Hi -

I have a close idea of what I'm supposed to do when I save cuttings later on, but just to be sure: do I just take the cuttings, put them in a clean ziplock and throw them in the back of the fridge? How long will they last? Is it best if I treat the cut ends with anything, or just let them calcify on their own?

I assume also you would never take a cutting from a tree that shows significant FMV? If it the virus subsides to an extent that the tree is productive, is it then reasonable to take cuttings from that tree?

Thanks.

There are many different opinions on this topic about the best method.  Most, if not all, of the methods will work.  I've rooted cuttings with and without the wax, those that had been stored in the fridge, those that were taken from still actively growing plants, those from dormant plants in the fall, those from dormant plants in the early spring, cuttings that had been cleaned meticulously and bleached with clorox, those that were just cut and stuck in dirt without cleaning, etc etc.  Figs are not too picky.  The most important thing for success is to get the moisture level right when the rooting process is taking place.  Too much or too little will significantly increase mortality rates. 

I have never thought about the FMV issue when taking cuttings.  Most, if not all, of my cuttings and trees have displayed symptoms at some point, and have lived to tell about it.  I think of it like cold sores.  They are caused by a virus, and once you have it, it never goes away, just goes dormant inside your body.  Comes back every so often, is annoying, but really is not a big deal.  More likely to come back if you are stressed, sick, etc.  In and of itself will never be a major problem, just a nuisance.  Also, very prevalent in the population, and you can't tell a carrier by looking at him/her.  Might go away for months/years, but still might come back. 

Again, I'm sure there are some who have a different opinion of FMV.  So you should form your own opinion.  Those are just my thoughts.

I've never thought cleaning them was necessary. The more we learn about bacteria, the more we learn that many are helpful, and often the helpful bacteria keep the harmful ones in check. In my mind, its equivalent to giving an antibiotic to a healthy person just because you know they are crawling with billions of bacteria. I would not clean them unless you know exactly what you are trying to kill. You also know that clorox is harmful to you and your health is way more important than any tree.

As far as FMV is concerned, +1 for Rob's post.

I simply take my cuttings off at the end of season(Oct. / Nov.) and place them in a zip lock bag along with a "slightly" dampened paper towel(squeezed almost dry)...I do not wash the cuttings or treat the ends with any type of protective covering(95 percent of my cuttings successfully root in spring)...as far as Fig Mosaic Virus is concerned, almost all my trees have FMV to one degree or another, or have been exposed to it( even some of my cuttings from UC Davis have shown symptoms of the virus when rooted).