Read a few other posts about this and wanted to give it a go. 

A few of the larger limbs on Unk Lake Spur had long node spacing so these 24 were cut from them, leaving a couple inches of stem on either side of the node, ends dipped and buried horizontal in potting mix with only the bud slightly exposed on 10/19.

A couple of them look like the buds are starting to swell.  No mold so far.  The potting mix is ever so slightly moist.  These are in a big tote with a lid and are uncovered daily.

 

Good luck, Charlie.  Looking forward to the progress updates.

   I think you're on to a good technique.   Good luck.

I don't see why it wouldn't work.

I've heard of a lot of people dividing cuttings in half (usually more than one node). I have hesitated to do it myself because my assumption is that with a larger cutting, there is more stored energy and (I assume) a higher success rate. I figure that if I get a higher success rate with larger cuttings, I will soon be able to make more air layers (which have an even higher success rate than cuttings). Anyone ever done enough "tiny" cuttings to say whether or not size of cutting affects success rate?

The reason I don't do Single Node rooting is because my goal is to bring up bush looking fig trees. Single node will give a single branch where multiNode cutting will give multiple branches taking same time of rooting/growth.

Good luck. I hope all goes well. You have enough future figs to start a small orchard.

[QUOTE=americanfigboy]Good luck. I hope all goes well. You have enough future figs to start a small orchard. [/QUOTE]

A start yes, thanks.  Looking for some land...

[QUOTE=Aaron4USA]The reason I don't do Single Node rooting is because my goal is to bring up bush looking fig trees. Single node will give a single branch where multiNode cutting will give multiple branches taking same time of rooting/growth.[/QUOTE]

In that case, single nodes are for me. Even when I want bush form, I still only allow one trunk. The cuttings in my bin keep sprouting from every node which is a waste for me. Time for another rooting experiment.

Experimenting with something new is always exciting. Good luck, Charlie. Please keep us posted on your progress and findings.

Paul,
Absolutely, specially if you have an expensive cutting in hand or hard to come by types...

Furthermore if both ends are sealed with wax they have most chance to survive with no rot, no matter how long it takes to root. Sometimes they root faster than they open leaves  and sometimes they open leaves before they root.

I find it very beneficial keeping them in the fridge drawer few weeks for callusing. After callusing they are much easier and safer to root all cuttings, specially if Single Node.

When you say "single branch" does it mean to say it will grow straight up and have no limbs?

Well, 1- if you have one node , it will sprout one shoot but that one, on it's term, can brach out from sides.
        2- if you have several nodes, you have several shoots to come up, on their own term, they will branch our sideways too.
Something like this... pardon the crappy work, i had to do it on my phone and save it to my laptop to bring it here.

Added four Sicilian White.  To add a bit of drama to the experiment, the potting mix for these is 50% TGA super soil.

 

Surely a bud break on one of the Unk Lake Spur.  Pic taken right after spraying a tad of water.

 

This soil is what I had planted the dried Turkish figs in a couple months ago and they never sprouted.  Now there are some tiny somethings sprouting.  Will let them stay and see if they are little fig trees.

Every cutting is budding out.  This one has a root trying to go straight up!

 

 

Very cool, Charlie. That tree really wants to grow!

After seeing your work, I took a single bud branch tip off one of my trees and stuck it in a cup with Pro-Mix. It is growing. One for one. That's 100% success rate!

I've thought about laying a cutting sideways and letting the entire thing root. After a while, when good growth is observed from every node, cut in between the nodes to separate them. Just an idea at this point.

[QUOTE=ADelmanto]I've thought about laying a cutting sideways and letting the entire thing root. After a while, when good growth is observed from every node, cut in between the nodes to separate them. Just an idea at this point. [/QUOTE]

Aaron sent me a cutting of Armenian small eye variant.  There were already root nodules forming along the entire length so that is what I did.  Pretty good looking so far.

This pot was never covered, just sprayed around the cutting with a couple squirts from a spray bottle every other day and it sat on my kitchen table out in the open.

