Rooting Fig Cuttings?

luigiwu · March 25, 2015

I know there are forums devoted just to Figs but this is such a friendly and knowledgeable bunch, I hope you guys can help me out. I’m wanting to start some fig cuttings. They’ve been sitting my fridge during winter.

I’ve tried a couple of sticks setting them in perlite with an inverted cup over the whole thing to try and create a mini humidity dome effect - using a heat mat of course. Its been weeks so I’m pretty sure its not working. (I was never sure how the perlite works as mine never seems to hold a whole lot of water… I tried a more humid setup but all it was grow mold on my twigs…)

Has anyone been successful with rooting fig cuttings?

Stvrob · March 25, 2015

I've just stuck them in sandy soil and put them under a bush for shade. They root pretty easy.

If you already have a big fig tree and you want something bigger than a small cutting you can air layer it easy enough. Just split a 20 oz soda bottle, put it on a pretty big limb that you might otherwise prune, and stuff it full of potting soil. Keep it moist for 6 or 8 weeks and you will have a sizeable fig tree.

PhilaGardener · March 25, 2015

Perlite will work fine. I scrub the twigs with soapy water, rinse and pat dry. Then put into a plastic shoebox-sized container that has a tight lid; I have also used the plastic clamshells that greens come in at the market. Add about 1/2 full of perlite and water to dampen. You want to have it humid with condensation on the plastic but not sodden. Put in a warm place and turn occasionally. Once roots form (time varies with variety) pot on in 50% sphagnum moss/50% perlite and keep humid in a large plastic box with a lid. Very gradually harden off - weaning them off high humidity is a lot tougher than rooting them in the first place! Good luck!

ChristinaJo · March 25, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stvrob

I've just stuck them in sandy soil and put them under a bush for shade. They root pretty easy.

If you already have a big fig tree and you want something bigger than a small cutting you can air layer it easy enough. Just split a 20 oz soda bottle, put it on a pretty big limb that you might otherwise prune, and stuff it full of potting soil. Keep it moist for 6 or 8 weeks and you will have a sizeable fig tree.

I like this! And I believe there's a YouTube video that shows how to do it, but I can't get to it right now.

Stvrob · March 26, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigiwu

I know there are forums devoted just to Figs but this is such a friendly and knowledgeable bunch, I hope you guys can help me out. I’m wanting to start some fig cuttings. They’ve been sitting my fridge during winter.

I’ve tried a couple of sticks setting them in perlite with an inverted cup over the whole thing to try and create a mini humidity dome effect - using a heat mat of course. Its been weeks so I’m pretty sure its not working. (I was never sure how the perlite works as mine never seems to hold a whole lot of water… I tried a more humid setup but all it was grow mold on my twigs…)

Has anyone been successful with rooting fig cuttings?

Did the buds on the twigs from the refrigerator ever break dormancy? Im not an expert, but if the leaves havent started growing yet I dont see a need for a high humidity chamber. I would guess that would just promote rot and fungus. Once the buds break it might be touch and go, but a little mist now and then with fresh air ought to keep it hydrated enough till the roots start growing.
Also, it might be easier for me in Florida just cause the weather is more humid. I stick them in little pots under a bush and if its dry, I just spray the bush to make it humid, but thats only after the leaves start growing.

drew51 · March 26, 2015

Figs are fairly easy. Blueberries are tough. Some cuttings will not root or leaf out if not in 100% humidity. Misting systems are used for those types where the cuttings are sprayed every 5 minutes to every hour depending on type.
You can make your own misting system, with pvc, misting heads, and timers. Giving high humidity to fig cuttings helps a lot. I just put them in potting soil. I re-cut end, dip in rooting hormone and put a gallon plastic bag over them. Once they leaf out I wean them off the high humidty, cutting the corners of the bag, then the top is cut off, and soon removed. I keep them indirect bright light.
Here's one I'm doing. I never heard of using a heating mat. I do not. If you're getting mold, the cutting is probably dead. Cut away all mody parts, the rest of cutting might be ok. Perlite will not hold any water, it is added to mixes for good drainage of water, it adds air space too. It holds zero water. If you used DE like this it would work since it holds 120% of it's weight in water. Vermiculite also holds water.

Stvrob · March 26, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew51

Figs are fairly easy. Blueberries are tough. Some cuttings will not root or leaf out if not in 100% humidity. Misting systems are used for those types where the cuttings are sprayed every 5 minutes to every hour depending on type. ...........................

Speaking of Blueberries...I have an old neglected patch of blueberries which Nature has reclaimed. Most of the blueberries will be dead soon, but I want to get some cuttings off them to move to a different part of the property. Ive tried digging up suckers, but the plants have gone so long without irrigation that its extremely hard to find one with a bit of root left. Ive tried softwood cuttings in the past but without success, and its too late for dormant wood as they are already leafing out.
Do you think a misting system would work on older growth that has already started to leaf out?
How about air layering, think that might work?

drew51 · March 26, 2015

It's worth trying the air layering as it is fairly easy compared to a misting system, which would probably work, but takes time, money and space.

peppero · March 26, 2015

They taste SO GOOD.

