I have had my UCD cuttings two weeks today. Of all the varieties I ordered--

Alma
Mary Lane
Barnisotte
Black Madeira
Col de Dame
Yellow Neches
Enderub (228-20)

Col de Dame is first out of the gate with two cuttings out of the bag and into the pot today. Initials on most varieties except only very small ones on Barnisotte and Black Madeira. What vones are first to sprout roots for you other UCD recipients?

Since you have all ready potted yours up will you tell me if 60% Promix and 40% Perlite will work all right?

Thank You

Hi Linda,

That is the mix I like--I like it better than the 100% vermiculite that I used before. Good drainage and clear containers are important. I cut off the top of old water bottles and burn 3-4 holes into the base. It is hard to get the little rascals out once they've rooted well without cutting the bottle apart, but I like the feeling I'm recycling trash into something useful.

Good luck and let me know what roots for you first.

Scott

I've only put Panachee (from UCD) into the bag to root thus far.  (I have other traded for cuttings currently taking up most of my space).  I will say that the Panachee cutting I used produced those white frost-looking spots quickly and in such great number that I thought it wise to pot the cutting into perlite and put it on bottom heat.  (that was Wednesday).



I'll probably wait until May to start the other cuttings as by then I will likely have a few of the ones I've got going now moved up into pots with soil (or nearly there I hope)

~Chills

Chills,

You may not want to wait. 

I potted up 20 cuttings towards the end of last year in Houston.  The temperature in the winter months is similar to what the averages are for April in Detroit (I'm not sure how far it is from you).  I put them in my normals growing mix and watered them at the same frequency as the rest of my trees.  I had 100% strike rate.

There has been discussions in the Gardenweb forum about burying cuttings nose down in the ground during winter.  Presumably this is to keep the bottom of the cuttings (the root zone) warmer than the top (the same principal to growing them on a warming mat).  I think the air temperature and the wind kept the tops of my cuttings cool while the sun warmed up the growing mix (and consequently, the root zone of the cuttings in the containers.

I had planned on saving some of my cuttings (from UCD and other sources) in the fridge until November to see if I could recreate my results.  However, you are in an area where you could try this now... if you have extra cuttings to try it with.  To increase the temperature for the bottom of the cuttings, one could try building a frame around the containers and a clear sheet of plastic attached.  The cuttings could then be poked through the plastic.  The top will remain outside of the plastic.

~james

All Col de Dames have been potted along with one from each of the others except Black Madeira. Some of the Alma cuttings are growing long branches in the bag, but no roots.

it was 70 degrees today, we're expecting 70 degrees or warmer tomorrow as well.

Unfortunately we're also expecting high 20's to low 30's one or both nights this weekend as well (with highs a balmy 36 degrees or so).  Of course the forcasts could change by the weekend.

I figured I'd wait until the beginning of May (The last freeze date is sometime in the first or second week of May). 

On a positive note, my wrapped fig seems to have made it through the winter with only a few inches of dieback on only the stems that I had to prune back to wrap.  The unpruned stems look unscathed.  I took the top cover off of them, but have left the majority of the wrapping in place (until I see what this weekend and maybe what the 15 day forcast shows thereafter).

If I get some time this weekend I'll try to put together a frame similar to what you suggest and try a couple cuttings that way (I've got some in perlite, a perlite/potting soil mix and others in bags already)

~Chills


btw, I'm about 6 miles northeast of the Detroit City limits....which also puts me about 15 miles north of Windsor Ontario!  

Yesterday, I potted 2 Early Violets, 1 Santa Cruz Dark, and 1 Black Madeira in vermiculite.......

Hi Chills: Windsor is considered 'almost tropical' in Ontario, Canada (relatively).

Yeah, but I can still claim to be growing figs north of Canada!

Even though you are more than likely well north of me.

~Chills