 

This got me thinking so I did some searching.  There's a few threads on "the smallest cutting" or "one node wonders" and some others worth reading.

When I did that Armenian it was a shot in the dark and I didn't know about burying the whole cutting.  I was sick of losing a bunch of cuttings to mold and just did it.  It taught me I was using WAY too wet of media.  There hasn't been a smidgen of mold and the gnats do not seem to be at all interested. 

I'm thinking now that fig cuttings should be treated almost like cactus.  Barely damp.  If this comes to success I doubt I will ever try anything else.  Nearly done doing 100 more, mostly single node cuttings today from the recent trades and purchases.  



 
 

Charlie,
You are so right.  think that's what I am going to do also from now on.
I'll dumped the mix before planting the cuttings and no watering on top of them , just cover them and let them be, until the roots hit the walls of the clear container then I'll just transplant them in 1G nursery pots.
Overwatering must be the cause of gnads, melting leaves, fungus, mildew and finally rot. (The Misery Pack!)

Great job Charlie,
ill try rooting cuttings your way.
i have killed them every other way,
so this will be my last atempt at rooting.
i can airlayer with no fail, and graft... i just cant do cuttings LOL ;-)) 

Charlie you make it look easy :) Nice job

A smart way to stretch limited genetics, I'm guessing you just have to be careful not to let it get too dry as it is so near the surface. I agree about barely moist, it's so easy to rot a fig cutting. Mike in Hanover, VA

Here's a bunch more single node cuttings of various varieties, set into styro bowls, each having a drain hole and covered with clear solo cups, three vent holes in top of each.  The mix is 50/50 of moist potting mix and fresh, moist worm castings.  I got these bowls and cups at the local convenience food mart.  The solo cups sort of just "snap" in fairly secure.  They can be picked up by the cup and stay together but easy to snap off.

Did not water any at all.  The mix seems moist enough.

 

The vent holes were melted into ten cups at a time with a piece of clothes hanger, heated by a propane torch.  

Now the total of 100 are in the bright room...

 

I don't know what those horizontal bars are showing up in the photo's I take in the bright room.  Must be something to do with the 1000W metal halide light. The cups are all covered now with aluminum foil to keep light off of them until we get some roots.  

Temps in the bright room are about 80 F during on time and 72 ish at night.  The door stays open and ceiling fan keeps from excess heat buildup. 
 

That's a benifit to running a MH or HPS light in the winter, heat. If you can run it at night, even better as temperatures drop. Mike in Hanover, VA

[QUOTE=MGorski]That's a benifit to running a MH or HPS light in the winter, heat. If you can run it at night, even better as temperatures drop. Mike in Hanover, VA[/QUOTE]

After a trial period I may do that.  Trial as in the light/ballast.  Two ballasts, five 1000W MH bulbs and one 1000w HPS bulbs were given to me four years ago by a local fella and have sat in my garage ever since.  I'm not sure about the safety of them.

More addition to the experimenting.  These are the last of Unk Lake Spur, cut into single node, ends dipped in food grade cheese wax.  A thin layer of potting mix with worm castings was leveled onto the bottom of the container and the cuttings laid on...

 

Then they were covered with a leveled layer of mix and more cuttings added.  

 

These were all just covered loosely and not packed at all, no extra water, lid of container on and into the dark closet of the bright room.  No different really than cuttings in moss, method-wise I guess, other than being biologically active with fresh castings.  FIGure the roots will be easy to see from the bottom when they start and then they will all get put into pots, well, the ones that make roots.  Maybe none of them will make roots. Maybe they all will or some might lol.    

Worm castings are great, are these purchased or do you have a worm bed? Good luck, I hope it works, I want to try too. Mike in Hanover, VA

[QUOTE=MGorski]Worm castings are great, are these purchased or do you have a worm bed? Good luck, I hope it works, I want to try too. Mike in Hanover, VA[/QUOTE]

These are worm castings I purchased from Larry Hall to try them out.  There's a link to his shop in my recent blog post at the end, very well done castings and great deal.  I do keep a few worms. At one time had very many that got washed away in a flood.  Need to ramp it up with all these fig trees on the way.  

