In anticipation of the arrival of the UC Davis cuttings in a few days (hopefully), I would like to take a poll as to the most successful rooting method that you have personally tried and stuck with.  Explanatory comments welcome.

1. Baggie-newspaper or paper towel method

2. Baggie-spaghnum moss method

3. Jon's New Style Baggie method

4. Other

Thanks for voting.

Frank

Hey Frank,

I am piecewise functional. Thus I vote

2, if VSS
4, otherwise

where
VSS = very special scionwood, i.e., rare or difficult to acquire or really damn good, and
4 = Stick the VSS-not in a 1-gallon pot and let Mother nature do what she does best.

And what does it all mean? I use 2 most of the time!

I vote for #2- Sphagnum moss. I used The New Zealand stuff. Expensive but blows away the Common stuff. Light and airy, giving good air circulation. I have gotten roots as quickly as 2 to 3 weeks.

The following opinions are strictly my own.  Others may have experienced different results. 

I never use #1 anymore.  To me #2 is superior to #1 in every way.  First, there is less margin for error in terms of how much moisture is in the paper towel.  Second, rolling and unrolling seems like risky business and liable to break roots.  Third, mold seems to be more prevalent with PT.  Only possible counterpoint is expense of sphagnum, but I think it's pretty cheap for the benefits it adds.

I would also add a category, #4, being, just stick it in a 1 gallon pot and cover the whole thing with a plastic bag.  So far this has been the most successful for me.  The only problem with this method is that you can't see what's going on.  But there is less root disturbance and much more chance for plant to get established before re pot is required.

For me #2 and #3 are approximately equally successful.  There are pluses and minuses, though.  #3 has the advantage of requiring very little attention or intervention for quite a long time after starting the cutting.  But you see a bit less of what is going on with the parts of the cuttings covered by soil. 

With #2 you should inspect the cuttings at least once a week, maybe twice, and then you still have to put them in a cup when they start to root, so it's a little more work.  But the advantage is you can see exactly what's going on.  So, if a cutting is developing roots and/or shoots in an unusual or suboptimal fashion, you see this and can take appropriate action.  For example, if a cutting is shooting and rooting on multiple nodes, you can plant it horizontally.  Or, if a breba starts to develop it's easy to pluck it off.  Main drawback is sometimes you might break some of the new tender roots when you put rooted ones into cups.  I try to minimize this by checking every 2 days when I can and putting them into cups when the roots are short and less fragile.

I'll be interested to hear the opinions of others here.

for me it was a first experience.

Good thread. No.2 Method is my preference.

Only need to check them between 7 to 10 days. Provides the best methodology in balancing the right moisture levels. Too much, I can easily wring out the moisture. Too dry, I can add & feel the ideal moisture desired.

#2-smoss, being very careful when planting with moistened mix, lightly watered on the cutting to dribble down to the tender roots.

I am using the new baggy method as well because it is more convenient and if they do not strike in 6 weeks or look dry they can go in the smoss box.

#2 - to get roots started, then #3

C.J.

#2 mainly
and some #4, other ... into pot of soil mix

Grant
z5b

Jenia, funny, I start with #1 then switch to # 2 (but in a container, not a baggie).  NY, thats why I switch to the moss.  Best moss I have used to date.

I use the u-line bags from #3 but put long fiber sphagnum moss around the bottom 1/3 to 1/2 and light potting soil with lots of perlite in to almost the top, then more spagnum at the top so when the bag gets dropped nothing falls out.   I've tried those u-line bags with moss, potting soil or perlite and they all seem to work.  Moss seems to cause less disruption at repotting time.  With the perlite I cut open the bag and rolled it gently into water to let the perlite fall off without pulling on the roots.  With the other 2 it wasn't necessary.  So far with all of the cuttings that weren't moldy all out of 30 have rooted.  I have about 50 more I just started.

Edit 5/17/12 - What I described above worked great for very fresh cuttings.  When cuttings were older the bottom plug of peat moss tended to hold too much water.  From now on I'll leave it out unless I know the cuttings are very fresh and eager to root.

Looks like #2 is the most popular.

