It means the node was pointed down.  Fig shoots have to start off at about a 30 - 45 degree angle to the stem above the node.  They can then turn as needed.  Plants sense gravity and their shoots will grow upward in total darkness.

I would rebury it so that the current direction is up, making the shoot as vertical as possible.  The more the shoot has to curve and the longer it gets without light the weaker the it will be.  If this is your only node then this is the only shoot you have.  You want that shoot to be as strong as possible and start providing the plant with food as soon as possible.  For the sake of the roots (Hoping that there are some  :- ) bury it so that the tip of the shoot is just at or under the soil and mound the soil up around any roots that are there.   Later you can bury it more deeply as the shoot grows.

:)

   

Been a few days and I bet some folks are chompin at the bit for an update.  It's not all a bed of roses in the figdom lately.

Here's one of the good parts.

  :)

Now this next is not so bad either but it sure has me wondering.  All the same variety from the same stick, single node. All growing conditions equal as far as I know...

   

I'm noticing this among all varieties.  One or two just seem to go crazy while all the others wait for roots.  The big one's roots...

 

Just when I think it's time to toss the slow pokes for more room.  I go slow poking around with some big forceps tweezers to inspect and see why these cuttings never did a thing. First one I grab is this multi node Petite Negri from the 11/01 group and try to pick it up.  Not budging so I poke around and find this...

 

Then I see the other tiny bud swelling where the red circle is.   I'll just keep watering and waiting.  Never would have thought they would last this long.

Now for the bummer, well, it's not nearly as bad as I thought at first.  Many of the 11/01 and 11/16 group just suddenly shriveled up and looked to be dead.  I nearly panicked and thought the worst, all of them are doomed!!!  I was sick.

Then this morning I noticed they are not dead, they just don't have many roots yet and there is still green bud under the shriveled leaves. Showing Hollier as example...

 

Hard for one to see in the pic but they are still alive and waiting.  Such it is with several.  Every one that shriveled still has green bud and inspect showed few if any roots to be found.

More bad news but remedies on the way.  Gnats went from a few to a few hundred on the sticky tapes and cards.  Seems they prefer the fly ribbons over the yellow cards.  So I must have many fungus gnat larvae in the bowls.  Gnatrol is en route.

Couple of days ago I was sitting here looking right at Sal's Corleone and the topmost leaf jumped right off and fell to the floor.  It was kind of a shock moment for my fav pretty fig to drop a leaf.  I had to get up really close and discovered spider mites up there and crawling on the leaves.  I took it out into the garage and gave it a liquid seven spray. Inspection of other plants did not turn up any more but I can't see tiny things so good and figure there are more.  A pyrethrum fogger is also en route.  Otherwise, Sal's C doesn't seem to be suffering any other ill effects.

 

 
 

Hello Charlie,

I've been following your posts. Great work, very impressive! You've inspired me to try it myself (on a small scale!).

Concerning the different vigour of pieces from the same stick, perhaps you should track from which part of the stick each piece came?  For example, maybe the pieces from nearer the tip are generally more vigorous and faster to sprout roots?

Hi Charlie,
How is your lighting setup ?
This time of the year, loosing leaves is normally linked to lack of light and no warmth enough at root level.
You could try to give more light to the sals to see if that helps .
How is the temp in the room ? Does it swing ?
Thanks for the update !

Mic... thanks.  If I ever did it again I would track from where on the stick. It just makes no sense to me at all.

Jdsfrance... light is a 1000 w metal halide.  Room temps swing from low 70's during dark to low 80's with the light on.  The thermometer is on the floor with the bowls.  

These are showing roots of Gloria's Celeste.  These were not dipped ends in wax.  I have not seen any root formation like this in any of the other varieties which are all ends dipped.  This first one has a root going to the cup bottom and back up the side that is shown...

 

Next one had a leaf, dropped it, green bud and some nice roots starting.

 

Charlie as a newb, I want to thank you for your post and all your work. Also a thanks for all the members who commented on the process. Can't wait to start using your ideas. I am afraid if I start to early, the plants may become to leggy. Would not dare to move outside at least till mid April. Artificial lighting not an option. One question, will these plants produce figs this year.

