Hi - how much more difficult is it to get softwood cuttings to root? I work in NYC and one of my coworkers lives in Astoria, Queens and he's told me about his landlord's in-ground fig for about two years now. I've asked him to take dormant cuttings, but it never happened. I got a message from him today saying he was going to show up with some this week. I gave him general instructions on taking the cutting/caring for it when he delivers them.

I found these general instructions:

http://www.treesofjoy.com/content/rooting-softwood-fig-cuttings

Thanks.

I think those are good instructions.  But the cuttings he takes may be even softer than the one in the photo.  Due to the harsh winter, most of the Northeast fig trees where killed to the ground or close to it, and did not start putting out growth until recently.  So you can try it but if it is very soft, it might lose moisture too quickly.  Let us know how it goes.

I have had success with softwood cuttings. It's important to remove all leaves but the small top leaf quickly after cutting then put them in water. They will wilt otherwise. I keep them in water in the window until I start to see root initials forming on the stem. Change the water regularly. I then will basically follow the instructions from the Tree's of Joy link you posted. I use pro-mix mixed with perlite. Make sure the leaves don't touch the plastic, or the young leaves will rot.

Good luck!

Mike in Hanover, VA

    I did a test run last summer on rooting softwood fig tree cuttings...I took 4 'very' green cuttings from the tops of several  trees and stuck them in a root riot tray with humidity dome...I removed all the leaves except the top two, and reduced them to 1/3 their size with a small pair of scissors...in less than 30 days all 4 cuttings had roots and were eventually placed in 1gal. pots.

Here's the leaves from the tree. I don't have enough knowledge under my belt to begin to guess what it may be related to. All I know is it's a well established tree (seems about 6 inch diameter trunk at the base, about 10 ft. tall) and the fruit is dark.

The most interesting fact is the owner of the tree is an old Italian guy who doesn't eat a SINGLE fig - my friend eats as much as he likes - but rather goes for persimmons.

 

I agree with what Mike in Hanover says and I do the same thing.

It's very important to change the water every day or to put an air stone in the water to keep the oxygen level up.

I have better success with these - if taken early in spring - then with dormant cuttings.

After they have been in water I either do as M in H or I'll leave them until they grow roots, or I'll stick them in root riot cubes or clear cups, etc.

I've had very good success with green cuttings. I just put them in a pot with potting mix, put a plastic bag over them (cheapo greenhouse) and place them under a shaded tree. A plastic bin would do the same, water only when necessary as the moisture does a good job. They seem to take right away. Very simple, effective and fun

I had good success with them doing the same things mentioned by Coop. Of course I make sure no leaves on cuttings.

I leave 2 or 3 leaves on but cut off 2/3 of the leaf with scissors. I root them in pots with 3/4 perlite and 1/4 seed starting mix, then cover with a wide mouth quart canning jar. I don't use root hormone powder but I water with a weak solution of Hormex and water. Works well.

Thanks for all the advice. I put the cutting in water under artificial light (alongside my sweet bay cutting which seem to be taking forever!) and clipped off all but one leaf and an emerging bud. The base of the cutting is getting some root starts (I think) - small white buds appearing out of the green. I've seen starts from using vermiculite/perlite in a cup, which is why I'm not 100% sure it's what they are after a week. But I do change the water at least daily.

Arne, some varieties show root initials in a couple days. Michael makes a good call using a bubbler. I don't, but I always try to "blast" the water into the rooting jar so there are little bubbles all over the stem. I have to agree also that you can often have better success with green cuttings than dormant cuttings. No need to wait until fall, usually there are little branches on a plant that can be removed during vegetative growth that won't affect the shape of the tree.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Hi,
I just started a test. I pinched my dalmatie tree2 - she was growing strong and not showing figlets.
So she got sentenced to pinching - some of the removed bits had 3 or 4 well spaced nodes - so they are now in water.
Let's see what the outcome will be.

Good luck with rooting them. Best to put an airlayer on the tree branch.. separate it in the a few month and you will have a tree. I hate loosing cuttings.  Airlayer is 100% positive propagation.

Hi Grasa,
I have easier ways to have new Dalmatie trees, and for now I have already enough of them ( 5 trees + 2 cuttings leafed out in pots ).
I have two root-shoots that I could already set on their own.
So really just for the fun and for the test.
That tree my "Dalmatie tree 2", I want her to fruit this year or she'll disappoint her dad really really a lot !