I agree, although I haven't really given #3 much of an evaluation.

@rcantor: I like your idea of combining #2 and #3. That would make it #5, if my math is correct.

Just wondering if you place the cutting  at the bottom of the bag surrounded by the sphagnum moss or if it sits on top of the moss.

Frank

Nice one, Jimmie.

I pondered "piecewise functional" all day without the slightest clue as to its meaning, subliminal or otherwise.

Then I remembered google=friend and JD=engineer.....

"In mathematics, a piecewise-defined function (also called a piecewise function) is a function whose definition changes depending on the value of the independent variable."

When you have time, please explain fractals to me.

Frank

I'm just getting into fig cuttings.  I had to prune my (lsu gold) tree so I have three cuttings from it using #2 method.  I just bought some regular spagmum moss from nursery that is used for "pot topping" house plants.  Should I look into this New Zealand stuff??  The moisture seems to be pretty consistent and everything.  I also have a cutting from my late grandfather's "little red fig" tree that dates back to the 40's or 50's.  Hopefully I will start seeing roots in a couple of weeks...

The big difference from my perspective is the quality.

Thanks Dominick, if it's the best, I'm going to look into ordering some spagmum from New Zealand I suppose..

Amazon and eBay are good sources. Little expensive but I think well worth it.

The length and color are good indicators of quality. You want it long and very pale. Orchid houses use the good stuff, they might give you a good deal too because they buy in bulk. There are not that many orchid growers around though.

I have actually been doing a little of #5 this year also, but with only a few pieces of smoss under the cutting to keep the ends from rotting. The fast rooters trasplanted fine and the slow rooters are still looking healthy.

Thanks for the link dominick

I also use #3 with Jason's idea of potting mix and perlite.

@Bob, I think that's a great idea with the spag. moss on the bottom for the roots and some on the top to stop any spilling.

luke

My best success rate has been a modified stick in the ground method.  I have a large plastic tub with a lid on it to maintain moisture/humidity.  I poked a bunch of drain holes in the bottom and sides to keep it from getting overly soggy.  The tub sits outside a south facing garage wall in the elements.   I plant my cuttings in a course sand mix and have maybe an 80% success rate.  

I started my current batch  January 1.  Two weeks ago I transplanted two into pots.  The lid comes off for a few hours each day with shade cloth draped over the bin.

I have tried other methods but don't get as good a success rate.  And, using this method I don't have to hunt down and purchase special planting media.  The bedding sand I use costs about 9 bucks a ton.

It's  crude...but for me it works.  

I guess I am the odd one here, but I seem to have pretty good luck with method #1. I have tried #2 this year for the first time and it has been mixed results. Some rooted great and fast while some cuttings lingered forever in the S. moss then barely put out a root.

#4! Plastic shoe box with 70/30 Pro-mix/ perlite.

Great for several cuttings of same variety like UCD cutting.

[QUOTE=FMD]

Looks like #2 is the most popular.

I agree, although I haven't really given #3 much of an evaluation.

@rcantor: I like your idea of combining #2 and #3. That would make it #5, if my math is correct.

Just wondering if you place the cutting  at the bottom of the bag surrounded by the sphagnum moss or if it sits on top of the moss.

Frank

[/QUOTE]

Both  :)

I put a plug of spagnum or green basket moss at the bottom as a filter to keep particles from running out and to give the roots room to grow before they have to exit the holes.  I stand the cutting on that 1-2" plug and stuff more moss so the cutting stands straight, covering at least 2".  Then I put a mix of light soilless mix mixed with perlite and soil moist granules. They keep the humidity constant without letting it be waterlogged.    Then around the top goes more moss.  I always leave 1/4" sticking out.  I use the 10" bags and roll down the tops so I can reach the bottom and stuff the moss.   As I add more moss I unroll the bag.  When it's time to add the potting mix I unroll the bag up to the top of the cutting.

Dave, how do you get the rooted cuttings out of the sand?  How do you know when they're ready to come out?

I've had good luck #1 and #2.  I switched to using the stay fresh produce bags.   For me, the bags seem to make the difference.  The ones I use were from the dollar store.  There were about 8 bags in the package (the green  twist tie version works better). 

