The BIs I got from Jon have been difficult to root, which is consistent from what I have read. They do not seem to have as much FMV as some others. Out of several (next time I'll keep better track of numbers), I only got those 2 to root for sure. I just checked and there is another, but I doubt it will make it. Most BI cuttings I started however have already failed.

The two that did root do seem more prone to wilting than other cuttings with similar root growth, so I'm going to treat them especially carefully and hope to grow healthy plants. Time will tell.

Hi Dennis, welcome to the board.  When I first started doing cuttings, it was roses in clear plastic cups with holes. That worked very well. But I was doing hundreds of one variety of one rose (not patented) for someone selling them so I moved up to bands for convenience and longevity/durability of containers. I even had set up a rube-goldberg misting table. I still have maybe 300 of the bands, so that is what I continue to use. They work very well too, with the one exception being you can't see through them. The numbers of fig cuttings I did this year (yes, I got carried away) was very close to 200. In part because if there are enough nodes, I cut cuttings in half. :)

Next year I'll still use the bands since they work well, including logistically, and I've learned more about rooting figs. This first time around I am guessing I'll have maybe 70% success rate. Maybe more. Maybe less. ??? Even with 50% success, I'll have about 100 plants to deal with........

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Edit: May 20. I just noticed roots at the bottom of one band with Marsailles Black VS - I'm very pleased. (Thank you - fellow member) These were the last variety of cutting I started this year. Most of the other cuttings of MBVS are also still looking good so I'm hoping for more.

Thus far out of about 200 cuttings over about 2 months, I've had thus far 23 total failures, about 10 that haven't done anything yet but are not dead - some of which have formed roots but no shoots, and a number of one-leaf wonders that are hanging on but most likely won't amount to much.

This morning I moved 14 more rooted cuttings outside into the shade. They are used to high humidity which we don't have outside here, so I have to keep watch over them. I just watered and misted them and after a couple hours they seem OK. In this batch are Black Greek (Chios), MBVS, Sicilican Red, Beall, Sal's Corleone, and others.

The two rooted Black Ischias mentioned above in a previous post have both roots and good leaf growth, but seem extremely prone to wilting. They snap right out of it when put back into higher humidity. Not sure what's going on there. Maybe just weak root systems from fmv. I will continue to baby them and hope for the best.

There are another 8 rooted miscellaneous cuttings that I've been put into a bit of full sun most days (then back into the shade), and they are looking good too.

Another maybe 20 ?? have been living in the full sun for some time, and I'm waiting for their root balls to develop more before moving up into gallon pots. They are still in bands. 4 others - the largest - have been moved into gallons and are doing well.

So that's about 50 cuttings with visible roots and growing shoots in various stage of acclimation to the outside. :)

Most of the rest are still in bins in the house. The vast majority have leaves - some with one leaf, some with more. Some have visible roots, but not enough yet. When I am gone or very busy, I cover the bins with plastic to keep humidity up. Often during the day the bins are open, but I mist the leaves periodically. Early morning and in the evening, I put florescent lights above the cuttings for added light (bins covered with plastic). This does heat the bins, but on average about 77*F, or so. Overnight they are dark and covered.

There are 9 that have shown no bud growth at all but are still alive. Of these 3 have visible roots. Kadotas mainly. I still have hope for some Sicilian Red cuttings from ebay, but the cuttings were a bit on the stale side and are taking longer than most of the rest. Fortunately I did get growth on some.

There are thus far 26 'failure to live' cuttings. There no doubt will be more.

Total cuttings attempted about 200 from about 120 ? longer cuttings (I cut many/most in half). Most were stuck about 2 months ago.

I'll take some photos hopefully later today.

Edit: May 28. Moved up 12 sun-acclimated babies into gallon pots. Put in shade for now.

Current rough tally after 2 to 2.5 months, depending on the source of cuttings.

58 or so rooted and moved outside, and in varying stages of acclimation and repotting.

33 dead, or close to death and culled.

9 in limbo - either rooted but no shoots, or just sitting there but not rotten. Yet.

80 still inside with green shoots and/or leaves, a good number probably with roots (can't see through opaque containers). I'd guess more than half of these will survive, but some wont. These are uncovered during the day, in bright window light (no sun) and occasionally misted. After sunset, they get covered w plastic and put under florescents for a few hours in the evening.

So that's about 180 total attempted cuttings. If just half of those still being babied do root and grow, that would be about 100 living figs trees. And at least one cutting from each variety attempted has rooted. Not bad for a first try. And much has been learned. :) 

Wow thats a lot of figs , then i look at your signature and see your in fig paradise !
Beats having to store them in a garage .  ; )

Please keep posting updates Gina!

AND

Pictures!

I'm planning on at least a couple hedges, as planting a number of larger terra cotta pots. Many also will be given to plant friends who want in on my fig project. ...I have a feeling I'll be giving them more green than dark figs.

If I had to do the garage shuffle I read many of y'all have to do, I'd probably only have a few - and keep 'em pollarded.

Thanks, I plan to. Have just been lazy about taking photos of the latest.