Have been sifting a wood chip pile and piling it up in the back yard for them to get going really good for next year.  My yard is full of georgia jumpers, a native that really like old wood chips and a few european night crawlers.

I also keep a few in this homemade vermi tumbler, worm bin and casting harvester hybrid...

 

 
 
The thing works pretty good as long as you don't fill it too full and keep it tumbled about once a week. Wheel barrow under and give it a few rotations. If I were to make another it would have a better way to tumble, some hand-holds or something.  Totally does away with the need to handle bedding to get the castings and aerates the bedding.  

Are your worm casting sterilized?   I used my own(worms') castings as an ingredient in a potting mix that I did some rooting in last year, and believe that was the source of the nematodes that ruined a batch for me.   Cuttings started rooting, then fizzled out and I saw numerous white, threadlike worms getting into the cambium layer of the cuttings.   I'm keeping it sterile this year!   

[QUOTE=zone5figger]Are your worm casting sterilized?   I used my own(worms') castings as an ingredient in a potting mix that I did some rooting in last year, and believe that was the source of the nematodes that ruined a batch for me.   Cuttings started rooting, then fizzled out and I saw numerous white, threadlike worms getting into the cambium layer of the cuttings.   I'm keeping it sterile this year!   [/QUOTE]

No, I would never use sterilized castings.  That would be fairly pointless except for possibly some soluble nutrients left after sterilization. Enchytraeids, or pot worms are usually the little white worms associated with compost and worm bins and usually mistaken for nematodes.  They aid in the decomposition process by processing rotting material.

Healthy worm castings contain nothing harmful to living plant matter.  To venture a "guess", I would guess there was another issue with your cuttings dying and the pot worms were just doing what they do.  

I used to raise worms also, and there certainly is a lot of life feeding on the organic matter. My castings were always very dense, never nice and light like the purchased product. I imagine this was due to the type of bedding, usually leaves and rabbit manure, and a diet primarily of kitchen scraps. The resulting castings made a great tea, but not too good for creating a fluffy, airy propagation mix. Mike in Hanover, VA

I have 2 questions.

1. SO, to make a warm casting all I have to do is collect few types of rainworms into a container and start feeding them? I see those jumpers all over my backyard and I see calmer ones too.
2. What type of feeding makes a fluffy casting?
 Edit: Actually don't answer it here since this thread is for Charlie's single node cuttings. I am starting a new thread on this subject.

I wish I'd seen this single node post before I tried to root my Atreano cuttings!  I had four cuttings of about 6 to 8" long, with closely spaced nodes.  Wasn't getting anywhere with them in a ziplock bag, so I finally just stuck them in some plastic cups with cactus mix, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.  I'm finally seeing a tiny leaf bud on one of the cuttings, two months later...

I took a few cuttings from my Mission tree in September, and the node spacing was pretty long.  I cut each one in half, and they've rooted successfully.

Charlie, was wondering about your post #28 above where you have over 100 one node figs in the same container with mix.  Isn't that going to be a nightmare to separate the things, assuming they root?  I find it difficult enough when I do a dozen or two so in sphagnum moss.  They normally will send roots straight out so they are going to be tangled like crazy. 

It's a cool experiment, just wondering what you are trying to accomplish.  Do you really want to have over 100 of the same variety?  Or do you just want a few?  Or is it just a scientific curiousity.  I would think that you could have made 50 two node cuttings and have a better success rate overall.

[QUOTE=Rob]Charlie, was wondering about your post #28 above where you have over 100 one node figs in the same container with mix.  Isn't that going to be a nightmare to separate the things, assuming they root?  I find it difficult enough when I do a dozen or two so in sphagnum moss.  They normally will send roots straight out so they are going to be tangled like crazy. 

