My seedling (caprifig), featured over here:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/from-a-seed-to-a-fig-in-18-months-ripe-photos-added-7026492?&trail=50

is generous enough to provide a few airlayers. One has 3 figs, probably with few wasps, another has buds but no figs. I also setup an airlayer to shorten the main trunk, a 1 gal pot on a stand.

I am surprised on how think the visible roots are. About 3 matches! They should grow very nicely.
The airpayers were setup on Oct.20, now is Dec.8. Not bad for a relatively cold weather.

Very cool greenfig! Are you going to keep the caprifig around to help pollinate your other fig trees?

I am keeping the top of the tree in 1 gal pot and the side branches are going to the East coast.

Congratulations!  If another fig forms would you cover it with an organza bag when it first forms to see if it's persistent?

Sure, how small the fig is supposed to be?

As soon as it forms a neck.  Lampo would know better than I would.  From what he's said before the figs are smaller than I thought they'd be when the wasps enter them.  They're safe until about 3/8" or so from what I remember.  I'll page him  :)

3/8"! That's tiny.
I will keep an eye.

If the fig is too small for a bag to fit over it, it might be easier to put a piece of tape over the eye, or maybe to even seal it with some type of adhesive/glue. I really hope it turns out to be a persistent caprifig.

A good suggestion, donpaid!
I guess, I will have to be creative with this and keep a diary :)

What is the difference between a persistant and not?

Speedmaster,

A persistent caprifig will produce "ripe" figs even if it is not pollinated by the fig wasp (think of it as a common caprifig: persistent = common).

A non-persistent caprifig will produce NO "ripe" figs, UNLESS it's pollinated by the fig wasp (think of it as a smyrna caprifig: non-persistent = smyrna).

It's important to find out if it is persistent or non-persistent because the persistence gene is only carried by the caprifig, NOT THE FEMALE FIG. Therefore, a non-persistent caprifig will have no persistent (common) offspring. Persistence (common fig) is important for every fig cultivator (the fig wasp is not around all the time to pollinate figs), but especially for those in areas without the fig wasp, who will need to grow common varieties in order to produce a crop. 


Persistent Caprifig + Persistent Fig = 1/2 persistent offspring + 1/2 non-persistent offspring

Persistent Caprifig + Non-Persistent Fig = 1/2 persistent offspring + 1/2 non-persistent offspring

Non-Persistent Caprifig + Non-Persistent Fig OR Persistent Fig = 1/1 non-persistent offspring


Here is a very good online resource that explains all of this in great detail: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/arbimg10.htm#persistent

In a way, I'm happy I was never required to learn about "Ficus Culture" in high school biology. Saying it's complicated is an understatement. But I hope I helped to answer your question. 

A nice one, donpaid!

I would add that the persistency is important to people who want to do some fig breeding/selection and grow the offsprings outside the wasp belt areas.
Even manually:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/fig-breeding-steps-5200745

If you need a caprifig only for pollination, you do not care what it is.

Good info to post, I read waynesword a year or so ago but thought it must have been posted on F4F, guess not. Anyways, very informative, well scripted and colorful photos, diagrams and charts. Everyone should visit the thread even if you are like me....no wasps....no breeding... but the info is so interesting. Thanks for posting donspaid.

Lampo PMd me and confirmed that a wasp will enter a 1/2" fig.  The problem with tape or glue is that it will either deform the fig as it grows which may cause it to drop off or it will crack/come off partially, letting wasps in.

Persistent caprifigs wont fall off the tree even if no wasps enter.  That's how you can tell you have a chance of getting common fig seedlings.

Bob,

Thanks for the note! So it seems the best way to protect the figlets would be the organza bags?
I have many of those. As soon as the new figs appear, I will cover them.
Although so far, they have appeared in a very tight cluster :(

Greenfig...Congrats!! Looks like it going to be a beautiful Air layer! Good Job... Next year, I have enough Fig Trees I am going to try Air Layering! Thanks for the posting this! :)

Hi Greenfig,
I've got a much efficient protection : send one tree to a no wasp-zone ... like a location in Zone7 .

You only need to do 1 or 2.  Let the rest get some wasps who want to travel and see the Eastern US.

Thanks Don,
So for me to manually pollinate some figs I need persistant so they can produce pollen without the wasp. Wow, I didnt know that caprifigs need the wasp to produce pollen. Thanks!

Speedmaster,

You're correct. If you don't have the wasp in your area and you want to manually pollinate your figs, you need persistent caprifigs.

And you're very welcome! You aught to thank rcantor and greenfig too :) also, there are many other posts with great information on this subject by lampo and a few other forum users.

best of luck!

Caprifigs don't require wasps to produce pollen unless they fall off the tree too early without wasps.  I'm not 100% sure you can't get pollen without wasps from a caducous (non-persistent) plant.  Here's a primary source with links to other articles.  You could send that in as a question.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/pljun99b.htm

I separated that airlayer with figs 9 days ago and it is still kicking! :)  The figs are still on and they are firm. I hope they will ripen.

I went tonight to check on the mother tree and got a surprise. One of the figs is getting ripe and looked super blue in the light of my headlight.
The photo taken was without any flash. Very cool! It is not even soft yet, might need another week or more.