Hello,

This is my first post in this great forum though I´ve been reading it for a while almost on a daily basis. I´m from Spain and have a question about fertilizing rooted cuttings.

I´ve some cuttings rooted witn clonex in a perlite/vermiculite mix. They are growing fairly well but would like to know if I should fertilize them since the medium has no nutrients and are not ready for transplanting yet. The fertilizer I´m planning to use is a bio fertilizer.

Do you think I should fertilize already or wait until I see some nutrient deficiencies first?

Thank you for the advice.

If it has a strong set of roots and some leaves, you should be OK giving 1/4-1/2 strength fertilizer dose.  I'd start with 1/4 strength and see how it reacts, but only once it's established some good roots and has put out at least a leaf or two.

Welcome aboard! What varieties are you growing there? How long have the cutting been rooting for? Post a few pics please.

I have not fertilized any newly cuttings for at least 6 months since rooting but I have been using a 50/50 potting mix and perlite blend so I do have some nutrients. After that I do fertilize lightly as I am concerned about burning the new root system. Maybe you can try lightly fertilizing (very dilute, like 10% strength) one of the cuttings and see how well it does as a test.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Welcome!  You have access to some great varieties in Spain that we wont have in the US for years.  Search this forum on Pons and you'll see what I mean if you don't already know. 

I fertilize mine as soon as they have roots.  I feel they need the energy and nutrients but you do have to be careful and not use too much.

I have nothing to add as the above members gave you good advise, but --- welcome.

Jardines Comestibles,

Important question is, "what is bio fertilizer"?  I do fertilize my cuttings with a dilute solution of Vigoro All Purpose Plant Food.  The N-P-K is 10-10-10 with some trace manganese, zinc & iron.  Recommended dilution is 1/2 capful per 2 gallons, I use slightly less than a 1/4 capful per 2 gallons.

Welcome!

How beneficial is Azomite to figs?

You have done the hard part: rooting the cuttings. Now be patient. Don't rush to add fertilizer and risk killing the cutting. A decent potting mix should have enough nutrients for the plant to get established and grow.

Azomite is a valcanic ash that is mined and put on land that is poor in trace minerals. It is mined here in West TX and New Mexico and a few other western states. It is very good to add to compost and potted plants. I don't us it here as I already have very rich noutrients in my soil Mostly ancient  sea bed and deposits of valcanic ash called bentonite This  is all the same in some ways. Very good to add trace minerals to poor soil.

Zone 8
South West TX

Thanks, bigsmile542! I just got a bag on eBay, $13 for 7lb with free shipping.

Thanks to everyone!

The cuttings are from unknown figs of my region. We have very good varieties here in Spain but my climate is continental mediterranean with very cold temperatures in winter (from -12ºC to -20ºC) and very hot and short summers (+ 35ºC), so unfortunately not all varieties suit this climate. Might survive this temperatures but with most of them will have no chance to eat the fruits, at least in an optimal state.

I also have a Madeleine des deux saissons and a Goutte d´or figs, but this are from an order to a french online store, not cuttings.

I took the cuttings on december, it´s not the best time but it was the only chance I had to get them cause the village the cuttings came from is far apart. I started the rooting process right away, so they have been rooting for at least 4 months. It took a long time but they were also at low temperature indoors (15ºC).

I´m sorry but can´t take pictures right now, something is wrong with my camera and need to fix it first.

The bio fertilizer I´m talking about is Bio-grow from Biobizz.

Thanks again!

Bio Grow is advertised to use during the dormant stage to advance growth when the plants "wake up". I would use it on newly rooted plants.

OK then, will use it very dilute for the first time and just in some of the cuttings to see how well or bad affects them.

Thanks.

fertilizer is very sensitive issue. most people have their own way of doing this. i do not fertilize the new cuttings until they are in 1 gal pot. once in 1 gal pot, i give them full dose of fertilizer after few weeks. i used to give them 1/4-1/2 dose, but this year, i'm giving full dose since the winter cuttings have been in the cup for very long time and the roots are at least 3 months old. spring cuttings will get 1/4-1/2 dose once they are in 1 gal pot. i water them first them fertilize them about an hour later. 

some will say once the cutting has roots, it's time to start giving very weak fertilizer. but some will say that will burn the root. the type of soil mix i use for the rooting already has bit of fertilizer in them so i'm sure very weak fertilizer will be fine as long as you don't over do them. but it's your cuttings. i would set some aside and fertilize the ones that you don't mind killing. find out what works best for you. 

I will try to fertilize some cuttings and see how they progress.

I was in doubt cause my rooting medium has no nutrients since it is composed of a perlite/vermiculite mix. I tried other organic mixes like potting soil and peat but did had problems with mold, specially in the substrate that killed the roots and the cuttings on previous tries. Others directly rotted from to much water prior to forming roots, it was difficult for me to water them, drainage was awful. Besides it attracted fungus gnats. It happened although the substrate was previously sterilized, I might have a dirty environment inside my house.

i usually use 16 oz clear plastic cup with peat pot inside. i make sure to drill holes on the bottom and the side for ventilation. the soil mix i use is 1:1 seedling soil and perlite. typically that provide enough drainage. i don't water too much at all. when first rooting, the idea is to keep the soil moist, but not wet. once it's set up, they go into humidity bin and i do not water them again until they are almost completely dry. i also poke the holes with toothpick or something and wiggle around so there won't be anything blocking the drain hole. then put them sitting on top of grill so the bottom of the bin will not block the drainage. if there is any water collecting on the bottom of the cup, i use paper towel to wick the water out. 

the reason for peat pot use is to keep needed moisture around the root, but to have peat pot work as sort of wick to remove excess moisture to outside and away from the roots. 

Those are some good tips that I´ll try next time. I also use clear cups but holes are just punctured on the botton and not on the sides. I have them first alone with another plastic cup on top as a greenhouse, when they leaf out then get transfered to a plastic bin with another one on top upside down to keep moisture high and right. Ventilation is one hour per day or so. Besides they stand at the bottom of the plastic bin without anything that keeps them far apart from the bottom. Those might be some of the reasons of my past failures, besides watering too much I guess.

Thaks for the tips bullet08

de nada :)