how does getting cuttings from encanto farm work? do i get to name the cuttings that i want? or is it going to be like the plants in that there will be list of available cuttings listed. how much is the shipping? is it like the plants where the fee for snail thing attached?

please let me know. i'm new to figs, but i really want to try getting cuttings to grow for col de dame blanc.

i have 3 small plants now (paradiso, negronne, and kathleen's black). i want two more fig plants. possibly with closed eyes, and col de dame blanc is said to have closed eye, and from what i read in this forum and other, it tastes great.

pete

If you really mean cuttings from Encanto Farm then you have to wait until February 1st 2011 (or soon thereafter) when Jon will list the varieties for which cuttings are available from Encanto. He usually create a thread announcing the availability. You just order throufg the process he mentions in the thread (like ordering through email & paying by Paypal). That is it for cuttings.

Cuttings are available on or about Feb 1st, depending on weather and when the cuttings can be taken. We try to take them as close as possible to that date to have them at their freshest when shipped.

We have no idea, at this point in the year, what will be available come 2011. We hope to have cuttings from 2-3 other collections in addition to the Figs4Fun collection. Pricing will not be known till we see what is available. We are not prepared to take reservations, so it will be first come, first served, and very few get everything they want. Many of our trees are still young, with a minimal; amount of cuttings each season, and this summer was an almost historically cool one, so growth was less than usual. The profits from selling cuttings go toward maintaining the collection (now approaching 900 trees) which is the basis for being able to distribute the cuttings so widely. It has become desirable to duplicate the collection for safe keeping, so that will impact availability of some varieties this season.

On a related note, we have given some preliminary thought to turning the collection into a non-profit foundation of some sort, with a view to perpetuating it in some form. If anyone has experience in this matter, we would appreciate your wisdom.

I have my list ready and waiting for cuttings:) Hope to be first in line, LOL I really want a Desert King but am too poor to buy a large plant.
Violet de Bordeau, Chicago Hardy and Marcellus vs Black are on the list too
Linda
Harpursville, NY

So, Jon what is your guide that tells you it is time to take cuttings?  Some in the Northeast take cuttings in the Fall.  Why is that?  You being in CA, when is winter almost over there?  Here in the south, we have 4 full seasons.  This year was by far one of the hottest summers we've had.  That is based on the number of days over 90 degrees.  Temperatures started in the 90s here in April this year.  So, this year I had an abundance of figs. The reason I am asking this question is this year I started my cutting at the right time, which was February/March timeframe and I now have some nice trees.  I plan on starting some more around that time but uncertain of the weather.  thanks

Snaglpus,

The first issue is dormancy. This usually occurs earlier in colder climates. Here, it usually comes toward the end of the year. Last year some things were not dormant at the end of January, and a few never really got all the way there, because we had a very mild winter. Cuttings that are fully dormant store better and longer with less loss of vigor. I had some last year that were still a bit greenish, and shipping them within  a week or two of cutting left them quite viable. after a month they were getting limp, indicating that they were too old.

The next issue is freshness. While dormant cuttings can be stored, often up to a year (I am still starting a few of mine from February), the fresher they are, the better chances for success.

The last issue is temperature. In the east where winters involve frost and freeze and often very cold temperatures, people do extraordinary things to protect their trees from those temperatures. They store them in warmer out buildings, wrap them with insulating materials, or even bury them. This is done to prevent exposure to cold temperatures, which can damage or kill a tree, or portions of it. If portions of it are killed, then it obviously won't releaf in the spring and bear fruit. But it also won't be viable as a source of cuttings to be used for rooting. If you want to be sure that you will have cuttings in the Spring, you take them in the fall before they are exposed to damaging temps, and thus not usable.

Finally, if you take them in the Fall, and have the facilities (greenhouse or equivalent) you can start plants during the winter, when you  might have more time than when you are busy starting a garden in the Spring.

I am experimenting with starting some plants now, from cuttings that are NOT dormant, but fairly hardened (not green) to see if they will root (I am sure they will) and if they will take more readily (I think they will). I make push this farther next year and see what happens with fully green cuttings. Have to keep playing. This year was air-layering and grafting.

Thanks Jon.  This is great information.  I'm trying to decide when to take cuttings from my trees.  So, dormancy, freshness, and temperatures are the 3 keys.  Ok, then I think I know when I need to take my cuttings. 

Here, dormancy starts around November and Decemeber.  In January, temperatures will drop down to the teens many times.  We will have snow and lots of ice.  February can be cold too. But March will give us a surprise cold front one more time before Spring comes around March 20th.  Usually the week before Easter is when its safe to move trees outside.  The past 2 years we've had freezing Easter weekends.   Since noticing this I wait till after Easter (April 24th) to move my trees out.

I have a small greenhouse mainly to protect some sensitive trees from temps below 25 degrees.  My greenhouse does get below 32 degrees but not below that if I can help it.  With so many trees now,  decided to plant them in the ground.  I asked the question about when to take the cutting because I have around 40 trees I want to plant in the ground.  If I protect them by placing them in my garage or inside my greenhouse this winter, then I can take my cuttings in early spring (March 1st) and plant my trees at the same time.  In my area that would be around February 15th.  I really don't want to take cuttings in December and have to constantly wash and dry them week after week from mold.  And start my cuttings the next day.  Thanks again Jon.