The cuttings look really great leanderfig, I have the parafilm grafting tape a whirl this season.as well and love it. Everything above soil has it and it really has helped I think.

I've had issues with some or most of the top wood dessicating in the past, this prevents that 100℅

Leander Fig:All looking good!,i like the idea of the tape to help prevent dehydration of the cutting, i have only done that with grafts but i guess the same principles apply, parafilm is pricier than the cheaper grafting tapes but it will stretch as the cutting swells and should allow buds to pus through it as well.

PeterC/JohnnyK et al who have seen this problem: argh, wilters!, the bane of my rooting season, ive had too many, at first i was in the " wait and see" camp, but after loosing more than i should im now in the "emergency action" remediation camp,i think i may have saved my last Conadria (fingers crossed) and one of the last two of each Brogiotto Bianco Falls Gold by gently repotting into a much lighter(higher Perlite, drier coir) mix-im with you on this one TotontoJoe.The Brogiotto Bianco had rotted at the bottom but had roots higher up so i cut up to healthier looking wood leaving healthier roots above the cut.The Conadria just wanted to wilt from the start and just got worse, it was a thin cutting to start off with so not much vigour, its now lost its leaves but has about 4 inches of green growth which arent showing signs of death so ill let it get on with growing roots and hope it bounces back.

If you have enough nodes you could as a last ditch measure cut a 'middle section' with at least 2 nodes(or 1 if you can work that kinda magic), one to go below and 1 above the mix and try re-rooting it, it worked for me on my last Alma cutting a few weeks ago(success rate with this method was about 1 in 10), the cutting ended up being about 1 inch long but started showing roots thins week and now has about 1 1/2 inch of growth and a couple of leaves.The thing i have found is that once rot sets in it works it way up the cutting, once that happens beyond the last rootable node i find generally its a gonner.

Gofiger: I use the plastic milk bottles we get here,i have young kids so they get through it quick, permanent marker seems to last on them and whats best is they are free, think i might switch to write on aluminum tags for the permanent trees

Pino/Angelad/TorontoJoe:some great advice, i think i lost lots to overwatering but dont think ive ever killed any through under watering, if anything the roots have grown stronger, quicker and thicker with minimal water,from now on im going to resist the urge, turn around and walk away,figs are shy, they only root when you arent watching!.

Everyone else,only so much time to comment hence the multi comment, im just glad that a topic about actually growing figs(aside to all other other human stuff that goes on between folks) has captured the interest of so many.This stuff is invaluable to newbie winter rooters like me (having previously only done spring/summer under cover outdoors) not just in terms of technique but in encouragement, the old adage 'a problem shared is a problem solved' applies here,or when it comes to loosing cuttings 'misery loves company' :)

i use parafilm it saves a lot of work, no need to put cups on top or anything the parafilm keeps them moist and buds come right trough wile the parafilm keeps the cutting moist for a wile longer, eventually it will fall off by itself. i also use old blinds for different type of tags if you use pencil it does  not come off, just try scrubbing it off!!! impossible.
last time i needed tags i didn't have any old blinds i bought new ones and it was still cheaper than buying commercial tags and better.

Parafilm tape..... I wasn't familiar with the stuff. I'd seen it on things like banana bunches without even knowing what it was for. Interesting that it doesn't stop the budding. I have to try this stuff out.

I had noticed some drying on some of my most recent cuttings. I waxed the ends assuming all the moisture was escaping out the tip, but if this stuff isn't preventing growth it seems like a really good option.

Toronto Joe make sure you do not double the tape over the node , i usually stretch the tape a little over the node to make it easier for the bud and i wrap the cutting to just below dirt line  

So, as little as possible just to seal it in....Got it.

And, I assume tape only down to the soil line and no deeper?

You stole the words from my mouth Mario! Stretch it as much as possible and if you have to double or overlap never over the node. It will split the tape right open! I would recommend covering buds though, with one layer, because otherwise they might dry out and that extra humidity helps them pop.

Update: got 3 cuttings I really wanted in an exchange in December.
1. I up potted my only Panache cutting a week ago. It dropped all its leaves and the stem started to soften, I don't know what to do other than hope it doesn't give up and die.
2. I overwatered my only cutting of a local variety. When I tried to save it by moving to a drier medium, the cutting could slide out but the roots were already dead and remained in the cup.
3. My only Michuriska cutting is doing nothing, no buds no roots despite the humidity box, bottom heat and light it gets.
4. All my Randino cuttings suffered frost damage on their way from Ukraine and had to discard all except one single node I am trying to start with not much hope
I haven't been very successful with my cuttings.

Oh and forgot to add. Sunday we had record low of -20C (-4F), so my in ground tree is probably gone and my 1 year old trees are in an unheated shed, I have no idea which ones survived.