It's a cool experiment, just wondering what you are trying to accomplish.  Do you really want to have over 100 of the same variety?  Or do you just want a few?  Or is it just a scientific curiousity.  I would think that you could have made 50 two node cuttings and have a better success rate overall.[/QUOTE]

Figured everybody who wanted the  Unk Lake Spur had some and had several leftovers. There are a bunch buried out back in the wood chip pile also and I want to see if they will do anything, providing they survive winter and hopefully sprout in spring.  Not wanting to just toss them out, this seemed like a worthy experiment.  There is some reasoning method to it though so I will try to explain.

The day before I did the 100 in individual bowls.  Not able to see any rooting in styro bowls, I put a very thin layer of mix in the sterilite container bottom, one, to hold the cuttings with the nodes up (don't know why) and two, so when roots do start I will be able to see them right away and get them potted before they tangle.  This should also be a good indicator of there being roots in the 100 styro bowls, at which time I will remove the foil so light can hit the buds on those cuttings.

Do I really want a hundred of one variety?  Not especially.  Curiosity? Overwhelming always.  Success rate will be of great interest to me since I just discovered for myself something that works and no mold.  What if they all survive?  Doubtful but with this many and of different varieties with the bowl 100, I should get a worthy indication of the methodology success. 

I'm certainly no scientist.  Most of the things I do make no sense at all to anyone.  If I get a hundred unk Lake Spur out of this deal then I will find somewhere to put them.

Unk Lake Spur is a mystery it seems.  I wasn't able to get a ripe fig or even see one.  Have gotten busy and not been back out there to visit the new home owner.  What if it turns out to be a really great variety?  I will have a bunch of trees already growing!  If it sucks then I will have a bunch of useless fig trees, except for the leaves which I love the tea made from and most of the folks I have shared it with.

Yes I think I'm a bit fig crazy.  Will it ever subside?  

Charlie... FOREST !! :)

So far so good.  Since installing the metal halide I'm having to get a watering schedule figured out.  That coupled with the ceiling fan on constantly sure dries everything out fast. Thinking of an indoor rggs or similar.  Wife is adjusting well lol.

 

Was watering with a spray bottle now have a pump-up three gallon with a trigger wand.  Much better.

Six days we have roots!  The cups were removed but the foil covers went back on after a light watering.  

 

These are Atreano and Deanna.  Lots of others showing roots also.  No roots showing in sterilite container yet.

Atreano is also the first of these to sprout leaves.  Many more have greening buds.

 

Six days for the Atreano to root?  Awesome!  Mine took a month.

[QUOTE=joann1536]Six days for the Atreano to root?  Awesome!  Mine took a month.[/QUOTE]

Yes I was pretty shocked to see those.  After that the foil covers were removed and I have been spraying each bowl daily to keep the surface moistened.  It is dry to about 1/4 inch depth in 24 hours under the metal halide and ceiling fan.

I found Atreano to be really sensitive to overwatering.  Yours look great so far!

Actually the bowls are fairly dry down deeper but still damp.  

During this experiment I have noticed something about watering.  With the first buried cutting which was Armenian, up to a point it was kept just barely damp, put out a couple of leaves and then just kind of stalled out for several days.  It wanted water so it seems.  Gave the pot a good soaking and within a couple of days it has doubled leaf size and is putting on new ones.   So seems there is a fine line between keeping just damp for starting and then ramping up the water.  We'll see how it goes with these as they get a few leaves on.

I notice a few roots now in the sterilite container with all the Unk Lake Spur.  Something to do this weekend.  

Just scored a free source of rabbit poop.  Happy dance lol.   

Free Poop. The only way it could be better is if they delivered.

Charlie,
Are you going to apply the Rabbit manure directly into the pots or make tea out of it? I have never used manure and I hear they can be too strong or active, as they sometimes call it, and might burn the tender plants.

This batch went into the vermi tumbler after a harvest of castings.  By Spring it will be worm poop.

Surface watering the bowls twice a day with the sprayer.  I never would have thought things would dry out so quickly.  Room temp running about 85 F while freezing outside.  There are 50 more bowls with single nodes under the foil.  Saw a gnat a few days ago and put up the sticky tape.  It's stuck on the center one. :)

 

Atreano leafing...

