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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Difficult varieties to root from cuttings?
 
 


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Jamie0507

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Hello Everyone!

Since cuttings are becoming more and more available at this time I hoped to find out your experiences as far as which varieties tend to be more difficult to root? Being a newbie this info would REALLY help me to decide which varieties I would have better odds at successfully rooting and which I may perhaps be better off buying already rooted.

In my limited experience so far I have known Celeste to be extremely easy to root as well as Vbd. On the other hand MBVS simply rotted away on me very quickly each time until I tried the airlayering method (worked like a charm).

One more question about cuttings. I remember reading on one of the forums that upon receiving your scion wood you can get a good idea of its viability by seeing whether or not it floats or sinks in a bowl of water.. Unfortunately I don't remember which was the positive indicator (floaters or sinkers
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Jamie Zone 6A My List of Fig Varieties:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13MXbhU3b-5Y4bkNSWHVikw6m-vovlHZcBjcsxMwQ7iY

Wish list: Col. Littmans, Figoin, Black Tuscan.. And now for my "Hey..A girl has got to have dreams!" wishlist: Sangue Dolce, Montenegro, Rigato del Salento
Jamie0507

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
For some reason my post keeps being cut short up there.. Anyways I look forward to reading any & all of your responses on this :) Thanks a bunch!
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Jamie Zone 6A My List of Fig Varieties:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13MXbhU3b-5Y4bkNSWHVikw6m-vovlHZcBjcsxMwQ7iY

Wish list: Col. Littmans, Figoin, Black Tuscan.. And now for my "Hey..A girl has got to have dreams!" wishlist: Sangue Dolce, Montenegro, Rigato del Salento
DonCentralTexas

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
I found Black Maderia to take a long time to root, at least during winter for me.  

The longer a cutting takes to root the more chances are of something going wrong, mold, fungus nats, etc.

Easiest to root was Calderwood, I would resoundingly recommend this variety to a new fig grower.

The best thing you can do IMHO to increase success is to have bottom heat.  

Also stay away from old dried up cuttings.  Yes stored cuttings can root, but I don't suggest starting with these.
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Don  (Near Austin, TX zone 8b)

If you have these for sale/trade PM me: Zingarella, Grantham's Royal, Calderona, Genovese Nero, Noir de Barbentane
figpig_66

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Floaters are no good ! I use rooting in water method and bew baggy method of rooting. Both are great. Water us easily accomplished but you have to change water every two days. If you let is go further then two days you are risking failure richie from louisiana
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RICHIE BONI
HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID
WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity
Wish list. Col de dame blanc
Col de rimada
Lsu numbered figs
figpig_66

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Preto you are better off buying from thus forum as,a airlayer
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RICHIE BONI
HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID
WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity
Wish list. Col de dame blanc
Col de rimada
Lsu numbered figs
Jamie0507

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DonCentralTexas
I found Black Maderia to take a long time to root, at least during winter for me.  

The longer a cutting takes to root the more chances are of something going wrong, mold, fungus nats, etc.

Easiest to root was Calderwood, I would resoundingly recommend this variety to a new fig grower.

The best thing you can do IMHO to increase success is to have bottom heat.  

Also stay away from old dried up cuttings.  Yes stored cuttings can root, but I don't suggest starting with these.






Thank you Don for sharing your experience with me.. So Blk Madeira is a difficult one.. Putting that one on my "buy already rooted list" lol, I know that one seems to be highly desireable & more expensive too. So this is good to know.. I haven't heard of Calderwood yet, but I will definitely keep an eye out now that you mentioned it. Maybe one way to identify the older and more dried up cutting (beyond obviously visual cues) would be if the scion wood floats in a bowl of water? That would make sense to me anyway.. Being inexperienced as I am, I tend to like the little "tests" like the one I mentioned in my first post.( I.e floaters versus sinkers
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Jamie Zone 6A My List of Fig Varieties:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13MXbhU3b-5Y4bkNSWHVikw6m-vovlHZcBjcsxMwQ7iY

Wish list: Col. Littmans, Figoin, Black Tuscan.. And now for my "Hey..A girl has got to have dreams!" wishlist: Sangue Dolce, Montenegro, Rigato del Salento
Jamie0507

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Quote:
Originally Posted by figpig_66
Floaters are no good ! I use rooting in water method and bew baggy method of rooting. Both are great. Water us easily accomplished but you have to change water every two days. If you let is go further then two days you are risking failure richie from louisiana


Thank you figpig! I am glad to know I was not imaginging having read a post about the "floater versus sinker" theory I asked about! Lol I have read so many posts in the past few months, sometimes I confuse myself when trying to remember something very specific like that. I am glad to know that it is the floaters to stay away from. Unfortunately I have a bag of different cuttings I bought earlier this season which are primarily composed of "floaters" ;( I noted that as I cleaned them with a mild bleach solution before storing. Dang it! Well at least I know for the future now.