My primary method this year has been #3. I used baby bottle liners instead of plastic bags-they were readily available. However, with the total number of cuttings I worked with, I have also used cups. With one particular set of cuttings I reverted to just burying them in a pot of potting mix and letting them ride the winter outside.

[QUOTE]

"Dave, how do you get the rooted cuttings out of the sand?  How do you know when they're ready to come out?"

[/QUOTE] 
Trial and error mostly.  Once they have leafed out a little, asuming enough time has passed, I dig a circle around the cutting and then carefully lift it out using a hand trowel.  I have pulled two cuttings from the bin I started on January 1.  I have three more I will pull out next week, and several more I am waiting on.   Being outside, this method is a bit slower, since the temps so far this year have been between 30 and 60 or so.
 
The two I pulled out had pretty good root development.  You have to be careful though.  Those little roots are pretty fragil this early on.
 
I have others cupped in a perlite/potting soil mix, but again, for me...being slow and disorganized and not following directions very well...I seem to have better luck with the ones in the bin in just sand.  Also...the bin is so heavy being full of sand, I can't move it, so it's harder for me to damage them.  With cups...for me...they are constantly falling over and spilling their contents.
 
Low tech and cheap.  Two things I like a lot.

I do #2. i did #1 first and was as successfull but still got mold occasionally even though washed cuttings with cleaning solution, annoying to wrap and unwrap 60 cuttings checking for mold/replacing newspaper.
Its nice to be lazy and just throw the cuttings in the damp moss and forget about it until it roots. Only challenge i remember is just have to be careful removing rooted scions from the clingy moss, (hard also removing as there might be other scions with some roots in the same bag that you dont' want to remove yet).
Once rooted, I put in a plastic cup with drainage holes burned in bottom and sides with a soldering iron (I also first cut the cups in half so can easily transfer to gallon container later without breaking roots and rubber band the tops to keep the cups from breaking like so). I used to put that cup within another cup to avoid rubber band, but the holes wouldnt line up and get clogged/waterlogged too easily (not sure but you can see the cups within cups here). I used red cups around the plastic cups to avoid sun/light damaging the roots. It worked out well last year, had too many/90% cuttings root hehe.

" With cups...for me...they are constantly falling over and spilling their contents.

Low tech and cheap. Two things I like a lot."

Don't you just hate when that happens! This was my low tech/cheap solution to the problem....

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Quick-amp-Easy-9Pack-Tutorial-5684260

I bury my cups about 3/4 of the way in my raised bed garden.  I have only lost one this year, and it was a wee tiny twig.  

I swear on them '20J16' foam cups, and nobody will convince me otherwise...

Are those cups strong enough to use for more than one season Gorgi? Do they tend to deteriorate?

When my cuttings show enough root in the sphagnum, they go into two liter plastic soft drink bottles, with soil mix, holes in the bottom sides for drainage/air flow and the top cut so it acts as a humidity dome.  Seems to work and is a no cost option since I get all my bottles from friends or the garbage.

Grant
z5b
 

This is why I moss...with greater than 95% confidence usually within four weeks. The work is the next 12-24 months nurturing that pencil or sharpie with roots to an established vigorous tree that will yield fruit.

I'm new to fig rooting, but for my cuttings went with #4. I've rooted hundreds of roses, blueberries, etc and have many black plastic bands, so I used those. (see photo below - not mine, and obviously not a fig. :) ) 

I used a mix of half perlite, half planting mix.  And the bands with cuttings were placed in bins covered with plastic (opened daily). Since they are square, they pack nicely and are stable. The bins are in a warm room with a temperature range of the mid 60*F at night, up to about 80*F in the daytime on a warm day. No sun hits the boxes.

Assuming I get rooting, the downside is I won't be able to see what's happening unless I tip them out or am able see roots through the mostly open bottoms. But I also won't have to transplant anything until they are actively growing and ready to go into larger pots.

When the cuttings begin to leaf out and need light, I'll move them into covered bins outside in the shade. Warm Socal area here.

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