 

Armenian doubled in growth since increasing water.  Unk Lake Spur in the background...

 

A gift Dalmatie from a very generous member.  OT lol

 

Some more budding taking place in the bowls.  All are single node except Deanna.

 

 

 

 

 

They look good Charlie.

Very happy to see your experiment is going so well, Charlie!

Thanks, I'm washing, cutting, and waxing nearly all cuttings today. 150 more going in cups and bowls in the next few days.

Charlie, 

You have inspired me to also give the single node cutting a try. I am experimenting with a couple of the cuttings I just received from Frank. I hope to see a portion of your success, they were just set up last night. 

Also, I keep reading that you have added 100 more here and a 100 more there.  How many cuttings are you housing, and what are you going to do with all of those trees?  You are well on your way to quite the orchard!

I'm glad you started this thread, I'm loving following it. 

Scott

Charlie is doing a great job, I tried single node but gave up due to not getting an adequate root system to support the growth that I wanted. By rooting several nodes on a cutting, I can expect 2-4 feet of growth in a season(depending on variety). My single nodes either eventually died and/or I have some that are 4-6 inches, some less. So Charlie is doing a lot better, keep up the good work.

Not sure what will become of these, still all an experiment.  Right now there are 150 foam bowls and fifteen 4 inch pots with mostly single node, a sterilite container with ten Unk Lake Spur and the other sterilite tray with around 100 single nodes, eight quart jars with multiple node cuttings, four quart jars with single node and a few terra cotta pots with transferred air layers.  

Figure I can fit another 150 single nodes in cups and foam bowls on the floor and tinkering with the idea of a shelf around the wall.  May as well make use of the light to the fullest since it's burning.

A backyard orchard for sure and still poking around for a piece of land.  A future nursery is not out of the question.

Mostly right now I want a bunch of trees I can give to my friends. Most have never tasted a ripe fig and only have the fig newton experience, such as me when I first joined the forum and started all this.

No mold so far with this method is what I'm really liking.

I think figgyfrank just recently posted a video on washing cuttings.  Here is the dirt from exactly one dozen random cuttings.  You never would think by looking they had so much gunk on them.

 

Curiosity got the best of me.  This is a single node Atreano that has not broken bud yet, floated out.

 

Crazy roots lol.  

Ok Charlie, I was going to send you a few cuttings but I've changed my mind. I'll send you a node instead. Just kidding they look great. I might have to send cuttings for you to root for me. By the node on coarse.

[QUOTE=Hershell]Ok Charlie, I was going to send you a few cuttings but I've changed my mind. I'll send you a node instead. Just kidding they look great. I might have to send cuttings for you to root for me. By the node on coarse. [/QUOTE]

Be glad to. 

Been looking at the bottom of this for roots and saw a few last week but decided to wait another week. Remove the lid a little while ago.  Guess I'll be transplanting Unk Lake Spur tomorrow.  Hope I didn't wait too long. Will be floating these out in a tub.

 

Charlie, Thanks so much, this is Amazing!

Start to finish. What is your cutting prep.

[QUOTE=garden_whisperer]Start to finish. What is your cutting prep.[/QUOTE]

None of the cuttings in the bowls were washed unless they were sent to me washed.  Just started doing that yesterday.  Unk Lake Spur were washed off with a water hose though.

I cut each, leaving about an inch on either side of the node if they are long node spacing, otherwise I cut halfway between the nodes or if the spacing is really close then some are two node cuttings.

Food grade cheese wax at 250 F in an old deep fryer is used to dip the ends.  

The bowls are filled loosely with media that is just barely moist, not packed.  

Cuttings are buried just under the surface, leaving the node exposed a little bit.  (pic above of the sterilite tub cuttings, they were covered with a good 1/2 inch of media and still shot up leaves)

The bowls were put in the bright room originally with plastic cups on them but the cups were removed and then they were covered with foil to keep the light and fan from drying them out excessively.  After noticing roots the foil was removed and watering with a sprayer twice daily was started.

