I have lost 2 rooted cuttings the past week. I'm confused because they had plenty of roots and leaves. They just wilted and shriveled up. I pulled them out, and they were rotted at the base of the stem. I am very careful about watering and always ere on the side of less water to prevent root rot. Both had soil that was moist and close to needing to be watered. The temperature stays in the upper 70s for most of the day and occasionally spikes when the sun shines through the window. Any suggestions?

wish i knew ,had the same thing happen to me .. my domenick cuttings gone

What sort of temperatures are the "spikes"?

BTW, in case you need the backup, I'll probably have an extra Lyndhurst White.

for me, the number one cause is over watering

but sometimes, they are really strong like yours, and then it's almost like the cutting presses its own "abort" button

First, let's consider soil moisture in containers. There are 5 levels -- count'em on one hand!
1. Saturated -- typically during watering before soil drains
2. Wet -- in a loamy soil, this is the state immediately after you have watered AND the excess moisture has drained. Ok, more drops will come but essentially its done draining.
3. Moist -- There is moisture in the soil but also microscopic air pockets between soil particles due to evaporation, uptake by the plant(s), and subsequent drainage. It is the favorite state of most plants. Sand and clay are only briefly in this state.
4. Less Than Moist -- The soil isn't dry but it is going there quickly. It is time to water. Water thoroughly so that the soil is saturated and make sure the container can drain.
5. Dry -- Many plants are dead or dying at this state.

Second, when you check soil moisture the place to measure is in the holes at the bottom of the container. A chopstick makes a great probe.

Now if all of the above has been ok but your rootings are still rotting, then the next culprit would be anaerobic bacteria. This is often due to copper and/or zinc missing from the culture. If you suspect this is the problem, then over the counter you can purchase Liqui-Cop manufactured under the Monterey Gardens brand, or with (or without in some states) a pesticide applicators license you can purchase Kocide 3000. The latter is potent, a few pounds might last you a lifetime.

Also I would caution about using mycorrhizae in a growing media rich in organics with no sources of phosphate, iron, copper, and zinc to mediate the mycorrhizae growth. This is probably not what you are experiencing but I have seen it in the past.

You said that the soil was moist AND close to needing to be watered-

I started cuttings for the first time about a month ago and haven't watered most of them yet. They're all in 1 gallons and definitely dry up top (upper 1/2") and I'm trying my hardest not to pick up the spray bottle. The most important rule that I've picked up on while researching how to grow fig cuttings was that water is BAD! And I've come to realize how very little water cuttings require initally.

-So in your above picture, the soil surface is a dark brown (pretty moist). Like I mentioned, mine is dry up top which looks gray and scary. I need to scrounge up all my willpower not to water. But I pick up the pot and it still has some weight to it.. I'm waiting for it to feel a whole lot lighter (and has a few more leaves) before I add some water. Hopefully this helps, but what do I know? I'm probably going to be that outlier that kills her cuttings from under watering :/

Probably gnats. Did you have these in a humid environment before?

I have been there, I have lost so many over the first 2 years. If not overwatering then check for gnats, does the bark peel away? I have about 100 cuttings going through the rooting process (outdoors in a plastic shelter), sometimes overwatered but always with Gnatrol and later the total enclosure is sprayed with permethrin, so far no gnats and have lost only 4, same variety same source. The temperatures have ranged from 50-80, but they are rooting, leafing and several have nice branching. I do not recommend others rooting with this method but it has worked the last 2 years for me, I have about 350 in 3 gallons from last year. Good luck and good growing.

Your soil is too dense and heavy and too wet.  That cutting isn't dead, either.  You still have white roots.  Carefully pick away the rotting parts and put the cutting in coarse perlite with all the fine particles rinsed or sifted away.  add a pinch of peat.  Bury the cutting almost to the top.  Water it once then wait till it's dry to water again.

Thanks for all the replies! I had just watered the cutting in the picture a few days before. That one was definitely wet. I agree moist does not need to be watered, I think I needed to be more descriptive. The one in the picture i can understand why it died based on your comments. I broke my ankle and was having difficulty getting up to care for my figs so I probably watered it prematurely to prevent it from drying out. To be honest, I want to blame someone else like my wife, but I don't think I can; damn I think it was me. I guess I didn't think they would be so sensitive when they were rooted. The other one that had not been repotted is a bit of a mystery for me. I hadn't watered it in a long time and it was very light when I picked it up and it barely had any moisture on the sides in the cup.
Take home message... I will let them dry out even more than I have been to prevent root rot.

They need to stay at the same humidity and temperature it is important ( roots and above ).

Gnat larvae will eat as many roots as they can, usually all. Then with no roots and moist soil = dead cuttings.

I figured out the problem with the other fig. I added a scoop of vermiculite to the mix as an experiment. I don't recommend it obviously. Hope the other ones don't meet the same fate.
I also realized that my cuttings are too wet still. This cup method is harder than I expected. Maybe coconut core would be good for me to try next year. Thanks again for all the instructions. I have a lot to learn.

My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.

I'll have to keep an eye out for gnats. I have seen them in the greenhouse, but not in the room I'm rooting in. Thanks for the warning.