Thank you for the rooting tips as well! I'm going to experiment with different methods this winter, so I will be sure to keep that water changed every two days on those I try that way :)
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Jamie Zone 6A My List of Fig Varieties:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13MXbhU3b-5Y4bkNSWHVikw6m-vovlHZcBjcsxMwQ7iY

Wish list: Col. Littmans, Figoin, Black Tuscan.. And now for my "Hey..A girl has got to have dreams!" wishlist: Sangue Dolce, Montenegro, Rigato del Salento
GreenFin

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Black Madeira.  It is my nemesis. 
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James, zone 6a Kansas (zone 10 greenhouses); wish list is in my profile
http://www.FigCuttings.com
pino

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Agree that some varieties root more readily than others. 

IMO the biggest success factor is the health of the cuttings and your own rooting methods.  It takes experience to get a system that works for you. 
Some people claim 90%+ success rate.   
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Pino, zone 6, Niagara,  JCJ Acres
Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.
garden_whisperer

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
I root right in the pot. not much luck with the baggie method. I like to use a root agent such as clonex or dip n grow. also as don stated the longer a cutting take the more can go wrong. my biggest obstical in my winter propagation is fungus gnats. oh I hate them. there is a product I found on ebay that is really cheep and works well called gnatrol its an organic bti.

as for learning to root cuttings many will tell you to try this way or that but you will have to find what works for you. I have tried many ways and came up with one that worked for me. score cuttings or something is the title of the thread ill see if I cant find it and bump it up.
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Dave Zone 6b Illinois

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Charlie

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
You can pretty well count on all the expensive ones are finicky to root and if you get them to root, getting them to stay alive may be even more tricky.  Since losing all my rare ones last winter indoors, I have done quite a lot of study on the subject.  Common denominator in most cases is too much moisture early on which also lends to not enough oxygen in the root zone.  Need a really well aerated media, very low moisture content while rooting and very careful with moisture until the roots harden off.

So far, coarse sand is working in my rooting attempts.  Can't say far as them staying alive for how long yet.
 
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Jamie0507

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Quote:
Originally Posted by garden_whisperer
I root right in the pot. not much luck with the baggie method. I like to use a root agent such as clonex or dip n grow. also as don stated the longer a cutting take the more can go wrong. my biggest obstical in my winter propagation is fungus gnats. oh I hate them. there is a product I found on ebay that is really cheep and works well called gnatrol its an organic bti.

as for learning to root cuttings many will tell you to try this way or that but you will have to find what works for you. I have tried many ways and came up with one that worked for me. score cuttings or something is the title of the thread ill see if I cant find it and bump it up.


Thank you Dave for bumping that thread you mentioned here on your scoring method. Lots of great info, & I cant wait to give it try! It's funny you mentioned the fungus gnats, ohhhhh boy do I despise those things!! I just received my first batch of gnatrol in the mail today and I eagerly made use of it.. I keep checking to see if they ARE FINALLY GONE YET! Lol im a little impatent about wanting to see them dead already & not flying around my house (in my eyes & up my nose on occasion even lol)! Hopefully I wake up tomorrow and they are gone.. One can only hope right?
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Jamie Zone 6A My List of Fig Varieties:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13MXbhU3b-5Y4bkNSWHVikw6m-vovlHZcBjcsxMwQ7iY

Wish list: Col. Littmans, Figoin, Black Tuscan.. And now for my "Hey..A girl has got to have dreams!" wishlist: Sangue Dolce, Montenegro, Rigato del Salento
Jamie0507

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts on this. It seems universal about the BM being one hard sucker to root from what I gather.. And I'm not surprised to hear that most of the rarer & more expensive varieties seem to be the main culprits. I guess they would be less rare & hence cheaper otherwise.. Makes sense.. But still makes me want to get better at it so I can pull it off one of these days! Lol! Well.. Practice & gaining know-how seems to be the key.. Charlie you seem to be getting plenty of it! Lol! I absolutely lovee to read of your experiments with different media types, please keep em coming! I definitely appreciate everyone's thoughts here & the experience you are sharing :)
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Jamie Zone 6A My List of Fig Varieties:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13MXbhU3b-5Y4bkNSWHVikw6m-vovlHZcBjcsxMwQ7iY

Wish list: Col. Littmans, Figoin, Black Tuscan.. And now for my "Hey..A girl has got to have dreams!" wishlist: Sangue Dolce, Montenegro, Rigato del Salento
brianm

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Acciano, Black Madeira,Preto,Stella.
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Charlie

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Last year the gnats were horrible.  With sand I have yet to see even one in nearly two months.  Gnatrol won't affect the flying gnats, only their larvae in the media.  I set off a bug bomb last year to get rid of the flying ones and also used the yellow sticky traps and fly ribbons.  Even after all that I still had gnats until the day I moved the plants out in Spring, about 75 out of over 300 that sprouted.  Some more plants died after that.    
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Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas 
nkesh099

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
By far is the most difficult varinat to root is LSU Red. Rooting Rigatta Rosa was also difficult. Never had any problems rooting Blk Madeira.

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