Hard to say exactly how much water each gets.  I just wet the surface a bit so it looks wet.  Every day after work I get home and they are dry as a bone to about 1/4 inch depth. About every three days I give them a little more if the bowls seem very lightweight.  Notice on the cutting I floated out there are no roots coming out straight horizontal but rather angling down and bottom.

Room temp is in the mid 70's during the light off and up in the low to mid 80's with light on. 

That's about it. Nothing magic.  Just burying them and keeping moist.  

I do not know why it's working for me, it just is so I will keep doing it.  They still have a long way to go to be considered success. 

Only two out of five random Unk Lake Spur cuttings showing leafing in the sterilite container have any visible roots and not growing from the "bottom" like the cuttings in bowls.  Going to let this stay for awhile, now out in the light and get watering like the rest.

 

Weird to me is how/why they started leafing in a dark closet in a closed container?  Actually more leafing on these than the ones out in the light which are showing way more roots and they were done the same day or one day apart, not sure exactly but it was within 24 hours.

Working on a step-by-step picture tutorial for single nodes in foam bowls, with HC cuttings I got from rcantor yesterday. 

Last year I forgot some cuttings in A bag of moss in the dark. When I found them the moss was almost dry and had 6 inches of new growths and was white . After some time in filters light they turned green. The tree lives today. IM inspired by this single node. Think IM going to try a few myself.

Thanks for the nice comments.  Here's a prep in pics.

Finger drill three holes in foam deli bowls.  I think this is a 1/8 bit.  Four at a time.

 

Molten food grade cheese wax in a fryer at 250 F for dipping ends.  The daubers are for any limb cuts not able to dip.  They are sold as wax daubers by mushroom supply shops for sealing inoculation holes in logs.

 

 

Working with one variety at any given time to avoid mix-ups,the bowls are labeled and ready.  Depending on the cutting diameter, add mix till it's right where we need it, set the cutting on with node up and cover with more mix.  I'm allowing about 1/4 inch of mix over the top of these cuttings as an addition to the experiment since the sterilite container ones shot up through at least that much and it is about the level the mix in the other cups is drying to daily.  All cuttings prior to this have the node exposed.

 

Change varieties and repeat till all bowls are used up.

 

That's it.  They are on the floor of the bright room covered with foil after watering.  Just a light spray and a circular motion of the wand about three times around the surface.  Will have a look feel in a few days to see how moisture is holding up.

We'll see how it goes.  I now have a little bit of every variety going that has been sent in the last few weeks.  Forty different ones if my count is right.  

Wow.  I am sincerely touched and honored by a long time forum member, offering his cuttings as a gift to further this experiment. A very welcome addition to my collection, Dominick Heirloom Italian.  Can't wait to get them.  Thank you. :)

[QUOTE=Charlie]Wow.  I am sincerely touched and honored by a long time forum member, offering his cuttings as a gift to further this experiment. A very welcome addition to my collection, Dominick Heirloom Italian.  Can't wait to get them.  Thank you. :)[/QUOTE]

That is fantastic!!  I'm sure that they will do just as well as the rest!  Charlie, I would like to thank you posting this thread.  It is both informative and entertaining!!

Scott

[QUOTE=COGardener]

That is fantastic!!  I'm sure that they will do just as well as the rest!  Charlie, I would like to thank you posting this thread.  It is both informative and entertaining!!

Scott[/QUOTE]

It is I who thank you all for making this possible and glad to entertain whenever possible. :)
 

Charlie,
Congratulations my friend, this turned out to be a very important tutorial thread for all of us. Thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone :)

Looking good, thanks for keeping us updated.

What is the time frame from planting to the above pic?

Appears to be started 10/19 per the first post.

I clipped a branch of my BT, cut a few into single nodes with an inch on each side and left about 10 inches of the green wood, used a big candle to coat the cut ends, then put them in a single tote with damp sphagnum on 11/23, to compare the development rate. 

