I have an unknown (probably vista) in the yard. The figs taste good, but about 1/2 drop each year so I don't really like the tree. Will probably replace it soon.

Anyway, as I was thinning it out this afternoon I cut one big trunk, 1.5 in in diameter and almost 2 ft long. I thought, "I wonder if this would root?"

So, I took it to a unused spot outside my fence. I buried it in a shallow trench covered in sand. That's all I am going to do for it. I want to see if a completely neglected cutting will root outside. If it does root I will water it in the summer heat, but I really want to see just how vigorous a fig cutting can be in a natural setting. Nothing to lose, and a tree perhaps to gain. 

Who thinks it will root?

Good luck with the trial

Gene,
From my experience , every my the most neglected cuttings were eventually the strongest ones!
Figs do not like to be messed with for sure.
If it has enough heat and moisture, you will have a winner there.
Good luck with it!

in 15 days dig gently and take pics if anything going on. Thats my guess 15 days there will be signs of life. And i cant stand waiting to see resalts. Lol.

I do this all the time, but never with any cutting that big!  I bet it works!  You just forget about it and one day a tree will grow.  It will surprise you!

Suzi

Unless your soil is bone dry, I'd think it will work.

Let us know the results. :)

The soil is damp, but not wet. We are getting rains about once a week now. But it is so cold I don't expect any action for at least a month.

i vote yes

I just thought I should put a cage around the spot so I don't accidentally kill it with the weed-eater this spring. It will be easy to forget about

Lots of energy in a branch that big.  I'd bet it works!

Good luck! How about some before, now and future pix of this experiment!

Yes, it will root.  My neighbor down the street from me did that 3 years ago using a Brunswick cutting he got from a friend.  Today, his tree is 7 feet tall.

My money is on the fig. I lost 3 cuttings this year because of rot. One had about 3 nodes at the top that where still green. Cut it off and put it some moss and 3 weeks latter roots. Mine wasn't even the size of a pencil and made it. Bet on the fig.

____________________

Rick Lakewood WA Zone 8

So far we are all betting the cutting will root. I will make sure to let everyone know how it turns out, although with all this latest round of cold it may be a while. Spring feels a long ways away out there today.