Just think Charlie, in a couple months the hoard will be a couple feet tall.  You will have an actual fig forest in your house, your indoor air quality will be amazing!!!

I'm going to build a new indoor greenhouse in my garage, bigger, better... you know the deal.  I hope to follow closer in your foot steps next year with many multi and single node cuttings..... not hoards of them, I'm not trying to repopulate the earth.... just get all of my friends and family hooked.

Here is a pic of Franks Unknown Carini single node cutting with both ends waxed, it was started much later then yours but inspired by you nonetheless.

 

Thank you again for the inspiration, the knowledge and the great thread! keep it up.

Scott 

Dave... I'm not sure any will try to put on figs this year but then again, LSU Tiger and Purple I bought in July were barely twigs and they grew nearly 3 ft and tried to put on figs in just a few months.  I guess we have to wait and see!

Scott, thanks.  Now having done this, I would not go with single nodes any more.  Two nodes minimum from now on, if I ever do it again lol.  Seems some just do not want to make roots but perhaps they would have if another node had been present.

Nice Cirini fig baby. :)

Just watered with the first application of Gnatrol.  In less than an hour this room will be sealed off with a Pyrethrum fogger for the night.  

At least 2 nodes your thinking now, I do actually have some 2 node cuttings floating around as well.  Interestingly, my single node Carini cutting are "for now" out performing the multi-node cuttings.   I can wait to see what happens, and then compare some notes. 

Yes if I had it to do over I would use two nodes.  I have several good ones going from single nodes but am losing several also.  Most of those ones that have shriveled up have no roots at all even if they do have a green bud.  Now those green buds are turning brown, I think they are dead or dying.  Looks like I'm going to get that 50% or so after all.  Even though I hate to lose any it has been a great learning experience and likely learn a lot more before it's over with.

Now either it's my imagination or...the pyrethrum fogger was set off at 6:19 pm after a watering with Gnatrol in the sprayer and room opened to air out at 10:30.  Everything looks so "perky" for lack of a better word today.  I think they liked it.  No sign of tiny webby critters or gnats.    

Why you so save on length? the shank the more force in it is longer will be, we use shanks long the 10-15th.

Почему вы так экономите на длине? чем длиннее черенок тем больше силы в нём будет, мы используем черенки длинной 10-15см.

эксперимент удачный, это видно. Но силы в них мало и они будут отставать от 4-5 почек.
the experiment is successful, it can be seen. But the forces in them a little and they will keep up with 4-5 buds.

Bowls are drying out too quick for the growing ones so I'm up potting to gallons.  



There comes a time for each one you just know it has good roots, even though you can't see them.  

Keep the info coming Charlie. My 4 cuttings are going under light this week. Your thread has been a real inspiration.

Since fungus gnat larva eat roots, is it possible that those cuttings dying off might have had their root eaten by gnat larva?

That's the point.  The ones that did well were on the dry side.  The others had symptoms of overwatering.  Of course, the ones actively growing use more water, leaving less in the soil.  When you have hordes it's tough to water each one individually according to its needs.  With a more porous mix you'd have to water the growers more often and up pot them sooner.  This allows the slower ones to be watered less and maintain their viability.

Charlie, did you use rooting hormone?  I generally do use it but with a smaller one node cutting you might imagine that if the hormone leads to a lot of roots then the cutting would have enough resources left for leaves.  So one would want to use a moderate amount of hormone, if any.

No Steve I didn't use any hormone at all.  

Per Bob's comment that everything points to over watering, I stopped going by the appearance of the media and watering daily.  After just a few days I can tell a difference, some look to be on the rebound and some still look dead.  If some leaves on others begin to look wilting then I water a little bit.  

Here's what they look like after just a few days when they get roots. This one dropped a couple leaves early while there were no roots visible then boom, off to the races!

 

This next one is one that was in pure worm castings.  Saved!

 

While I would love for every one to make it, reality is they won't, at least in my care.  I'm thinking some just don't want to form roots without another node while some varieties pop out roots anywhere along the wood such as Atreano and Magnolia.