Yes it was 10/19 and that is the largest of the bunch.  A couple haven't done a thing yet but swelled the bud a bit.  A Sal's El and Corleone rooted from multi-node cuttings just a few days prior to these are by far more developed and nearly fill their quart container with roots.  It only makes sense, the more roots they can grow at a faster rate, there should be topside growth to match, given the plant has what it needs.  There will always be more roots quicker on multi-node of the same variety given identical rooting conditions, or it makes sense to me to be so.

If these continue, I wager they will slowly reach a point of momentum and take off as if they were from a multi-node cutting.  By time to adapt them to outdoors, I will likely have a sea of fig green and not enough room for what there is started.  That could happen before time to go outdoors.  I have a feeling it will.  In such an instance I will have to adopt some out lol. :)

A crucial issue is the rooting medium.  What are you using?

[QUOTE=Charlie] Just a light spray and a circular motion of the wand about three times around the surface. [/QUOTE]

So you have a magic wand!

I'd love to see you do some without the wax to see if it's really necessary. 

Bob, the rooting medium is about 50% old TGA Super Soil and 50% fresh worm castings.  When I say "old", the bag of TGA SS was already a couple years old when my friend got a good buy on it.  It smelled badly septic to me.  I let it sit in the garage with the top open for nearly a year.  It lost the septic smell in that time.  I have no idea the nutrient content of it.

"So you have a magic wand!"... LOL actually it is a modified sprayer wand, extended with a length of copper tubing to help reach places, that was once part of a distilling apparatus so it may be magic or think it is...

"I'd love to see you do some without the wax to see if it's really necessary."... Ok consider it done next.  The theory in dipping mushroom log ends and sealing inoculation points is it supposedly sterilizes and prevents moisture loss.  Food grade cheese wax is used for a couple of reasons, one it is food grade and two it is softer than standard paraffin.  Doesn't get brittle and crack, etc.   I will get started on them right away. 

Charlie, you do seem to own that magic wand for sure. Great progress and thanks for the update.

Thanks Otmani.

Pretty sure the bright room floor is maxed out.  Think we will rest for awhile on adding stuff.  Ten Celeste single nodes were added with no wax for Bob's curiosity, along with a variety of others that were waxed since I know it works and didn't want to risk them.  

 

I'd like you to wax 5 of them and leave 5 without.  Other wise we wont know if it was the cuttings being strong or weak.

Wax on, Wax off.  All the cars.

[QUOTE=rcantor]I'd like you to wax 5 of them and leave 5 without.  Other wise we wont know if it was the cuttings being strong or weak.

Wax on, Wax off.  All the cars.[/QUOTE]

How about there being 10 without and 29 with?  That is what it is now but the 29 are of different varieties.  Just they were all done at the same time, well, within a couple of hours.

If the Celestes are all duds we won't know if it's the wax off that did them in or they were just weak cuttings.  Same if they all root.  I'm not the dictator I seem to be, I just want to have a fair shot at evaluating the necessity of the wax  :)  They're your cuttings so you get to decide.

I know Bob can't be referring to cuttings you got from me....

Well if they all root it would make sense to me they don't need it. It's just the way the first one was done so it stuck. I would really be glad if they don't need it.  From current experience in my particular situation, I would say the greatest danger is of them drying out.  If one watering was missed, it would be over for most all of them.  Un-waxed would dry out quicker as a guess.

No worries Gloria your cuttings are safe...for now...bwahahaha! :) 

Sunday update of a few budding/leafing varieties...

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the looks of it, by next Sunday there will be many more varieties added to this.  Just tiny swelling buds for the most part.  Some look the exact same as the day they were started.

This method is most definitely a "patience required".   They are doing just like Unk Lake Spur, popping out a leaf or two then stalling.  They should start to increase by this time next week or so.  Need more roots I guess.

One leaf dropped on one of the Atreano while getting watered.  Also notice one of them has deformed leaves while the others look normal.  FMV?

