Rooting cuttings!!

17 years ago

I have experimented with many techniques for rooting figs, but this year has been the ultimate. "Fig Heaven" taught me to wrap the cuttings in lightly damp paper, leaving the bottom end exposed (to callus/dry, and reduce rotting during rooting) and to put them in the frig for 3 weeks. I experimented with rooting media, and have discovered that 100% coarse vermiculite provides a very good balance of air and moisture. I root them in clear 40 oz. plastic cups, with holes drilled in the bottom so I can see when roots are developing. Drilling 3 cups at a time is easier, as there is greater stiffness. I have cuttings with 6" of new growth and no roots visible, so being able to determine when rooting has occurred is crucial. Moisture in the media can be monitored by the condensation on the inside of the cup. When there is no more condensation, they need water. I put the cups in plastic storage boxes, on wire racks which I made. The 1/2" mesh screen is the same size as the bottom of the crate/box and is supported above the bottom of the crate on 1-1/2" strips of wood. This allows the water to drain through the cups, and the cups do not stand in water (this is most critical - if they stand in water, the water is wicked up into the media, and there will be too much moisture and not enough air, causing rotting). They are placed upstairs where my wife runs the FAU to stay warm in her office, so it is about 75 degrees where the fig cuttings are. When they are well rooted (there is no real hurry to transplant them) I repot them in a 50% perlite - 50% compost mixture and place them in well filtered light, increasing the sunlight little by little. They come right out of the plastic cups by tilting and rolling them and letting the vermiculite fall out of the cup. The vermiculite does not clump, like potting soil, so there is no sticking to the cup, and no root damage trying to wiggle/pry/cajole them out of the cups. The rotation of the cup and the movement of the vermiculite will help ease the cutting out of the cup.

I have lost only 3 or 4 cutting out of almost 500 cuttings this year, though I am sure some others will probably still not make it. Some have not yet rooted, but 95% or more are showing signs of life and 60% are already outside enjoying our weird late spring weather (60 and cloudy to 100 and blazing all in one week).

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This year, the cherimoya tree was the perfect filtered light, as it shed a few more leaves each day as it went into it very short dormancy, providing a little more sun each day.

Some have already been repotted in 2 gallon pots

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Comments (8)

bonsaist
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for sharing that info Jon. I will diffenitly need to try your method. It seems a fairly easy method, Should work well with dificult to root varieties such as Mission.

Bass
pitangadiego
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Bass,

I have another friend, locally, who wasn't having much success, and he is using this method this year, and is shocked at how much better his success rate is.
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timurileng
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I have found that cuttings from my Black Mission tree will root much better over the winter than summer cuttings. I simply plant the dormant cuttings in ordinary garden soil, making sure that one or two nodes are in the soil. In the spring, leaves form. I assume that roots have formed during the winter. Planting soft, green cuttings during the growing season has never worked for me, but I have a very high percentage of success with winter rooting (just as with grapes).

Bill T.
timurileng@comcast.net
gw:plant_babies
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
i think i killed my only beloved fig tree! It was a gift, and I miss it a great deal.

Does anyone have an extra cutting lying around so I can try again? I have houseplant cuttings to trade.

:)
d
kgbenson
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
So what does one do with 407 cuttings?

Keith
pitangadiego
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Water them every day in the summer heat!!!! 100 or so are going into the ground when they get a little bigger, maybe this Fall, or next year (several have already moved to 2 gallon pots). I sell plants at the local Farmers' Market, and there is a surprising interest in figs. They usually outsell my banana plants. Others will be traded for varieties which I do not yet have. Some are given away at our Local California Rare Fruit Growers Chapter meetings, and the rest ??? Never had quite that many to work with before.

I have been exploring joining SeedSavers Exchange and about including fig cuttings. One member already is doing that, So I hope to make more cuttings available that way next season.
elder
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Two quick questions: what type of wood are your cuttings? Are they new growth green, second year brown, or the intermediate between the two mentioned (this year's wood which is hardening)?
When you place them into the fridge are they wrapped in a second wrapping such as butcher's paper, or placed in a plastic bag, or what?.....Elder
FO876
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Unfortunately, my cuttings failed me or maybe I failed them. I had about 6 cuttings from last fall, I took 3 and placed them in vermiculite as suggested and the other 3 in the produce drawer in my fridge. The ones I placed in the vermiculite died inside of a month or two. The ones I placed in the fridge appeared to be alive when I took them out around Easter time, two of them are dead already and the final one still seems to be alive but hasnt rooted so I dont imagine that one will survive either.

Thnx for sharing this technique Ill have to try it this yr. I have a question, when is this technique best performed in the spring, summer, fall or anytime???

TIA!