I have about 150+ cuttings rooting in 16oz plastic cups. a few weeks ago i up potted a few and lost one cutting out of the five i up potted. it was a RdB so i am very sad about that. i am wondering if there is any ideals for loosing the roots to avoid to much trama. every time a fig dies an angle loses its wings:)

The best way is to pot up before the cuttings are root bound.  It also helps to soak the soil in warm water before you try to remove the cutting from the cup.  This alows the roots to slide more easily and prevents the soil from sticking.

Sometimes, they suffer shock with move, but come back alive...if I were you, I'd do nothing for a week or so, and you should see if it will recover.  I lose them at this stage as well, so, I totally know what this is. I am sorry.

Everyone has their way of doing it, but here's what works for me.

What works for me is to transfer them when the soil is almost dry, and when the cup is almost rootbound.  Using your fingers, gently massage the cup all the way around, loosening the roots from the wall of the cup.  Do this until you see all of the roots unattached from the cup.  Then, while supporting the trunk, turn the cup upside down and gently press around the cup until the cutting and soil slide out.  Place the cutting into the prepared new pot.  Works really well for me and I don't damage any roots.  The advantage of having the cup filled with roots is that it will support the soil mix and prevent it from falling apart when you slide it out.  Just don't do it right after watering or the mix will fall apart during transfer, due to the weight.  I will try to make a video next time I do this.

typically, i don't have any issue up potting from the cup to 1 gal. one of the main reason i use peat pot method is to minimize the disturbing of the root. it goes in.. it comes out. and it's like a plug that goes into the 1 gal. i got rid of 4 cups in last few days. they were getting molded so much even after airing out for hours in the house. some are grown so much they really needs to be up potted. i'm waiting for the weather to improve outside. then they will have to move out of my house in into the garage.

Dave
This is what I do, and never lost one at transplanting,
I cut the bottom off first then I put a slit all the way up the side, then I get the pot ready,take the bottom off the cup and transplant the cutting, after all t he soil is in slide the cup out.
Vito

I'm going to switch to Frank and Pete's method as I lost a couple transferring from my perlite/vemiculite mixture. The mixture does well to root but the root mass does not cling to it when pulled out of the cup. I did a couple with potting mix and when almost dry they pulled out perfectly from the cup with the roots not being disturbed much at all. Going with that method going forward.

Tyler

I use a potting mix as well. i think the reson i lost that one is due to i didnt wait until it was root bound. the others were and are doing great potted up. i lost a good chunk of the soil on the one that didnt make it while un cupping and i think that lead to its death.