A letter to my fig cuttings

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Nichole

Registered:1333814555
Posts: 878

Posted 1362593588	Reply with quote #1

Dear Celestial cutting(s), Thank you for being such a vigorous rooter. You look very healthy, filling your cups with roots and sprouting leaves. Your vigor for life is a wonderful thing. However, I would appreciate it if you would quit trying to jump ship. I can't help but notice your roots going rogue. I'm beginning to wonder if you think soil is optional? Is the grass greener on the other side? All the other varieties seem happy and content in their cups keeping their roots beneath the soil. You, on the other hand, seem determined to not only peak above the soil, but grow so vigorously above the soil I'm questioning if your intent is to take over the fig castle, the city of Seattle, and then maybe the world? Your humble caretaker, Nichole __________________ Seattle area - Zone 8b http://www.niroha.com Fig Inventory https://sites.google.com/site/nicholesgardeninventory/fig-trees Wish list: Barbillone, Black Triana, Brooklyn Dark, Brooklyn White, Figo Branco, Figo Preto, Grantham Royal, Grisse de St Jean, Honey Jumbo, LSU Gold, LSU Scott's Yellow, Matta, Noire De Caromb, Panevino Dark, Roja, Syrian Long, Uncle Corky's Honey Delight

Grasa

Registered:1347083219
Posts: 1,819

Posted 1362593692	Reply with quote #2

magical! __________________ Grasa Seattle, WA

Wildforager

Registered:1237648107
Posts: 365

Posted 1362595261	Reply with quote #3

time for a 1 gallon pot..... __________________ Little John Sheboygan, WI Zone 5B Wish List - Florea, Ronde De Bordeaux

Nichole

Registered:1333814555
Posts: 878

Posted 1362595584	Reply with quote #4

Something about these cuttings has them going above soil regardless of how much room is below the soil. I have many more with hardly any showing in the cup. They all immediately gravitate upward and peak out. Maybe they are curious and want to see the world. __________________ Seattle area - Zone 8b http://www.niroha.com Fig Inventory https://sites.google.com/site/nicholesgardeninventory/fig-trees Wish list: Barbillone, Black Triana, Brooklyn Dark, Brooklyn White, Figo Branco, Figo Preto, Grantham Royal, Grisse de St Jean, Honey Jumbo, LSU Gold, LSU Scott's Yellow, Matta, Noire De Caromb, Panevino Dark, Roja, Syrian Long, Uncle Corky's Honey Delight

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,712

Posted 1362595924	Reply with quote #5

Funny! Most of my cuttings have roots that do this too, but yours look a bit more ambitious. __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

Grasa

Registered:1347083219
Posts: 1,819

Posted 1362596533	Reply with quote #6

you will need to soak them in warm water to repot, as those roots will 'stick' to the plastic and break up when you repot. I learn to pour the warm water on the edge of the cup with the cup in incline position, so water mostly stays around the plastic and give it a gentle squease to loose the roots from the plastic. By doing this you already gave it water, so, when repoting, you may not water for a day or so (here in Seattle). The extra water in the cup is good for the transition. They look fantastic, Nichole! __________________ Grasa Seattle, WA

Nichole

Registered:1333814555
Posts: 878

Posted 1362596879	Reply with quote #7

I'm trying to hold off repotting till I get the greenhouse but that won't be for another 3 weeks... may need to improvise a little until then. __________________ Seattle area - Zone 8b http://www.niroha.com Fig Inventory https://sites.google.com/site/nicholesgardeninventory/fig-trees Wish list: Barbillone, Black Triana, Brooklyn Dark, Brooklyn White, Figo Branco, Figo Preto, Grantham Royal, Grisse de St Jean, Honey Jumbo, LSU Gold, LSU Scott's Yellow, Matta, Noire De Caromb, Panevino Dark, Roja, Syrian Long, Uncle Corky's Honey Delight

Nichole

Registered:1333814555
Posts: 878

Posted 1362596994	Reply with quote #8

I am struggling with humidity a little, too. I've had some drop leaves because I tried to transition too quickly. The roots still look good so I'm sure they will bounce back. Such picky little beasts. __________________ Seattle area - Zone 8b http://www.niroha.com Fig Inventory https://sites.google.com/site/nicholesgardeninventory/fig-trees Wish list: Barbillone, Black Triana, Brooklyn Dark, Brooklyn White, Figo Branco, Figo Preto, Grantham Royal, Grisse de St Jean, Honey Jumbo, LSU Gold, LSU Scott's Yellow, Matta, Noire De Caromb, Panevino Dark, Roja, Syrian Long, Uncle Corky's Honey Delight

sammy

Registered:1330355079
Posts: 261

Posted 1362597453	Reply with quote #9

Have you placed that fig to close to the television? Maybe it has watched Lord of the rings or Prince Caspian. Television is a powerful influence you know! __________________ Sam zone 4 Thessalon Ontario, Canada.

