Each one of us Figgers have our own special way of rooting our cuttings and we call it the BEST WAY.

I'm not bragging about it but , so far, I haven't lost a single cutting using this method. I have combined and modified several processes until it works best, at least for me. And now, I want to share with all of you , my friends ;)

Here's what I do ;
when I receive the cuttings I...

1-wash them thoroughly with nice warm-hot water, rub gently but just enough not to take off the 2 bumps (or one bump) one is a fig and the other is branch to be. This will get rid of all dirt, mold, bird poop, pollutants, fig milk and sugars from figs...

2-make a strong Cinnamon tea (one table spoon cinnamon with one court of warm-hot water, steer it well and let it sit for 10 min or so) put the cuttings in the tea and let them sit there for 30 min or so... then take them out and let them air dry. This will disinfect the cuttings and prevent or at least minimize bacterial and fungal growth on them during the rooting.

3-deep both cut ends (when dry) in melted Paraffin, about half inch each side. This will seal the ends and prevent rot and will promote callusing of the end.

4-zip-lock them for 2 weeks in the fridge drawer. This will simulate dormancy (100 hours or so).

5-Take them out of fridge and wrap them with moist paper towel, and by saying moist I mean squeeze it until it doesn't drip anymore, let air pockets all around the cutting in the zip-lock. By creating humidity in the zip-lock the roots start sending messengers (look like tiny cauliflowers on the cuttings).If they become too much, you can rinse them off and re wrap them and place them back in zip-locks. Be careful while rinsing the cuttings you might see some tiny roots starting to poke the surface, don't break them off.

It will take 2-5 weeks to get the roots and sometimes you will see albino leaves and branches showing and even albino figs (remember those 2 bumps). I say 2-5 weeks because some varieties are such easy growers that within 4-6 days you might see roots pocking the service where some other varieties are a bit stubborn and take their times.

Plant them directly into one gallon nursery pots as soon as you see the roots are about 1/4 inch long, sometimes even less than that. No need to wait for them to be long, they are very easy to break when longer. Besides, once they start they grow by hour.
Use high grade potting soil, and water for the first 3-4 times with liquid Vitamin B1, mixed to the water, from Home Depot. Vitamin B1 is for stronger root growth.

Covering the cuttings, after planting, with a plastic cup for a week is optional and it's up to you.

That's it, this is what I do every time!

Good luck for your next batch of cuttings :)

 

Thanks for sharing your method.  Do you skip step #4 if the cuttings were already dormant when the tree was pruned?

GreenFin, you may skip step #4, according to my observation, it also evenly distributes the moisture within the cutting. Incase there was a dehydrated cutting in the batch.

I have tried skipping the cup stage and going straight into pots with extra cuttings of common varieties. It has worked out well. The only drawback is that pots do not give me the same visual feedback that clear cups do.

Like Frank Sinatra sang " I did it my way "

On Dec 12 you posted a similar thread but with different instructions........  

"OK, I want to share this :)
The way I propagate any figs from cutting is such. ( and I am sure this may not be news to many of you out there)
After I cut both ends of the Zion I deep both ends into melted Paraffin, this prevents the cuttings from dehydrating. 
Then I zip lock them with labeled bag and throw them in refrigerator for about 20 days.
After 20 days i open the zip lock and rap the cuttings in wet news paper and put them back in the zip lock but this time I place the bag in a dark warm place (in my case it's the pantry behind the kitchen).
In about 2 week but sometimes as fast as 1 week you will notice roots touching the zip lock bag. 
After you seen roots that are about 2 inches long you can plant them in small black nursery plastic pots with Miracle Grow.
Simple? 
100% success, I promise."



So if your previous method was a guaranteed 100% success rate why did you make the multitude of changes with this new sure fire never fail but more complicated method?   Do you also sell slapchops on TV?  

Thank you Aaron

Martin, I love that song, hahaha

WillsC, there's always better that better. I wouldn't be surprised if someone came up with another method claiming they got excellent results too, the intention is not to put anyone's method down, but to share the info. That's right, I can sell Ice to an Eskimo too, that's a skill that I always had. What do you do WillsC, besides making people feel like shlt? Just curious...LOL

Jenn, if any more questions...don't hesitate, in this forum, we are all here for each other :)

Aaron,
Thanks for sharing.
You omitted the temperature that you maintained or the location where they were placed (closet, top of refrigerator, etc : )
Just curious, How many have you rooted with your method and at what stage are they? Thanks.

