More addition to the experimenting.  These are the last of Unk Lake Spur, cut into single node, ends dipped in food grade cheese wax.  A thin layer of potting mix with worm castings was leveled onto the bottom of the container and the cuttings laid on...

 

Then they were covered with a leveled layer of mix and more cuttings added.  

 

These were all just covered loosely and not packed at all, no extra water, lid of container on and into the dark closet of the bright room.  No different really than cuttings in moss, method-wise I guess, other than being biologically active with fresh castings.  FIGure the roots will be easy to see from the bottom when they start and then they will all get put into pots, well, the ones that make roots.  Maybe none of them will make roots. Maybe they all will or some might lol.    

Worm castings are great, are these purchased or do you have a worm bed? Good luck, I hope it works, I want to try too.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Are your worm casting sterilized?   I used my own(worms') castings as an ingredient in a potting mix that I did some rooting in last year, and believe that was the source of the nematodes that ruined a batch for me.   Cuttings started rooting, then fizzled out and I saw numerous white, threadlike worms getting into the cambium layer of the cuttings.   I'm keeping it sterile this year!   

I used to raise worms also, and there certainly is a lot of life feeding on the organic matter. My castings were always very dense, never nice and light like the purchased product. I imagine this was due to the type of bedding, usually leaves and rabbit manure, and a diet primarily of kitchen scraps. The resulting castings made a great tea, but not too good for creating a fluffy, airy propagation mix.

Mike in Hanover, VA

I have 2 questions.

1. SO, to make a warm casting all I have to do is collect few types of rainworms into a container and start feeding them? I see those jumpers all over my backyard and I see calmer ones too.
2. What type of feeding makes a fluffy casting?
 Edit: Actually don't answer it here since this thread is for Charlie's single node cuttings. I am starting a new thread on this subject.

I wish I'd seen this single node post before I tried to root my Atreano cuttings!  I had four cuttings of about 6 to 8" long, with closely spaced nodes.  Wasn't getting anywhere with them in a ziplock bag, so I finally just stuck them in some plastic cups with cactus mix, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.  I'm finally seeing a tiny leaf bud on one of the cuttings, two months later...

I took a few cuttings from my Mission tree in September, and the node spacing was pretty long.  I cut each one in half, and they've rooted successfully.

Charlie, was wondering about your post #28 above where you have over 100 one node figs in the same container with mix.  Isn't that going to be a nightmare to separate the things, assuming they root?  I find it difficult enough when I do a dozen or two so in sphagnum moss.  They normally will send roots straight out so they are going to be tangled like crazy. 

It's a cool experiment, just wondering what you are trying to accomplish.  Do you really want to have over 100 of the same variety?  Or do you just want a few?  Or is it just a scientific curiousity.  I would think that you could have made 50 two node cuttings and have a better success rate overall.

Charlie... FOREST !! :)

So far so good.  Since installing the metal halide I'm having to get a watering schedule figured out.  That coupled with the ceiling fan on constantly sure dries everything out fast. Thinking of an indoor rggs or similar.  Wife is adjusting well lol.

 

Was watering with a spray bottle now have a pump-up three gallon with a trigger wand.  Much better.

Six days we have roots!  The cups were removed but the foil covers went back on after a light watering.  

 

These are Atreano and Deanna.  Lots of others showing roots also.  No roots showing in sterilite container yet.

Atreano is also the first of these to sprout leaves.  Many more have greening buds.

 

Six days for the Atreano to root?  Awesome!  Mine took a month.

I found Atreano to be really sensitive to overwatering.  Yours look great so far!

Actually the bowls are fairly dry down deeper but still damp.  

During this experiment I have noticed something about watering.  With the first buried cutting which was Armenian, up to a point it was kept just barely damp, put out a couple of leaves and then just kind of stalled out for several days.  It wanted water so it seems.  Gave the pot a good soaking and within a couple of days it has doubled leaf size and is putting on new ones.   So seems there is a fine line between keeping just damp for starting and then ramping up the water.  We'll see how it goes with these as they get a few leaves on.

I notice a few roots now in the sterilite container with all the Unk Lake Spur.  Something to do this weekend.  

Just scored a free source of rabbit poop.  Happy dance lol.   

Free Poop. The only way it could be better is if they delivered.

Charlie,
Are you going to apply the Rabbit manure directly into the pots or make tea out of it? I have never used manure and I hear they can be too strong or active, as they sometimes call it, and might burn the tender plants.

This batch went into the vermi tumbler after a harvest of castings.  By Spring it will be worm poop.

Surface watering the bowls twice a day with the sprayer.  I never would have thought things would dry out so quickly.  Room temp running about 85 F while freezing outside.  There are 50 more bowls with single nodes under the foil.  Saw a gnat a few days ago and put up the sticky tape.  It's stuck on the center one. :)

 

Atreano leafing...

 

Armenian doubled in growth since increasing water.  Unk Lake Spur in the background...

 

A gift Dalmatie from a very generous member.  OT lol

 

Some more budding taking place in the bowls.  All are single node except Deanna.

 

 

 

 

 

They look good Charlie.