Hello everyone!  Just want to share with you my very first air layer which is an Ischia Black. The mother tree is very healthy and vigorous. Enjoy!  

PS  I potted it with moistened potting media.  How soon or what signs to look for before it's safe to start watering it like a regular potted fig tree?

Congrats Ryan,

That's a nice looking plant.

The answers to your question are better reserved to those closer to your climate/zone. Just wanted to give a shout out for the plant.

Thanks, Rafed! I was telling Wills the other day how air-layering is so my thing...so much easier than rooting cuttings.

Good job I absolutely love air layering so much better then rooting but you cant always get the tree you want with an air layer.
IMO I would just treat as usual that's what I do with anything I air layer just pot it and water it...but we are not the same climate/zone as Rafed suggested.

Congrats! I would say you nailed it first try!

IamKriya,

For a first you were highly successful. Good job, Congratulations.
write down step by step how you did on this first and then, follow same exact procedure on future ones.
Your chances will always be great!

As for fig water needs, when plant is small and growing in small containers, I look at the leaves attitude.. as they tell you when they need a bit of water.. stiff as they look on your picture, means -- no thanks!

Watching it everyday you will see it some day not so stiff, slightly bending downwards... well this means they need a bit of water... but no soaking .. I always water from the bottom..

Also to get best used to this, try and  feel the weight of the small potted plant every couple of days . Soon you will be capable of deciding to water or not to water just by feeling the weight of the pot

There are no fixed rules to do it , you always depend from the ongoing climate, ambient temperature, humidity and how much leaf surface the plant develops.. abundant leaves mean more frequent irrigation

good luck
Francisco

Very nice, Ryan. I would avoid overwatering for a few weeks.

Really nice job. That's what i call a healthy happy air layer,

Thank you all! I really had a great time doing this. It's funny because ever since this first air layer took I have been trying to do another one but most of my trees are still too small lol.

If you have the patience for it air layering is definitely the way to go when it comes to making a new tree. Not only can you root much larger, already fruiting branches, but you have a virtually 100% success rate (unless the branch doesn't root, in which case you leave it as a branch...). Nicely done for your first air layering!

Ryan,

That looks awesome:)  I am assuming that is mine?  With those roots I would have put it straight in the ground.  James clued me in last year that with a warm humid climate cup to ground skipping the 1 gallon pot works just fine.  

You did a great job!  I plan to air layer a lot of plants (not just figs) this year.  So much easier than cuttings, and the next batch of dormant cuttings I get (next year) will be grafted onto existing dormant figs and air layered as their own tree once they grow strong as a branch on the host.

Suzi

Ditto Suzi.

Wills, yes sir that is your tree! I'll have it for you when we do our second round of trade.

Suzi, that sounds exciting! Please keep us posted.

I do have questions though...so, this air layer is one of two that I did at the same time (about 4 weeks ago or so). I just checked and the second one has the same amount of roots as the above pic. But because the second air layered branch is significantly longer than the picture above I decided to start another air layer on it which I did 3 days ago. The question is, would it be better to go ahead and cut the second air layer off from the mother tree, plant it in a pot/ground, wait for the recently done air layer to take then cut it off? Or, would it be better to keep the branch intact until the the last air layer takes (probably another 3 weeks or so)? Or, would either way work? Thanks!

I don't like either option IMO you shouldv'e planted it and let it take before setting up additional air layer on same branch you might end up killing it now but if you have the mother tree then you have more to get from it.
If you didn't score the tree for the second air layer just take it back off.

There was some dude here I remember who posted a photo of one trunk with about 5 air layers on it.  They all took.  It was a year or two ago.  Not sure, but it was pretty cool how he did it.  He didn't live in the USA.  He did some amazing things with figs.  Wish I could remember to show you the link.

Suzi

Suzi,

While what you say is true the difference is that guy did them all at the same time.  

Ryan.....i'm not sure what the best answer is.  

Very nice job, congratulation. 

Best,
Tam

Ryan, if you alreay have that hot florida sun, I would keep it under the shade of other plants for a couple of weeks first, and water it only from the bottom, in doing so, you discourage the stupid gnats that love young roots. dip the pot inside of another with water, but do not let the top inch of soil get wet.   I would also give a mist of water to the leaves a few times a day if the sun is hot.

I am with you. it is a lot easier than rooting from cutting!  I wish you all the luck so it keeps  on growing and healthy. 

Grasa, thank you! Btw, the cuttings you sent me are doing very well!

I am wondering if leaving the air layer from a month or so ago intact while the new one takes, will 3 weeks just be too long of a time? Will the roots be that bound where it would be detrimental to the whole branch? I'm concluding that leaving the branch intact rather than cutting it off now and risk losing both air layers might be the better way to go.

Leaving the first air layer on longer then usual will not harm it worst case put more soil/moss and wrap it up again its fine I have left them on longer then normal they where  so packed with roots nothing fell off of them when taken off the mother tree.

Anthony, thanks! 

What do you all prefer to use for air layers...potting soil vs sphagnum moss?

Your welcome.

I have used both... soil in a pinch when im scouring the neighborhood for trees and knocking on doors and thats all I have on hand but I prefer moss.

Hi lamkriya,
Where is the second airlayer?: above or under the first one ?
If the second is above, wait for it to have roots, and cut them both then.
If the second is under the first, you can already cut the first one .