Hi everyone,  I have spent a fair amount of time researching and am now ready to grow some fig trees of my own.  I finally joined the forum and am wondering if someone can tell me when I should start rooting cuttings.  I am in Maryland zone 6b.  Approximate dates to start rooting seems to be the only piece of info I have been unable to come up with an answer on.  Thanks in advance for your help, I have really appreciated reading all the info on figs4fun and this forum.  Once I know when I can start rooting I guess the next step be asking for help in locating some cuttings of the varieties I have picked out based on the recommendations you all have posted here.

Thanks,
Paul in MD

You can root at any time of the year.

Unless you have a growing room set up with appropriate lighting, ventilation and warmth, I would hold off until about 6-8 weeks before the outside temperature stays above 45. Kind of like the time you would start tomatoe seedlings. For me, that would be around mid-February. btw, welcome to the forum, Paul!

If you can provide a proper environment (temperature and humidity), then any time is a perfectly fine time. The type of scion you have to work with (dormant, greenwood, etc) may influence you environmental settings and care but you can start them anytime.

I have started some almost every month this year, except when I was a little too busy in August. Have several "in process" right now.

Welcome to the forum.
I too have several going right now.  As the months continue they start falling into stages, some in bags, some in cups, some in pots but it's easier for me to have them spread out instead of starting a bunch at one time.   
But then again, if I had to wait and start them all at once, I would probably not start so many and that would be no good.
I suggest you start a couple now and experiment with your rooting method.   Get a feel for the process.   Then when the figs cuttings start arriving in the spring you'll have a method that works for you and you'll know what to look for and what to expect.
Good luck.

Thanks for the info.  Although I am from Maryland I may try to start a few soon and the rest in the spring. I am going to be in Florida a bit this winter doing some work so I may also try to start some there and take them back to MD in the spring.

Paul, I'm also in MD zone 6b (Rockville) and started working with figs in the past year.  I started rooting cuttings in mid-November of 2010 and nursed the plants through the winter with no problem by keeping them in a sunny room (no artificial lights).  One challenge with the rooting at that time of the year (since we tend to keep the thermostat down in my house) is getting the temperature right.  I rooted a few other cuttings around March and the process seemed to mover along faster.  I think this year I may bring the cuttings into my office where it is a bit warmer.  Good luck, Steve

i just started another two batches a few weeks ago in Aug/Sep timeframe.  They're still going strong in the basement under grow lights.  ambient temp in the basement is around 65-75 year round.

Thanks All!  Steve thanks for the info from MD I am only a short distance from you in the Westminster area.  Are you growing in pots or outside?

Now I guess I will need to get some cuttings.  

What is the going price for most cuttings?  I am looking at Hardy Chicago, Celeste, Brown Turkey, Sal's and Marseilles. I am a member of Seed Savers Exchange, I looked in my yearbook and found only a couple varieties and I would like more than one. 

Hi Paul,

I decided to put one of the fig trees I rooted last fall (unknown variety from England we call 'Mildenhall') in the ground in June.  It is now 5-6 feet tall and shows no signs of dormancy yet even with the brush with winter weather we just had.  I plan on wrapping it as soon as it loses its leaves.  I have a Celeste, Chicago Hardy, and Violette de Bordeaux in pots.  I plan on moving those to a detached, unheated garage as soon as they lose their leaves.  Next spring at least one of those will be planted in the ground.

Regarding cuttings, my trees are too small right now but this is a very friendly community so I'm sure you will get offers of cuttings from growers who have mature trees that need to be pruned.  (Coincidentally, Cathy a.k.a texascockatoos, provided me with the VdB cutting - thanks Cathy!) I started with cuttings from a friend's tree (Mildenhall).  She lives in Lanham, MD.  If you are interested, and/or want more information about this variety, send me an email and I'll put you in touch with her.
Steve