jenniferarino83

Registered:1335709464
Posts: 1,076

Posted 1362603025	Reply with quote #10

Keep talking to it... It's growing on you __________________ Jennifer A. Brown Wishlist: NONE Boise ID ZONE 5

dkirtexas

Registered:1341345900
Posts: 1,327

Posted 1362605550	Reply with quote #11

A letter to my recently departed fig cutting dear dead fig cuttings, $%#@M &(^%, #$#@!, &#&($, $#@%^$# And your horse to!!! Your usta be guardian. __________________ Thx, glad to be here Danny K "EL CAZADOR DE HIGO" Waskom Tx Zone 7B/8 Wish list: anything anyone wants me to have. LSU RED. Any LSU fig.

ForeverFigs

Registered:1351425467
Posts: 1,062

Posted 1362625408	Reply with quote #12

It comes in stages Nichole...first we write them letters...then we play them nice music...then we start to have conversations with them...then they start answering us...(by the way, those roots and little trees are doing just fine)...All the best, and tell them I said hello. __________________ Vince Edison N.J. Zone 6b Wish List: LaRadek's EBT

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1362628218	Reply with quote #13

Wow. Vigorous to say the least. Maybe the soil doesn't have enough air for them. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

Gina

Registered:1330452963
Posts: 2,260

Posted 1362628885	Reply with quote #14

Quote: Originally Posted by rcantor Wow. Vigorous to say the least. Maybe the soil doesn't have enough air for them. That would be my guess too. Last year I had a lot of cuttings send roots up and out the top. This year thinking it might be more air they were needing in the root zone, I punched a lot of holes in the sides of my rooting containers. I was using plastic bags of the 'right size' and used a paper punch to add a good number of holes in both the sides and bottom. I not only had the best rooting ever, but I also had very few roots grow up and out. Some did come out the side or bottom holes, but no big deal. __________________ WillsC's new fig forum: http://www.Ourfigs.com (and blueberries)

Nichole

Registered:1333814555
Posts: 878

Posted 1362630779	Reply with quote #15

The soil is nice and fluffy and they have plenty of holes (at least I think there are plenty). All of the cuttings of celestial are doing this. I have many other cuttings with the same treatment and they are content. Celestial has gone rogue. Or maybe celestial has higher O2 requirements. In the moss, Celestial was easy to root but didn't exactly explode with enthusiasm. But once they were transferred to cups I was very surprised at the rate their roots exploded. Much faster and more vigorous than my other varieties. They are filling the cups quickly. __________________ Seattle area - Zone 8b http://www.niroha.com Fig Inventory https://sites.google.com/site/nicholesgardeninventory/fig-trees Wish list: Barbillone, Black Triana, Brooklyn Dark, Brooklyn White, Figo Branco, Figo Preto, Grantham Royal, Grisse de St Jean, Honey Jumbo, LSU Gold, LSU Scott's Yellow, Matta, Noire De Caromb, Panevino Dark, Roja, Syrian Long, Uncle Corky's Honey Delight

cis4elk

Registered:1347840383
Posts: 1,718

Posted 1362631927	Reply with quote #16

Does the cover/top cup have any holes in it? I don't see any on the one in the background. I melt 12-16 vent holes in my top and bottom cups. I do this to prevent mold because I don't want to use any chemicals. The air here in Colorado is very dry and I have never had any condensation in the cups above the soil line(those roots are growing above the soil because they can). Once the leaves start to push against the cup I slide it to the side about 1-2 centimeters and tape it in place again. After a few days like this I am able to remove the top cup entirely with no further hardening off to the dry air required. __________________ Calvin Littleton,CO z5/6 Wants List: For everyone to clean-up after themselves and co-exist peacefully. Let's think more about the future of our planet and less about ourselves. :)

Nichole

Registered:1333814555
Posts: 878

Posted 1362633624	Reply with quote #17

Calvin thanks for the hardening off tip. I will give that a try. I have several I can attempt this with right now. Yes the cups above have holes too. I will try drilling more in the future. __________________ Seattle area - Zone 8b http://www.niroha.com Fig Inventory https://sites.google.com/site/nicholesgardeninventory/fig-trees Wish list: Barbillone, Black Triana, Brooklyn Dark, Brooklyn White, Figo Branco, Figo Preto, Grantham Royal, Grisse de St Jean, Honey Jumbo, LSU Gold, LSU Scott's Yellow, Matta, Noire De Caromb, Panevino Dark, Roja, Syrian Long, Uncle Corky's Honey Delight

needaclone

Registered:1346812939
Posts: 604

Posted 1362714090	Reply with quote #18

maybe you planted the cuttings upside down and the roots are growing upward ;-) Just kidding...it must be nice and humid for them to want to do that... Jim __________________ Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M . Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano . ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000

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