Greetings fellow fig lovers.  I am relatively new to the forum, I've been lurking since about January to get the flow of the community.  This is a wonderful special interest group which I am enjoying very much. 

I started some cuttings about 4 weeks ago using the baggy and moss method.  It works great.  I have potted up the cuttings and they were/are coming along great but the last couple of days I have noticed some of the leaves turning black and a little mold on the tips of the cuttings.  I assume too much mositure, too high of humidity.  I opened up the plastic covering and am letting them air out today.  The roots are growing like crazy.  I am getting quite a bit of condensation on my plastic tent covering.  How do you guys judge the line between too moist and too dry?  Will cuttings that loose leafs to rot recover?

I've included pictures of my cuttings (Desert King, Condria, Violette de Bordeaux ) also another little project is to rebloom my wife's annual Christmas Amaryllis bulb.  I've been at this for about three years and looks like this year we will have some reblooms.

Welcome Tim. It looks like the plastic is touching the tips of the cuttings. If this is the case it could be the root of the rot problem, keeping the tips wet.

I can't answer the other question and will let someone with much more experience go for that one.

Hi Tim and welcome - I find that the bags on top did not work well for me either. I went to one of the big box stores HD , Lowes that sort and picked up a "clear" plastic storage box - put the newly rooted and growing cuttings in that . If you see a moisture buildup- you can just open the top a bit to let in some fresh air.  Like a mini greenhouse . Lots use them here.
I think they will recover.

Welcome!  If you have healthy roots you may want to pot them up.

bag over cup never really worked for me either. they usually lead to rot, mold and other stuff. if you do not have space for one of those clear plastic bins, try large clear cup on the top. at least they have some shape to keep the leaves from touching all that water.

you also might want to air out the cuttings more often. i usually air out the cuttings as soon as they start having leaves. few min at first then slowly increasing the time until they can be left without cover for 1 hr, or they have enough roots that i can move them into 1 gal and just leave them outside. it's humid outside here at this time of the year i can leave the cuttings in 1 gal pot outside as long as they have enough roots without getting them dried up.

Tim...welcome to the Forum...you've gotten some good advice from the above members...I think your plants will be fine, and good luck with them.

Welcome, Tim.  As mentioned, air them out for a few minutes throughout the day or simply put them in a clear bin with a cover as Pattee suggested.  I have a clear lid I adjust when I need more or less humidity.  Some of the plants are more sensitive than others so there's a fine balance but the bin/lid makes it easier.

Welcome to the forum and good luck with the cuttings.

welcome Tim,

Best, 
Tam

Tim,

     I find that if you remove the cover to reduce the humidity, the mold dries up and the underlying new tissue emerges. Sometimes, to increase the humidity around the exposed stem, or keep the water from evaporating too quickly, I put the top of a plastic bottle over the stem, leaving the tip exposed through the mouth of the bottle top. Just  be sure to remove it before the stem "leafs out."

Thank you everyone that responded, yes it appears the excess moisture and the plastic was the problem.  After allowing the cuttings to air a day, the mold went away and the cuttings really started growing well.  They are about three weeks old now and really coming along.  I baby them at breakfast, when I come home from lunch and after supper.  I'm always looking at them turning them, etc.  I moved them to the deck under a cover for shade, they have been out for about a week and are loving this 85 degree weather with 80% humidity.  Apparently they love heat and sun.  I have 6 Desert King and 6 Conadria all doing good.

One more question on my Violette de Bordeaux cuttings that were started at the same time, they have rooted but most have not broken their green buds into leaves yet.  One has pushed out tiny leaves but not growing very well.  I read somewhere that this was a dwarf fig so is that why they are not as prolific as the two mentioned above?

I'm attaching some pictures of my babies.

Thanks again for the help with the moisture problem.

Tim glad you joined us.  You've already received lot's of good advice and as I'm sure you already know from your lurking lot's of good information here.

goss

Welcome.

Welocome Tim, good to have you.