Hello there - 

Im in Brooklyn, NY,  and have a black fig i'd like to take cuttings from. Is now a good time?
The tree is still green and temps have been mild 50's-70's. i thought id try over winter to root and perhaps plant in the spring.

Thanks!

Nick

For this-winter/next-spring rooting; it may be best to first let the tree go full dormant.
This is when the tree drops all the leaves in the fall, accumulating all the reserve energy in the twigs.

I usually wait until the tree is dormant  (leaves all off, and been chilled for awhile).  I think it'd still work if you do it now (in theory there's more energy still in the stems than there will be later), at least if you're planning to root the cutting soon after you take it.  Not sure if there's any real downside to taking cuttings early, other than that you're taking a little more energy away from the tree.  However, the wood hasn't hardened off as much yet as it will have done once it reaches dormancy, so it might be a little more susceptible to infections or something if you were to store the cutting for later rooting.  I've rooted cuttings in spring, summer, fall, and winter, so I know it can be done.  Informally it looks to me as though cuttings taken any time can root if you root them right away, but if you have a gap in between when the cutting is taken and when you try to root it, then cuttings taken while dormant work best.  (That's about storing the dormant cutting and it remaining viable over the storage period, rather than about viability right away).  Whereas green wood roots OK but is more susceptible to problems.  Not a scientific answer, but those are my thoughts/observations.

Mike

I agree with all the comments above.  If you have the option to wait, the ideal time is supposed be in the early Spring, just before bud-break.  It can be kind of a pain keeping rooted cuttings happy through the entire winter.  If you wait until Spring you will be able to transition to the outside very soon after the cuttings root and leaf out.  Any head start you get on growth by starting in the late Fall is negligible compared to the rapid growth you will get in the Spring once you have transitioned to the outdoors.

When plant is fully dormant or wait till spring and set airlayers on plant.

Thanks all for the helpful info. I can certainly wait - just wanted to make sure i wasn't missing the right time. I watched a video on youtube about air layering. Fascinating... My five and seven year old want to sell fig trees to build up their toy fund! More people should enjoy these figs..truly the food of the gods! I bought our tree off the street near Arthur Ave in the Bronx a few years back. Not sure what variety but it's now producing a breba and second crop of wonderful fruit. attached photo from mid August. Any thoughts on variety?

 

I would have to Guess.....Celeste..........

Usually I wait until November-December to take cuttings.

Very nice information, thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam

Showing the leaves or whole may help further if possible this time of year.