Thanks Aaron. I just put one with roots into a 1gal and I put one in paper towel to rehydrate. Hoping it works. Its a Mega Celeste and its the only one left. The other one was totally dried up. I had hoped even though they were thin I could get them to root, but it doesn't look good :(

I'm about to whip up some cinnamon tea and give it a whirl :)

Have you noticed a big improvement after using the cinnamon tea?

@Pete S., I have rooted 205 cuttings that are in 1 Gallon pots and about 45 or so more rooting in Zip-Locks. I root them in my Pantree, it's about 70F in there...we have a little Freezer Chest running there all the time so it's a warm place for cuttings.

@Jenn & @tnmom66,  Cinnamon tea I use to cut down the chances of mold, infection and fungus, although same time it MAY slow down the rooting process, at least you will have healthy cuttings. Even if you see some fungus or mold growing here and there just take them under faucet and gently wash them off of the cuttings and bag them again to continue rooting process. You can repeat this as many times as required. I check my cuttings every other day if not every day. Call me Obsessive LOL.

Aaron,

You are brand new to growing figs so when you claim you get 100% success it is disingenuous at best.  To make matters worse you tell others you guarantee they will get 100% success if they follow your plan.  It is just not true.  So somebody new to growing figs reads your method tries it and gets say 75% success and is disappointed when in fact they should be happy to get 75%....as honestly I think that is a good number to shoot for.   I think it is great you are sharing your way just have trouble with the claims of 100% success and assuring others they will get 100% success.  

Not trying to make you feel bad Aaron, I enjoy your enthusiasm.  Just trying to let people know especially people new to this fig thing that it is best to read through a LOT of peoples techniques and develop their method from there.  After all is it really a good idea to take definitive medical advice from a guy on his first day of medical school?

I have tried almost every method in the book this winter and unfortunately have had more failure than success, which is quite upsetting. I think that some cuttings will just be resistant to rooting, so there will be no 100% success rate no matter what. I am also convinced that some micro-climatic conditions in my home are adverse to rooting, especially the very dry winter heat in my basement. I create mini-humid conditions in baggies, large bins and small containers and STILL I have difficulties. I will create a thread to share my experiences eventually.

WillC, Gina, so far I have NOT lost any cuttings, and I am Proud of it, I have read many threads on rooting and I have combined all I find useful and used that knowledge to root my cutting, I am sharing it now, by you going back to my other threads and proving me contradicting myself doesn't do any good to Nobody. All you have done is criticize me when I post something and Gina (who ever she thinks she is) is always following the criticizing, negative people to second them...Some people lough at her calling her my "divorced wife"... God forbid ! Not you nor Gina have ever encouraged me in any of my threads, not that I ever needed it. ( you two and few other like you add to be ashamed of yourselves, grown up people acting like this is so pathetic ). I am very disappointed at certain older generation people by doing this sort of things to me and other newer members and, instead of landing a hand with a smile you guys step on a person's head to get ahead of the situation, if this isn't harassment then I don't know what is. Shame on you both!
I'm sorry but this is how you both make me feel right now. (feels like I should create a new thread on this subject,hmmm... LOL)

Look I'm not mad or anything... just think what you say and how you say it, be a gentle person, who ever you are out there. After all, this is about figs and how much we all enjoy growing them, you can't contaminate it by some mixed up feelings that can take over you emotionally.

Be Good. :)

Who you calling old?  Sorry you are upset Aaron, it was not my intent.   Far as pointing out the fact you are new to growing figs.......I am simply trying to help others avoid disappointment and give them a basis for how much trust they put in your recommendations.    If you had said this is what works for me....or I like doing this.... I would not have said a word.  But when you say this is 100% successful..I guarantee you this will work 100% for you.....I felt the need to point out it was not true.  I do see you edited that 100% guarantee out of this thread.   Again sorry it upset you.  And I agree with you.....that darn Gina, what a trouble maker.

you should concentrate on this particular thread WillC... you are not protecting anyone from being disappointed, instead you are trying to PREVENT them from using this proven method. Don't go out of your way proving me wrong. Read, what does this thread say?
I'm not forcing any one to do it this way, I am just sharing  and letting them know it worked for me.
Everybody deserves to know what works better :)