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cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I bought some cuttings, and now I'm trying to pot them. I am using a mixture of perlite and sphagnum peat. One thing I'd like to know is whether I should snip the bottoms of the cuttings and make a fresh wound or pot them as is. Also, someone sold me some cuttings whose ends were dipped in wax. Should I remove this wax or snip the ends?

Also, is it recommended to divide the cuttings or use the whole thing?
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115foxron

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
I wish I could give you some great advice but I don't really know either.   I do think you are asking some great questions and I look forward to all responses you get.  I did remove the wax from the rooting end and in other cases I cut a very thin sliver off to make the end fresh only because I thought it was logical.  I look forward to see if I was logically right or way off base.  
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cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
I may have found an answer.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/waxed-fig-cuttings-6113295
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coop951

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
I always make a fresh cut on the bottom and I would get rid of the wax . The wax on the top of the cutting can stay on, I think it actually does some good.
That's what I do
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Northern NJ Zone 7a
cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
I just left the wax on. Any comments?
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Wish List: Popular and Cold-Hardy figs especially.
Smyfigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
I like to make a fresh cut on the rooting end and, I let the cuttings sit in fresh water for a few consecutive days. I leave the wax on the other end.
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SarinaP

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
I make a fresh cut on the bottom. The wax is to keep the cutting from drying out, so I keep the wax on the top.
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ricky

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I have 90+% fail of rooting cuttings, it is better to keep wax on the top, It keeps moisture of cuttings and it reduces possible rotten area. 
It is much better to remove bottom wax, Slightly easy for roots  grow up here.

Although, you can leave bottom end wax, you need to test it with your finger, some wax is super hard and you should remove it.

good luck for your cuttings.
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rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
I've had cuttings develop rot under the bottom wax so I remove it.  I think that's rare, though.  Be sure to get all the dust out of your perlite before using it and then only a small amount of sphagnum peat moss, not long fibered sphagnum.  You want there to be a lot of air spaces.
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Zone 6, MO

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Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Hmmm....

I skimped on the perlite. I used around 3 parts peat to 1 perlite, sometimes worse. I prewetted it, so that helped somewhat with the dust. That stuff is expensive Don't some people use pure peat?

One of you reports 9/10 cuttings failing?!?! :( That's not good. Something's wrong. Why is it that some people are getting 90% success while others report 90% failure?
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Wish List: Popular and Cold-Hardy figs especially.
cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
I'm using peat/perlite in plastic cups with parafilm on the upper portions. Are there any better ideas out there? Do I need to worry about fertilizer? Is there anything I'm doing wrong? I am considering removing the bottom wax. I'm not sure yet. 

I worry about moisture. Aren't figs better off dryer compared to wet when rooting? Does the peat moss need water added? I wetted the perlite, but I did not always wet the peat. Some of the mixture is not incredibly moist. Do I need a spray bottle for water?

Should I take out the cuttings and add more perlite to the mix?

???
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Wish List: Popular and Cold-Hardy figs especially.
cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Given this http://figs4fun.com/basics_Rooting.html, I wonder if I shouldn't leave my cuttings in their bags with some toilet paper or perlite. I put some of them in cups, but I wonder if I should leave them there or not???

Any ideas on what's a better Idea? Cups or bags or something else???
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Wish List: Popular and Cold-Hardy figs especially.
rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Toilet paper is a bad idea.   It holds water and no air.  My method is the one here with the modifications I mentioned above.  I like the whole cutting in perlite so it doesn't dry out.  In cups the top can dry out.
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Zone 6, MO

Wish list:
Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Well, I got tired of spraying water on top of the cuttings, so I soaked the bottoms of the cups. I wonder if I didn't get too much water in there. :/

I hope it dries out a bit.
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Wish List: Popular and Cold-Hardy figs especially.
LJFiggy

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheapnewb
Well, I got tired of spraying water on top of the cuttings, so I soaked the bottoms of the cups. I wonder if I didn't get too much water in there. :/

I hope it dries out a bit.


Hope they're okay...Can you see any signs of growth yet?

As a newbie myself, I have discovered that over-watering, even on cuttings that are rooting well and with leafy growth, can kill them nearly overnight. I've lost a few types this way that i'll have to replace now, because of only having one or two to start with.

Sometimes they can be saved if you quickly replace the growing/rooting medium with something drier. Getting these cuttings into trees definitely takes practice and work!
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Now rooting LSU Gold and Purple, Celeste, Panache, Peter's Honey, and Unknown Varieties from cuttings, thanks to generous forum members.

Figs on my current wish list (along with any others recommended):
Osborne Prolific, Battaglia Green, Smith, Kadota, Italian Honey, Atreano, Verte or Green Ischia, Panache, Peter's Honey, Black Madeira, Smith, Noir de Caromb, etc. ~
cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Well, I've been taking the soil out and squeezing the water out and drying it up with some fresh peat and perlite. I didn't want to throw all my soil away. That perlite is too expensive to throw away. With the rest of my cuttings, (and maybe with some of the ones in pots, I am going to try the method involving laying the cuttings in a box of peat with plastic wrap on top for humidity. Would perlite in the bottom be a good idea? Pure perlite for the whole thing? Maybe I should start getting perlite in bulk for cheap? Is it really that much better than sphagnum peat?
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Wish List: Popular and Cold-Hardy figs especially.
thepodpiper

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
It seems to me you are overthinking the whole process. Go to home depot and get a 1 dollar plastic shoe box with lid and a 3 dollar bag of orchid peat moss just dampen an throw in the cuttings. just damp not wet. And leave them alone for at least a week then start checking. If you squeeze a handful of moss and water comes out, way to moist.
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cheapnewb

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
I found that at least two of my Black mission cuttings are beginning to root.
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Wish List: Popular and Cold-Hardy figs especially.
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