Gabriel --

Patience with the Michuriska.  I've got the same, I think, here (named Florea).  I took two Florea cuttings from an in-ground tree in early Dec.  There's still no sign of roots through the cup on either; one has swelling buds.  I have ~15 other cuttings taken roughly the same time from 6-7 different varieties.  Roughly 1/4 have leaves / visible roots.  It can just take time.  Last year I had ~85-90% success.

But don't water much!  #2 is definitely dead from rot.

When you up-potted Panache, were there enough roots to create a solid root ball?  It seems soon for up-potting.  New roots are very fragile.  It's easy to damage them when repotting if it's done early

Joe,
Thanks, this is my first time rooting more valuable cuttings, i only tried brown turkey before. I am not sure about the root ball of the Panache, i am afraid it was indeed too soon. It did have decent roots so I thought it would be ok and I tried to be very gentle. I up-potted a VdB at the same time and that has no issues. That #2 cutting is a dark violet medium size cultivar similar to a VdB and I still hope it can grow new roots.

IMO it's all dependent on how healthy the cutting is at this point and if the nodes are still in good shape. Do keep in mind however that some cuttings were never meant to be....Just to say don't be hard on yourself or give up if by chance it doesn't work out this time.

I've lost a bunch myself. Every time I start new cuttings I get better but some way, somehow I still get nasty surprises.

I'm sitting on a dozen cuttings right now. My latest batch. So far its been way longer than any have taken before and not a sign of growth. Not dead...just no roots yet. Sometimes just when you think you know what you're doing....You realize  don't...

Gabriel,sorry to hear you have had some problems too,I hope they make it for you.I am growing Ali Pasha(synonymous with Michurinska) and it does seem to be a slow starter,don't be tempted to over water it or anything to 'encourage it',doesn't work. Lol.

Were about to get a cold period here too, it's been-2C some nights but we will see it drop to -4C or worse.Im going to put my potted trees up against the house and hope for the best as I have nowhere to store them,my BT has survived worse in a pot but it is a couple of years old.We have had 2 warm winters so when we get a cold one it will be COLD,maybe it will be this year.

If you need some cuttings I have some spares of a few local varieties,just PM me.

Haroon,
Thanks for the generous offer, I may send you a PM later close to spring, not now during our worst cold spell in years, i wouldn't risk having any more cuttings freeze on the way.

No worries Gabriel,let me know when your ready,just PM me your address and I'll see what I can do.There are a few unknowns I have access to easily so I can happily send you a 'care package', to play with

I finally managed to get image posting sorted, I think









First one is my recently moved out of the humidity box,some way before they were ready,I'm going to get another smaller humidity box.The reason is segregation due to the damn gnats.

Second is my new cuttings,larger cuttings,larger cups with better holes and side holes and a lighter mix in a sterilised box,finger crossed no repeats.Also pic 3 is my mix,perlite,coir and mixed all separate and sealed,I don't want to give the gnats any chances.

Last pic is my up potted plants,haven't potted them up large,want to keep them small or I'm going to run out of space

And a few more,before and after potting up,these are some Unknowns D1 and D2 which came to me from France thanks to a fellow member,really happy with their progress,one of the two varieties is showing what I think must be signs of FMV
















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I'm sorry for your troubles Gabriel, rooting and growing is a bit of a learning curve and I've lost many trees and cuttings as anyone. I prefer to root at least 4 of a variety to be safe, and often for 6-8 cuttings. Too many things can happen and not every cutting is meant to be. Your cuttings are coming along well Haroon, they look very healthy. I'm not seeing any FMV though, I think the leaves will become less weird and more uniform as time goes on.

Have a few coming along nicely.  Zone 6a - the standouts so far are Malta Black, Adriatic JH, and Celeste.  For whatever reason I had multiple cuttings of each and just one out of those cuttings of each variety really took off...leaves bigger than my hand already.  

Wow that's great Mike! My Malta black cuttings did squat for me, not sure why.

Sorry to say that I lost my only Panache cutting and the last single node Randino.

Sorry to hear of your troubles Gabriel,I have now lost my last Conadria and a Falls Gold.Ive got plenty more in the humidity box,a VERY kind member in the UK offered to send me some Mission cuttings to replace the ones I killed,low and behold I receive a package today with like 5 different varieties in it,big shout out to Pieman,the only Welsh fig grower I know,thank you so much,really made my day.Ok so now I HAVE to stop,I'm out of rooting space,when I was at the supermarket I looked at another clear plastic box,had to pick up and put it down a couple of times.

Gabriel let me know when the weather warms up and I'll see what I can do for you,just PM me your address and I'll send you something to play with.If you want Panache you can buy a small plant really cheap on EBay UK

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272413124113