Here are some photos from this morning. The first are photos of the 3 bins of still-rooting cuttings. The first one shows some cuttings that are quite large, rooted, and enjoying the sun (when it is out) from the adjacent window. The other 2 bins have cuttings, some of which have rooted, and others which probably never will.

There are about 43 still in their bands, but rooted and already outside in various stages of acclimation to the sun. They are not quite ready for transplanting into gallons yet.

The picture of 4 figs in gallons are those which were acclimated and moved up first, probably about a month or so ago. They have been fertilized with a bit of ammonium sulfate (nitrogen).

The photo of 12 figs in gallons are those transplanted last week. For these I used a mix of sifted compost, well-aged horse manure (about 1/4 to 1/3 of the mix), previously used planter mix (no diseases), and some perlite. The plants are doing great. We get no rain in summer here, so plants do better in denser mixes. It does drain well however, but also retains a goodly amount of water. I do not recommend this for anyone else, I just know what works in my environment. :)

The next step is to make an outside fig nursery for the gallon pots where they'll get full sun till about 3pm. This will be in an area where I can bury the bottom inch or two into soil. I'm going for lots of vegetative growth in their first year.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

gina,

your cuttings look so clean and healthy. most of my cuttings are from UCD and they are full of FMV.

pete

Many of the ones still remaining in the bins are those cuttings acquired later from 'reliable' ebay sources, or generous gifts from forum members. These in general tended to have less FMV than those originally purchased, rooted, and moved on earlier. None of my cuttings were from UCD.

Also, as the earlier rooted cuttings have grown outside, less FMV is evident. Perhaps it's our warmer Mediterranean climate. I really don't know. If you look close, many of my figs do have FMV mottling.

Look close at the two largest cuttings at the top in the first bin (far left photo) for example - those two are the surviving Ischia Blacks that seem to be prone to wilting and are requiring extra care. But their leaves look good though they are said to have bad FMV. Go figure.

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edit June 9, 10:  Transplanted another 15? sun-acclimated rooted cuttings into gallon pots. Two I put into the shade since the root balls were disturbed. Patience...  Also moved outside (into the shade) and watered another 7 rooted bands. Their pots felt light. I do not water my cuttings, but I do mist a lot. These were old enough to be watered and not worry about rot.

Moved about 20 or so that had been in the shade outside into the sun for their first exposure to really bright light. It's overcast so that is perfect. I've been watering these regularly. All are rooted but may not have extensive root systems. If the sun comes out, I'll have to check on them. It's getting time for their first weak fertilizing. Mixes high in perlite tend to lack minerals for good growth.

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Edit June 17: moved outside into the shade a bin of 23 rooted cuttings and watered them. Need to re-organized those still in the house in 'humidity' bins. The bins are now only covered at night.

It's been over 2 months since I started. Some cuttings are not that old however.

I decided it was sink or swim time for cuttings that had been 'in da coola' (humidity bin) for two months or so. So outside into the shade, protected from the wind, still in their bands, they went. Almost all have at least one healthy leaf or more and I suspect many have roots, but it's time for them to fish or cut bait. Tough love. I also gave them their first watering.

I'll of course keep watch so if anyone begins to struggle, I can give them first aid.

When all is said and done, I think I'll have about 70 to 75% success rate. Not too bad for the first time out with figs. And that's including some such as Mary Lane (horrible FMV) and Black Ischia, which is said to be difficult to root. I think I got at least one of each variety I tried, and multiples of most. And the rate improved as the season progressed and I learned more.  :)

Cuttings that are more recent are still being cared for in the house.

Way to go Gina !

Here are some rooted cuttings being acclimated to the sun. I have about 50 in that state now. I posted these pics to another thread, but also want them here for continuity. :)

In the second photo there is a Black Ischia in the upper right corner, and 3 Black Greeks - two on the bottom and the middle top row, and a Strawberry Verte on the left, and Negronne in the very center.  

Wow!  Good job!  Thanks for updating us on the progress!
Suzi

Looking good Gina,
Are you going to show us the rest of your babies?

Thanks, Suzi

Here is a photo I posted to another thread a week or two ago of some rooted cuttings that were transplanted to gallons, slightly embedded in the soil, then covered with mulch in between.  I should take another photo because they keep growing. :)

Click on photo to enlarge.

Congratulations!  They look great.

Need more Photo's  !

Fantastic photos...enjoying the progress!!!

Thanks, guys. It's great fun. :)

I felt the same way with a Vista.  I let the fig grow but the plant hasn't put out a new leaf in over a month.  Today I did the deed.

Why is it that some just don't seem to grow like others?  I have a 3 year old panachee from UC Davis, no sign of FMV, but it stops growing every year after 2 or 3 leaves.  It's in a really good mix created for the desert heat by Al, and still, nothing! 

I hate to do the deed.  I did pinch the hardened growth tip about a month ago thinking it might push new growth, but no go so far.
Suzi

Suz, are you fertilizing it?  Most of mine respond to fertilizing when they stall.  Osmocote doesn't last nearly as long as they claim.

Suz, are you fertilizing it?  Most of mine respond to fertilizing when they stall.  Osmocote doesn't last nearly as long as they claim.