the new cuttings

What kind is the ones in the cups with cups for humidity if ya don't mind me asking, if you don't want to say I understand.

Regards
Cecil

Bass, Lou and all others who take the time to post Pics.
I just want to say Thank You
Bass that is some set up you have I really enjoy looking at your pics and all the info you provide
Lou same goes to you as I have used some of your ideas and methods along with others
Sal

I knew darn well I was forgetting something (I do that on a regular basis)

Yes, thanks Guy's for taking time to post the great pictures!

Cecil

Bass - Lou
thanks for shareing your pictures and what you do. Lou i remember our oil furnace and as a child dad always arguing the price per gallon with the guy on the phone. I also remember the guy pulling up his truck and connecting the hose in the gangway to outside oil fitting and going back in his truck and falling asleep there was oil everywhere and i thought dad was gonna kill the guy (long story ) anyways dad use to make me fill the container on the big ugly furnace that had what looked like octopus arms going thru the cieling of basement with water. That darn furnace gave me nightmares as a kid with those octopus arms wrappend around me, we had 2 500 gallon tanks . Dad eventually went to a gas setup. Again guys thanks for the pictures always nice to see what others do.
Best Health
Martin

Lou,

Thank you very much for taking the time to post those pictures. I'm sure that they will be helpful for others. I may refer to your pictures in another thread (not in a negative way) just to point out some things about your setup. Is your success rate as high as Bass's? Apparently, 95% of his cuttings turn into trees that are ready for sale? Do you lose many to re-potting and hardening them off?

Dan

Hey Bass, do you use a thermostat like the one Lou mentioned above? Guess what I got for Christmas? A THERMOSTAT!!!!!

Mine is digital. I started a few cuttings last night and a few hours ago I connected my heat pad and plugged in my thermostat set to 75 degrees. My heat pad worked great last year but I am in the process of getting another one and was wondering if I should try a thermostat or not. I am so excited!!! Thank you Santa!!

Dennis

I had six cuttings I killed three of them. They got rotted. The other three 2 of them made roots and I put them in pots 50% soil and 50% saw dust. One looks like is dead and the other looks like doing fine. The third cutting still in water in a cup making green leaves but refusing to make roots. I am kind frustrated this has been going on for two months. I hope one will survive and this will be fine. My other five fig trees are dormant in the Garage I gave them yesterday 4 ounces of water each. the soil was so dry I hope I am not killing them. The Garage temperature is 40.

Foolishpleasure sawdust is part of your problem. It is too compact and holds too much water. You should have potted those trees in 50/50 perlite/compost. Test your soil for dryness using a moisture meter weekly. Worked like a charm for me last year; my garage temps range between 53 to 42 and I got about 75 on one side of garage. Dennis