JON

drew51 · March 26, 2015

You know just like tomatoes their appears to be thousands of types, it's unreal!
I met a gardener a couple cities away from me who has an un-named fig in his yard. It's been there 20 years. it's rare to have a fig outside in Michigan!! He does protect it. I'm getting a cutting this summer. I have a spot south side right next to the house blocking all northern winds.

rxkeith · March 26, 2015

when i lived in detroit i was able to grow figs. my great uncle steve showed me how to wrap, and bury them prior to winter. without protection the tree would die back to the ground, but would send up suckers in the spring. only problem would be the suckers would not grow ripe figs that year. only way i have propagated figs is by the sucker method.
boy, do i miss growing figs. i just don't know how i would do it where i live now.
one time while riding my bike in detroit when i was young, i saw from the street, a large fig tree growing in a yard. this tree was much too big to bury. the tree had a wood frame around it like a four poster bed. they must have protected the tree from top to bottom during the winter. i should have gotten up the nerve to go up and talk to the people. they must have been italian or greek, or similar. they sure had a system figured out.

keith

drew51 · March 27, 2015

Even though I'm near Detroit it got cold here this winter. 35 miles north of me it was -24 one night. it was -16 here, and -9 in Detroit. So I will for sure have to protect it. I lost all my peach tree fruit buds 2 years in a raw now. The trees are fine, but the fruit buds froze off. -10 to -12 is about the limit. The trees can take -18 before damage starts on the wood itself.

March 25, 2015	#1
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Rooting Fig Cuttings? I know there are forums devoted just to Figs but this is such a friendly and knowledgeable bunch, I hope you guys can help me out. I’m wanting to start some fig cuttings. They’ve been sitting my fridge during winter. I’ve tried a couple of sticks setting them in perlite with an inverted cup over the whole thing to try and create a mini humidity dome effect - using a heat mat of course. Its been weeks so I’m pretty sure its not working. (I was never sure how the perlite works as mine never seems to hold a whole lot of water… I tried a more humid setup but all it was grow mold on my twigs…) Has anyone been successful with rooting fig cuttings? __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

March 25, 2015	#2
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	I've just stuck them in sandy soil and put them under a bush for shade. They root pretty easy. If you already have a big fig tree and you want something bigger than a small cutting you can air layer it easy enough. Just split a 20 oz soda bottle, put it on a pretty big limb that you might otherwise prune, and stuff it full of potting soil. Keep it moist for 6 or 8 weeks and you will have a sizeable fig tree. Last edited by Stvrob; March 25, 2015 at 07:58 PM.

March 26, 2015	#6
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	Figs are fairly easy. Blueberries are tough. Some cuttings will not root or leaf out if not in 100% humidity. Misting systems are used for those types where the cuttings are sprayed every 5 minutes to every hour depending on type. You can make your own misting system, with pvc, misting heads, and timers. Giving high humidity to fig cuttings helps a lot. I just put them in potting soil. I re-cut end, dip in rooting hormone and put a gallon plastic bag over them. Once they leaf out I wean them off the high humidty, cutting the corners of the bag, then the top is cut off, and soon removed. I keep them indirect bright light. Here's one I'm doing. I never heard of using a heating mat. I do not. If you're getting mold, the cutting is probably dead. Cut away all mody parts, the rest of cutting might be ok. Perlite will not hold any water, it is added to mixes for good drainage of water, it adds air space too. It holds zero water. If you used DE like this it would work since it holds 120% of it's weight in water. Vermiculite also holds water. Last edited by drew51; March 26, 2015 at 01:39 AM.

March 25, 2015	#3
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Perlite will work fine. I scrub the twigs with soapy water, rinse and pat dry. Then put into a plastic shoebox-sized container that has a tight lid; I have also used the plastic clamshells that greens come in at the market. Add about 1/2 full of perlite and water to dampen. You want to have it humid with condensation on the plastic but not sodden. Put in a warm place and turn occasionally. Once roots form (time varies with variety) pot on in 50% sphagnum moss/50% perlite and keep humid in a large plastic box with a lid. Very gradually harden off - weaning them off high humidity is a lot tougher than rooting them in the first place! Good luck!

March 26, 2015	#9
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	They taste SO GOOD. JON

March 26, 2015	#11
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,848	when i lived in detroit i was able to grow figs. my great uncle steve showed me how to wrap, and bury them prior to winter. without protection the tree would die back to the ground, but would send up suckers in the spring. only problem would be the suckers would not grow ripe figs that year. only way i have propagated figs is by the sucker method. boy, do i miss growing figs. i just don't know how i would do it where i live now. one time while riding my bike in detroit when i was young, i saw from the street, a large fig tree growing in a yard. this tree was much too big to bury. the tree had a wood frame around it like a four poster bed. they must have protected the tree from top to bottom during the winter. i should have gotten up the nerve to go up and talk to the people. they must have been italian or greek, or similar. they sure had a system figured out. keith

March 27, 2015	#12
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	Even though I'm near Detroit it got cold here this winter. 35 miles north of me it was -24 one night. it was -16 here, and -9 in Detroit. So I will for sure have to protect it. I lost all my peach tree fruit buds 2 years in a raw now. The trees are fine, but the fruit buds froze off. -10 to -12 is about the limit. The trees can take -18 before damage starts on the wood itself.