I would greatly value some of the learned opinions on this forum.

This is the first time I am trying to root fig cuttings. I always used air-layering before. Right now I have 4 varieties in 4 closed, ziplock bags. They are sitting in a dark closet that runs between 55-60% ambient humidity and 68-70 degrees (we keep our house cool).

The Black Jack cuttings have been the first to start. One of the three has several small roots on it, but it was also showing some nasty black mold. So did the following:

1) removed the moldy one from the bag
2)) rewraped the remaining 2 with clean paper towels
3) left the bag open so it would not be quite as humid

And finally, I took the moldy one, and cut away as much of the mold as I could, then buried it sideways in a pot, in a homemade humidity chamber. I took this last step because I thought it was worth the try to save the cutting. Otherwise I would have just thrown it away, right?

Any suggestions or ideas?

Hi ,is there a warmer place you could put the cutting, like on the frig.The only figs Ilost to mold where too wet or dead from shipping. Rex.

black/grey mold, you can clean the cutting again, if it doesn't have too many roots already. make sure to check the cuttings often and wipe mold/moisture that builds up on the cutting. optimal temp should be around 75-80. too cold and too wet seems to cause more mold. but daily wipe and controlling mold/moisture seems to help a lot with my cuttings. 

I will check the temp above the fridge, but I doubt it is any warmer. The spot I have them is on a shelf above the hot water heater, it should be about the best dark warm spot. Like I said, we keep our house cool, 65 degrees daytime (62 at night) in the winter. Really helps on the gas bills ;-)

But I will indeed check the temp above the fridge

GeneDaniels,
I have had success using Hydrogen Peroxide 3% with mold on fig cuttings. I usually mix it at 1 part peroxide to 3 parts water. I use paper towel to wipe off the mold growth then spray with peroxide solution. If the mold has penetrated the bark of the cutting, the damaged area has to be removed, it cant be salvaged.

I use Long Fiber Sphagnum Moss to root in Bags (MosserLee from Homedepot or Lowes), and dont usually have any mold issues. If you are rooting in a bag, the rooms ambient humidity is not important, only the ambient temperature. The humidity inside the plastic bag is very important, it should be moist and never wet (85% - 90% RH). For fastest rooting the ambient temperature should be 72 - 78 deg F. The cooler ambient temperatures increases the rooting time which gives the spores and bacteria more time to grown on the cuttings.
Good Luck.

Thanks! I will try to find a spot in the house that is a bit warmer for the bags.

Alot of people use a heating mat on cutting,type that in search and see what you get.Rex

Pete wrote "too cold and too wet seems to cause more mold".
My experience has been different that is " too warm and too wet accelerates both rooting and rotting/mold ". I prefer moist (not wet) paper in ziploc bag at 72F~75F and frequent check/airing.

Thanks Bob for pointing out C vs. F units

I'm sure you mean 72 F to 75 F.  :)

bleach works well for mold.  I wouldn't dilure the H2O2.  Bleach should be 10%.

OK, it seems no where in my house is warm enough for rooting, the downside to living frugally ;-). So here is what I am going to try. I have the cuttings in a cardboard box, sitting a heating pad (on low), plugged into an outlet timer. I currently have the timer set to go on for two hours, off for two, and repeat 24/7. I also have a thermometer in the box, and I will keep tweaking the set-up until I find what will keep it between 72-75F.

How does that sound? How often would you guys open the bags to check the cuttings?

Also, I have an off the wall idea I am going to try. There are two trees figs in my area, one looks like Alma and the other is an unknown green. Both are at abandoned house places. I am going to take a few long cuttings from each and bury them in my compost pile (yard waste only). I am going to see if the heat generated in the pile will root them without any other effort. With free cuttings, I have nothing to lose but a 1/2 hour of my time. I'll keep you informed on both of these rooting experiments.

GeneDaniels,
This is a simple propagation setup as described in an earlier topic, it can be set up in a closet or cabinet. I rooted hundreds of cuttings in plastic bags in a metal Cabinet with the heater on the bottom shelf. I can't offer any advice for rooting with paper, but I usually opened the Ziplock bags every 2 days or so and inflated them (like balloons).

try simple insulated box like cheap foam cooler, place it near the south facing window right by the air vent where hot air blows. keep the lid shut at night to hold the warmer air from the day. 

ottawan, in ziploc bag, both cool and/or warm and wet generate mold for me. trick for me is trying to make sure the paper towel is barely moist and keep checking it almost everyday for any sign of mold or excess moisture on the cuttings. this yr, my wife decided we are going to save money and not turn on the heater to 76 like we used to. but since i check the cuttings almost everyday and wipe away the mold or excess moisture when i see them, i haven't had any major issue in the ziploc bag. 

but, i ran into some serious mold issue in the humidity bin. the top of soil on my cup were covered with molds. i just broke out physan 20 i had for last 2 yrs and never used. one application and they are all gone, including two mushroom that popped up. 

last yr, by my south facing window was around 70-74. but this yr with cooler heating temp and cooler outside temp, it's around 65-72. i'm ventilating more often to see if that helps, but decided that i don't want to deal with it and just sprayed. there is chance mold was from my succulents seating right above the cuttings. maybe i need to spray my succulents also. 

I think I have my heating perfected, now if the cuttings will respond likewise.

As I previously wrote, my cuttings are in a box sitting on a heating pad. The pad is set to low, and plugged into a outlet timer. The timer is set to go on for 30, off for 30, around the clock. That keeps the cuttings between 72-79 F. I checked them yesterday. No mold and several are showing signs of break-out. Hopefully this week will be the big week in the nursery.

Good news. The Black Jack cutting that was moldy, which I buried sideways in a 1/2 gal. milk jug, it is sprouting! I can't tell about the roots yet, but it is putting out a shoot.