I have a cutting that has spouts and leaves at the top, about 2 inches down roots and then another two inches or so another leaf coming and then roots at the bottom...should I cut it  and make two?
Here is a picture of it
 

Wow! That is an interestingly looking thing! :)  I only have one with a leaf at the top, roots 2 inches below and *nothing* for for the bottom 5 inches. I was thinking to cut the bottom 4 inches to keep the pot smaller.
Sorry, I don't know an answer to your question but will be checking this thread.
Happy Thanksgiving!

More stem=more energy stores to push the plant in it's early development.  Just bury the lower leaves, that's what I would do. They may or may not push through someday down the road, but if something happens to kill the top growth the lower shoot will appear for sure. If the leave are open on the portion to be buried I would snip them at their base.

You can cut the cutting in half and vet two plant out of one cutting. I had done this several time last couple of years

These are the lessons learned when starting a hobby.  If the cutting is $500 cuttings, don't cut it, if it is one that I sent, cut that puppy, you can always get another, it is cheap tuition.

We need experimentation.  Please keep us informed.

I would bury the cutting almost horizontally in the soil and wait. When it will be time for re potting then I would cut it in two, during dormant period and increase exponentially my chances for success.

Danny.... Is there any cuttings that cost 500$ ?...... Wow ... Must be super rare variety.......


Ong

Jakarta, Indonesia

Hi
I would lay it horizontally so that both sprouts/leaves can grow and all the roots are burrowed .
I would put a marking where you are willing to cut today - basically a stick - and when they both reach 10 or 20 centimeters,I would then cut and have two trees - at no risk !
By cutting it in two pieces now, you would weaken both trees - because they will both have less energy (from the big cutting) to pump from.

with lowered humidity the roots will dry and drop.
Unless you really need two plants out of this cutting, just leave it as is more stem, more energy more viable plant.
If you can risk losing it , then cut it, you may get lucky and grow two plants.
Judgement is yours!

What's the smallest cutting that has rooted for anyone?

Never saw like this condition before, I know there is some tree that growing air root (dragon fruit tree).... Not the fig tree I recall....
Very interesting.......



Ong

Jakarta, Indonesia

the roots will dry up and stay on the cutting a few months until they just fall off. it's fine, leave it alone and let the young plant be. no need in putting the youngin through transplant shock or cutting the cutting. you can always make more plants later. 

GRamaley,

That's a healthy looking cutting for sure. I was thinking it might be worthwhile to bury the cutting deeper and give those roots a chance to grow. The cutting should be very hearty and then next year you can take cuttings from it without any worries.

I will leave it be, thank you for all your thoughts and advice....it is a tree i have really been wanting so i wont risk this one...

Not that uncommon to see.  Leave it alone, the air roots will dry and fall off.  Larger cutting means more stored energy to support growth = greater chance of success.  Sometimes we get to greedy and end up losing both. : (

One other bit of info for us though, are there already roots in the growing medium? Because if so, then definitley just leave it. If not, bury them.

I would bury those roots.  The shoots will grow through the soil and pop up without trouble.  I'd put it in a bigger pot and get those roots under ground so they can support the plant.  And I'd fertilize it with houseplant strength miracle grow.

Steve, is the air root from the previous rooting (ziplock or sphagnum) before you plant the cuttings in the soil ?
If that the case, is common, but if you plant the cutting directly in the soil and coming out the air roots then that
Not so common I think.

Ong

Jakarta, Indonesia

Yes, me too, I would also put the plant in a deeper pot with soil covering those air roots. put the cutting in an angle and next fall or when you repot it, there are zillion more roots, only then I would cut it into 2.. if you cut it now, the top portion may not survive, as it is depending on the lower ones to sustain the upper leaves....

Ong,

The cutting was started directly in a perlite/potting soil mix.  The part you see was in the "air".  As other pointed out at the time i posted this, the air roots probably formed from a very humid environment.  Note that there is a lot of mold present on the tip which indicates a very wet environment.  In the end I saw a node starting a leaf near the soil line.  I cut off the top removing the moldy part and this turned out to be a very healthy tree which gave me 3 or 4 figs this summer.

I'm late to the party, but I'll second Steve's (omotm) advice.  if the cutting has enough roots in the in the cup, then just leave it alone.  The upper roots will fall off soon and will not cause any damage.  Since you already have it in a cup, re cupping it might damage the lower roots.  It looks like it has a good start..just... Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow. :)

I had few incidents where the roots were at multiple levels, i thought of cut-separating them but instead i planted it oblique so all the roots were covered, eventually I got several brunches pocking the soil surface. I'm happy.

Ditto what Bob said:

"I would bury those roots.  The shoots will grow through the soil and pop up without trouble.  I'd put it in a bigger pot and get those roots under ground so they can support the plant."

The more roots the stronger the little cutting. I would not risk losing the whole thing for a second cutting, unless of course it was just a blow off plant that you are starting because you are cooped up in the winter ;-)

if it's expensive cutting, i won't cut it. if it's something i can get any time, i'll cut it for fun of it.