Propagating Fig Cuttings

[Derby42]

That is the cutting from your fig, I think it is more green because I grew it all winter inside without natural light to turn it purple, it actually dropped on its own. No latex taste, just mild fig. I think it will make more figs this summer that will ripen and look more normal for a CH

[hoosierbanana]

It didn’t get all the way ripe because the tree is not pushing much sap, I guess, late fall figs look pretty much like that for me and have a pasty/gluey texture. Light exposure does make a big difference on exterior color, and more mature trees do produce larger figs; for one they are larger trees, and for two the figs that form nearer terminal buds are always bigger.

[Derby42]

It actually wasn’t pasty or gluey to my taste , just a little bland and could have been sweeter, in all fairness to the fig it probably only received ten days of direct sunlight out doors and even then the temperature was cool

[mamuang]

So glad the cutting has produced. I like CH. I have tried a few home grown figs. I still like Ch more than others.

[Derby42]

I have two trees from your cuttings, I hope to enjoy more figs this summer.

[mamuang]

I put one in ground in 2016 but need to winter protect it. So far, so good.

[Derby42]

I may put one in ground eventually, I want to try and let the tree and roots mature some first. I think I will always keep at least one potted. I have always been able to lift and carry whatever I want but I am not as young as I used to be do I bought a two wheel dolly to help move them in and out. They are not to heavy unless they have had too much rain, then the dolly is nice.

[JCT]

I had a few left-over pieces of Deanna cuttings from @Lids, so I stuck them in a random pot of soil and left it outside all winter. To my surprise, both of them started pushing a figlet, but I pinched them off. Couldn’t help myself and dug up one of the cuttings - no roots. So glad I pinched off the figlets.

The other cuttings were potted up and are indoors on a heat mat with parafilm, rooting hormones, etc, hopefully they are doing better root-wise!

[dimitri_7a]

My first attempt at air layering! Took some regular potting soil and added a bit more perlite for extra aeration. Took a 16 oz plastic cup, cut it partially in half and then used a lighter to make a hole in the bottom for the stem. Girdled the bark with a 1/4" cut and rubbed a tiny amount of rooting hormone on the cut and then packed the cup tightly with the slightly dampened potting soil. Used a couple rubber bands to hold the cup together and wrapped the whole thing in two layers of aluminum foil.

Hoping that it will be ready in about 6 weeks to give away as a gift. It’s an LSU Improved Celeste for those wondering.

EDIT: I realized this is thread is about fig cuttings… too late to move it now but hopefully it shines some light on alternative propagation methods for some people. Here is the thread I should have posted to:

Air layering

In all the time I’ve been on this site, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen any discussion at all of air layering. There is quite a bit of literature on it, lots of you tube videos, but little if any mention of it here by the folks here that I trust and admire. I find the technique very interesting and appealing for some reasons. So I’d like to hear if any of you have any experience with it and what it is? I am guessing it isn’t more popular because it doesn’t work well? Or perhaps its because the…

[JCT]

Best of luck with the airlayer! Figs like a lot of sun and heat to help grow the roots.

[Drew51]

I have been using pure DE and so far it’s going well! Here I up potted from 1 quart to 2.5 quart pot. All I can handle indoors, till I can put them out.

[JustAnne4]

That is some interesting looking DE - dif than what I’m used to. Processed differently?

[Drew51]

DE is made for horticultural purposes, but is sold pretty much commercial only through distributors. So I use oil absorbent products. This is Optisorb sold at O’Reilly’s auto parts.
Disney uses DE in all of it’s gardens. It is also used on professional ball fields. A sub layer of DE prevents pooling, holds moisture in grass longer. Many studies show the benefits of using DE as a soil amendment. But it is also great as a rooting medium as it holds just the right amount of water. Rot just does not happen. Impossible to over water. Makes for a perfect rooting medium. It looks like I’m going to get about 95% takes.
Tomato growers started using it about 5 years ago. Well some with great results. Although they were using Ultrasorb which is lesser coarse grade.

Pepper seeds in seed starting mix, and DE (Ultrasorb)

You can see these seeds started at the same time, the plants did better in DE.
This has been confirmed by many studies, I have links to many. I posted them numerous times on this site.

[JustAnne4]

Thanks, Drew. I remember reading those posts but I was taken aback by the texture shown in your 1st photo above. Sorry you had to repeat yourself.

[Drew51]

It’s like small rocks, the size of small perlite, I have used it for 6 years as an amendment. Growth was so improved in certain studies like this one. I had to try it in my raised beds and containers

PJB43(1)573.pdf

[dimitri_7a]

Really amazed with my Florea cuttings which already have 3-5 figs forming on cuttings that was started in late December. One of the largest is about the size of a dime now.

[JCT]

Those look great! Although I would personally remove the small figs to allow more energy to go into growth. It will not hurt the baby trees to keep the figs, the plant will drop those it cannot support, but it will grow quicker if it devotes all energy to growth and not fruit production.

[ReaLM]

I was just about to ask the same question. It is my first year at propagating and some of my “sticks” put out figs instead of leaves. As anxious as I am to try these new varieties, it is weird to see figs on sticks:

Should I break them off even if there are no other leaves? It has been a little over 2 weeks since I started.

[hoosierbanana]

Best to break those off since there are no real roots yet, hold the cutting secure so it doesn’t wiggle.

[ReaLM]

Thanks, I broke them off.