It's been 4 days since I put the cuttings into bags wrapped in paper towel. Checking the cuttings for molds today, I'm seeing root initials. The room temp has been around 76-80. I didn't open all the cuttings, but Black Madeira, Ischia White, and Col de Dame Blanche all have root initials. I didn't have reason to check Calvert and Ischia Green yet.

I'll be moving BM, CdMB, and Ischia White to peat pot method this weekend using 1:1 rooting soil and perlite. This mix worked great for me last fall.

Pete

Are you mistaking root initials for white fluff?  There is a difference.  Search the forum for "white fluff" if you need more info.  Root initials are actual nubs, rather than the white powder secretions that may or may not precede a root initial.

not white fluff. there are white fluffs also, but these are root initials. not sure why they are coming out so quickly. i was unwrapping the paper towel since there were some mold on one or two cuttings and wiping them down with bleach wipes, and noticed little worm/hair like things having on the bottom of the cutting on number of different cuttings. last fall this was the point where i put the cuttings into peat pot method.

the cuttings were very fresh and healthy when i got them. they were not "hard" wood cuttings. they looked more like just turning dark.

last fall when i got the cuttings from rafed, i waiting almost 4 weeks before i saw any of this going on. but from the cuttings that rafed sent in, i got root initials on VdB within 2 weeks also. i think VdB that rafed sent were cut fresh before shipping.. not too sure on that one.

last fall, out of 10 cuttings, two went into trash can due to not being able to control the molds. 7 rooted and leafed. i gave 5 away, and had 2 left and they died during the winter. good news is that one of the Israeli Red is with my friend and he says it looks like it's alive. hope he keeps it alive for awhile so i can get some cuttings next year.

i have enough cuttings of BM, CdDB, and others now.. if i can only get one going and moved into 3 gal pot by end of the year, i'll be happy.

pete

calvert, col de dame blanc and ischia white are getting leaves on the terminal node. can i still leave it in the bag? or will they rot in there? they are moving little too fast for me to do what i need to do...

pete

They will rot if they come in contact with the sides of the bag.  It'll take a couple of weeks, but it will happen.

it's already been few days since leaves are coming out. i guess i'll move them to cups soon.

pete

I think mainly one person has been responsible for the misuse of a couple of terms that many have picked up and run with.

One is 'root initials'. Root initials are groups of cells that are just becoming slightly organized so they can 'think' about becoming roots as their organization progresses. We can't see root initials because they are organized subcutaneously, or beneath the epidermis. It's only when they become quite organized and push through the epidermis in the form of root primordia that we can see them; so the new roots/root nubs are root primordia that have begun their extension.

Also, 'barking' is not a horticultural term - just something someone made up to describe a feature that wasn't understood. When we place a twig/cutting into a wet or high humidity environment, the complementary cells that are part of lenticels become saturated with water, turn white, and protrude from lenticel openings.

Al 

i thought root initials are little white nob that looks like head of a worm that will keep on growing till it becomes a root.

anyway, i put 9 cuttings into peat pot method last night. 4 calvert, 3 ischia white and 2 CdDB. 2 BM has leaves breaking out, but they are not very far out yet.

ischia green are the only things that's not showing much of anything at this point.

my back up VdB and KB are doing ok, but it's only been few days.

pete

That's how it's been used. While the term 'root initials' may not be 'botanically correct' everywhere, it's quite functional in the context of describing the formation of adventitious roots in fig cuttings - almost everyone knows what is meant. Lauguage changes according to the needs of those using it.:)

Al posted a link few years back to what he is talking about which is the proper terminology  and not fluff or barking.
Here is what i had showed several years back on what he means about the primordia .

In 1 picture you can see them in the" inverted picture" where there are lines drawn by me you can see they all do not form roots only when they make the perfect connection .

So strain your eyes if you wish and look and you can see a hair like root actually forming out of the middle of some of the primordia in the earliest stages that i was able to capture with my camera.
Click picture to enlarge.

for me, this is a case of technical terms coinciding with layman's terms.  i wasn't aware there was a hort/bot term "root initials".

To me (the undereducated layman) "root initials" = "initial roots" = "root nubs" = etc.

It sounds like the layman 'root initials' is the hort/bot term 'root primordia'.

Barking is something my dog does and white fluff is something that shows up on my cuttings around what you guys call "lenticles".  I'm sure there's probably an accurate term for that, but by saying "white fluff", anyone that's ever rooted a fig cutting before probably knows what I'm talking about, whereas using the hort/bot term for it would only have a fraction understanding.

Gina - I wasn't being critical of you or anyone else on the thread. Sorry if you took it that way - not my intent. Sometime in the past, someone was at a loss for correct terminology and just made some stuff up, and the invented or misapplied terms caught on. Within the context of this forum site, almost everyone will know what is being discussed, but in other circles the terminology would easily become confusing - mainly because you can't see root initials ...... and 'barking' is certain to garner a quizzical look from any horticulturalist. ;-)

Al    

Barking is what my Bagpipes sound like when I let my reed dry out.

Pete

put all 3 cuttings of BM and 1 ischia green into cup this morning.they are all less than 2 weeks since going into the bags. it's is only second time i'm rooting the cuttings. but it's much faster than last time.

look of the cuttings from UCD seems to be very fresh, not sure if that is the reason. but i remember rafed's VdB cuttings were very fresh and showed root initial very fast also last fall.. within 2 weeks i believe.

all 4 cuttings had 1/8th inch root initial ( i know it's not the right term, but easier to remember). ischia green had 1/4 inch one.

pete

Not sure why you would think I was offended. You must have missed the little smilie face. I use the term 'root initials' here because that seems to be what is commonly used. When in Rome...  :)