Charlie,
I would start to build a Green house Nursery if I were you ASAP.
Those babies will grow fast and , so, your house will be taken over by them, LOL
You are doing a great job, thank you for sharing all the pictorials.

[QUOTE=Aaron4USA]Charlie,
I would start to build a Green house Nursery if I were you ASAP.
Those babies will grow fast and , so, your house will be taken over by them, LOL
You are doing a great job, thank you for sharing all the pictorials.[/QUOTE]

It's all part of the experiment to see just how many cuttings one can sustain in a small space with a big bulb lol.  

Seriously I do see your point.  It could get crowded in here.  

Have been asked a few times what am I going to do with all these fig trees.  Well, have been giving this some serious thought.

The city where I work has quite a few homeless folks who pretty much depend on Salvation Army and other charitable organizations. Actually the SA operates a neighborhood garden behind their place.  Will ask them if they would like some fig trees for it as well as doing some planting along a few select streets where there are vacant lots and old buildings where many of the homeless survive.  

Figure this will be Hardy Chicago and other well cold hardy varieties.  

The people will learn of the figs at the SA and perhaps find them growing out in the city.  
Just a thought for now.  

Charlie, that is just awesome!

Every post you put up seems to increase my excitement about my single node cuttings, while simultaneously making it harder wait for the one month mark to come around. 

Thank you for sharing Charlie.

Thanks for the nice comments folks.  :)

There is a definite pattern emerging.  Cuttings made from "mostly green" wood are doing better.  Fact, some bowls with green cuttings done on 11/16/14 are already swelling buds.  

Older wood cuttings do not seem to be doing anything and some, after some prodding around in the mix inspection, reveal dead looking wood, no roots, nothing.

It's ok, all experimental.  Those feeble looking ones will continue to get watered as the rest.  They just may be late bloomers lol. 

Nice job, keep it up.

[QUOTE=Charlie] [/QUOTE]

Here's that one a week later...

 

Couple of others to the left of her trying to catch up...

 

Why the differences in growth, given all things are equal?  I think it has to do with the limb diameter of the cutting.  

Charlie. Nice thread. I experimented a few seasons ago with a bunch of one-noders. I was new and it didn't go so well :-/ . I had a bunch take offwell but fizzled quickly. I"m not very good at keeping good records over any length of time. I get bored too quickly. Looks like you're off to a much better start.

Have to agree with you on your suggestion on cutting diameter. In my opinion, larger diameter cuttings will have more energy reserves to draw from.

Great experiment. Keep us posted.

 

Great progress, Charlie & thanks for the ongoing update.

Thanks for posting up the pictures and your progress. Your dedication is very inspiring.

Thanks, Charlie, for keeping us all updated.  Great experiment, with excellent results!  I'm going to give it a try next time, myself.  Looks like you've got this down to an art, congratulations!  Keep us all posted!

Here's a cutting comparison...

 

The bottom one is the better selection for this method, so far.  Most every green wood cutting is showing life while a few brown wood are but mostly not.  Not counting them as duds yet as I was surprised by a brown wood LSU Gold this morning with a swelling bud.

I'm sure ya'll remember the cutting of Atreano which was removed to inspect root growth in post #58 on 11/22 right?  It had no green bud at the time but look!

 

Didn't really expect this one to survive the removal and handling.  A couple of the roots were broken off during the process. These guys must be tougher than we think sometimes.

There is a new factor in play which may alter the whole experiment.  Ceiling fan quit working.  We'll see how it goes.  On warm days it will get quite hot in the room but the soil surface of the bowls is not as dry when I get home from work with no air directly hitting them. Perhaps they liked the air, wet/dry cycle?  I don't know.    

 

Looks like you can't keep a good fig down.  Looks like a green snake head poking out from under that one cutting lol.  Bottom layer of single nodes in the sterilite container starting to disrupt the upper layer.  

 

Looks like you have a busy day ahead of you floating out the cuttings from the sterilite container.  Fantastic as always, keep up the good work. 

Are you going to try traditional rooting methods with the brown cuttings our just give them more time in the soil?