Green cuttings seem to be the most difficult of the bunch to root successfully. After reading some older posts on the topic, I decided I would try a new thread to see if anyone has come to conclusions on best approach to root green cuttings.

By "green" I mean, very young, very thin cuttings which are still green in color. Since this post is in February, it supposes that the green cuttings I will be rooting in the coming month are probably from late-2013 growth (as opposed to fresh cuts taken during the normal growing season).

I'd love to hear any new thoughts. My record on little green cuts is spotty, so any pointers would be appreciated.

EDIT: Prior thread for reference > http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/rooting-green-cuttings-3592778?highlight=green+cuttings

Would you be taking these cuttings yourself from your own trees?  If so, air-layering is a sure thing.

If you are getting the cuttings fresh from someone nearby, they should root easily scored and dipped in Clonex and in damp paper or sphagnum in a baggie.

If you are getting them from someone across the country, they could be molded and slimy by the time they arrive.

Suzi

If it's late 2013 growth, and you are taking cuttings now, I would not be surprised if the cuttings were to fail due to winter burn rather than anything you did or did not do. I would try to root last years growth instead if you have a choice. I have successfully collected and rooted tip cuttings as late as June, so it's certainly possible, I would just want to make sure you started with healthy cuttings.

Thanks for the feedback. To clarify, these are cuttings I've acquired over the past few months. They just aren't the thick, grey/brown cuttings that are generally easy to root (1-2 year old type stuff). They still have greenish bark and are probably <6 month old growth. I just find the little cuttings very unpredictable. Might try a sand box with 'dome' of painters plastic once it gets warm out (the skinny green ones are really hard to gauge moisture...I think I might have let the root zone stay too wet). 

Hi Recomer20,
For me green cutting is a portion of stem grown from May to July and taken in Augustus that has leaves.
I usually root them in water before putting them in dirt - leaving the leaves on the stem .

The portion of wood from last year is for me a one year wood - be the stem green or grey does it make a difference for rooting ?
Since last week, I'm rooting unknown maybe brownturkey cuttings - 3 sticks - the last one was full green.
I'll see how I behaves. They are for now in the dark bucket in a single pot.

I received  a small "Celeste Tree" in Sept. a few weeks later it fell off my deck and bent the long top limb so I went ahead and cut the top off and made 2 cuttings (They were green) these 2 cuttings now are probably two are the most beautiful and  robust cuttings I have. I think maybe it depends on the cultivar...hope this helps some. : )

Fresh Cuttings are the best, I would think. I may try thick cuttings this year. I think it was Pete or someone who said they like rooting thick cuttings. Would also probably bring thick branches sooner than later. This is all fun experimenting.

green cuttings are new wood that hasn't harden yet. usually still soft and green in color. for me they are harder to keep alive. they need lot of moisture so they do not dry out. i'm too impatient for them.

they usually root very fast and leaf out easy. but as soon as taken out of humidity bin, will dry out. keeping them longer in the humidity bin and slowly accumulating them to dry air till they harden is the trick.

I have the same issue with a few cuttings I just received and am just starting them now too. The wood is really green, and they are so light in weight, they almost feel hollow. I usually do not have luck with these type cuttings. I also do not water root fig cuttings due to their hard time adjusting to soil when the time comes, but if it gives me at least some chance of them surviving when it comes to these green hollowish cuttings, I will try it. I know root hormone is said to rot fig cuttings and not to use in general, however, with these green cuttings and not dealing with the average cutting, do you think it would help?

Christy, I've only tried powdered hormone (once, before I joined the Forum). Results were so dismal I never tried again. I know some use Clonex and other types of gel hormones to great result, but I've shied away. The larger cuttings are pretty reliable without much effort. Put in sphag bin until rooted, move to cup or pot up. When it comes to little cuttings--particularly those mailed and/or stored, it's just a crapshoot for me. I was hoping to wait for spring to root them, but afraid those little greenies might not fare well in the fridge. I put one in a little bin of perlite today just to see what will happen. The rest I'll hold off a little longer. Based on Pete's remark, the dry air of indoors during winter really makes the little ones a chore to grow. Keep'em covered and they might stay too wet, air 'em out and they dry up.

I know we can't win 'em all, but it sure stinks to lose any of them. Hopefully I've become better at 'reading' cuttings and might have a little more experience on my side going forward. 

The green cuttings are too problematic for many people.  I sold some cuttings this year but kept the green ones for myself.  I have one tray of 20 green cuttings of one variety I stuck about 2 weeks ago, maybe slightly more, and I see 6 of them showing decent signs of growth and 2 that are clearly dead.  Anything sticking above the soil (Pro-Mix HP) is wrapped with parafilm.  I don't use rooting hormone for figs after last year when it caused too many problems for me.

Generous member of this forum sent me cuttings in December 2013.
Amoung others there were lots of green, thin (less than pencil caliper) very light cuttings of one particular cultivar.
In first batch in December tried 2 of these cuttings, and both rooted. One sprouted a huge root with secondary roots, green shoots were nice too.
 I lost this one due to overwatering. Second one was weak; both roots and thin shoot, it is hanging on but looks weaker by the day.
Tried two more cuttings in January (second batch), keep potting mix on the dry side, roots have taken mature brown color. No shoots, buds are tiny and are not pushing.
Currently have started two more in SM and buds broke, but no roots yet.
So it looks like it can be done it environmental factors are kept perfect all the time.
good luck

i had two RdB cuttings. both thin. but one was green cutting. other had good hardwood. i started rooting them in summer or 2012. green cutting took off, roots and leaves. it looked very stable so i left it outside. within a day, the thing started drying out and died few days later. the hardwood cutting didn't take off as quick, but around the time the greenwood cutting started dying on me, it started putting on the top and grew very well. 

one of the reason why i ask for hardwood cutting when i'm trading is due to having such hard time with greenwood cuttings. so far, i have not had any success with them. i killed Smith, Scott's Black and few others due to my limited ability to root green cuttings. 

I have a higher success rate with green cuttings (the ones in Spring are best) then I do with any other cuttings. I soak them in water with oxygen and then plant in 50/50 perlite, seed starter or a fine high quality dirt. If they are tiny I'll soak then put in root riot cubes. I love green cuttings if they are fresh. I'll even just stick them in a 1 gal pot full of fafard #52 with a 2 g ziplock bag over the pot -- making a small greenhouse.