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AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
For the first time I will be rooting a large amount of cuttings (thousands). I want to root them in perlite but I'm not sure what my best option is for buying perlite in bulk. Any suggestions????
chucklikestofish

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AGM
For the first time I will be rooting a large amount of cuttings (thousands). I want to root them in perlite but I'm not sure what my best option is for buying perlite in bulk. Any suggestions????
~i get it at agway a huge bag for 14.00 any farm supply shop should have it, garden center, or feed store maybe
~
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RunsSlow

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Whittemore can provide it to you in 75 cu ft bags (tall pallet size), out of Mass.

sales@whittemoreco.com

Likewise, the west coast gets it through Supreme Perlite out of Portland, OR.
ADelmanto

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Many have posted here about rooting in straight perlite. I would encourage you do do your research before rooting all of those the same way.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/starting-figs-in-promix-6692131?highlight=stuewe&trail=25

Welcome to the Forum. Are you new to figs?
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tsparozi

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
You can get 4cu ft bags on amazon with free shipping for about $24.00...

https://www.amazon.com/PVP-Industries-Pro4CU105408-Horticultural-Perlite/dp/B0094F1RLI?SubscriptionId=AKIAJO7E5OLQ67NVPFZA&ascsubtag=812209150-16-1263514208.1482960182&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0094F1RLI&linkCode=xm2&tag=d_2b_a_o-20
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Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
I get mine in 4 cu' bags from whatever hydroponics store will give it to me the cheapest.  You have to carefully blow or rinse away all the fine particles. I use #3 or 4 perlite, not the much smaller coarse stuff.  I also sprinkle some peat moss over the top.
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Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ADelmanto
Many have posted here about rooting in straight perlite. I would encourage you do do your research before rooting all of those the same way.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/starting-figs-in-promix-6692131?highlight=stuewe&trail=25

Welcome to the Forum. Are you new to figs?


I am new to figs. I have a friend who is not brand new who rooted his cuttings (nearly 2k of them) in charcoal and he had very good results. He rooted them in charcoal mounds outside and left them through the winter until late spring and then planted them directly into the soil. I'm not sure I have time to make the charcoal since I will have the cuttings in couple short weeks. He suggested putting the cuttings in perlite mounds with a row cover over the mounds. I will have too many cuttings (thousands) to follow many steps. I need something simple that involves very few steps.
AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I should say I am new to rooting cuttings. I do have a fig orchard with about 85 fig trees currently producing.
tsparozi

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AGM
I will have too many cuttings (thousands) to follow many steps. I need something simple that involves very few steps.


What the heck? Thousands of cuttings? That kind of takes you out of the hobbiest category... no? Not possible to take care of THOUSANDS of cuttings rooting and the subsequent up potting requirements without it being a full time job.... Welcome to the Figs for FUN forum....
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Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsparozi


What the heck? Thousands of cuttings? That kind of takes you out of the hobbiest category... no? Not possible to take care of THOUSANDS of cuttings rooting and the subsequent up potting requirements without it being a full time job.... Welcome to the Figs for FUN forum....


Lol! Yes, thank you! Go big or go home I guess. I appreciate the warm welcomes. Figs are a blessing
cjccmc

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
I got mine from HD, but a seller on Craigs List in my area offers it for about half what I paid.
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fignut

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
If you are not committed to using perlite, you might want to consider sharp sand - the type used in making concrete.  It drains very well, but stays moist enough - not having to be watered more than twice a day, even under hot windy conditions.  It also anchors the cuttings well as it packs tighter than perlite, and you won't have to deal with the dust associated with perlite.  I bought a large bag - I believe it was 4 cu. ft. - of perlite, and just trying to wet down a couple of quarts results in clouds of very fine dust that can cause lung problems.  We had a pile of sharp sand delivered, and use it for most of our cuttings.  It has worked very well.
KK

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
I get mine from Levitt's in North Jersey. Last summer 4 cf bags were going for $16, even cheaper for a registered contractor. The bag says Super Coarse but it's really not too much bigger than standard stuff
tsparozi

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
@KK ... 4cf for $16 is a great price... Where in North jersey is Levitt's? Is that levitt's landscaping supply at: 621 Edwards Rd, Parsippany, NJ 07054 I think that I am on my 6th or 7th 4CF bag bought on Amazon.... I have been using it for mixing grow media for my garden as well as all my container plants, persimmon, hibiscus, mandevilla trees and cuttings as well so it goes pretty quickly....
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Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
KK

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsparozi
@KK ... 4cf for $16 is a great price... Where in North jersey is Levitt's? Is that levitt's landscaping supply at: 621 Edwards Rd, Parsippany, NJ 07054 I think that I am on my 6th or 7th 4CF bag bought on Amazon.... I have been using it for mixing grow media for my garden as well as all my container plants, persimmon, hibiscus, mandevilla trees and cuttings as well so it goes pretty quickly....


These Guys http://www.levittsllc.com/index.php  That tall guy on the first page needs to improve his people skills. I also get my Pro Mix there, they only carry BX. They bring it to my car and put it in the trunk. I have a huge trunk, I can fit 2 bales of pro-mix and a bag of perlite and still closes.
tsparozi

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
@KK ... Thank you... if the prices are that good, I might make a run down there and get pro mix and perlite and fill my Ram 1500 with it...
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Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
ADelmanto

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
AGM where in the world are you? Advice on getting perlite in North Jersey will not help you in N California. I easily had 2500-3000 cuttings myself this year. It sounds like you are trying to over winter them outside so you must be some place warm. With that many cuttings I'm assuming you want to sell them at some point. Why not start them in 1 gallon pots and get the pots in a hoop house now?
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AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
@ADelmanto I am in southern Oklahoma. 3hrs north of Dallas. It can get pretty cold here occasionally. I am considering rooting them in coarse sand as @fignut suggested. I will probably use a few different outdoor methods rather than putting all my eggs in one basket. I will most likely put a third or more of them in charcoal mounds as my friend did last year. He lives in the same area as me and out of nearly 2k cuttings he only lost a few of them. I am open to any suggestions/council. My friend didn't have to do any maintenance whatsoever rooting in the charcoal mounds. He just let them be until late spring.
tsparozi

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
"I easily had 2500-3000 cuttings myself this year"

Wow Aaron! I am amazed and awed. That is not a small number of cuttings! How the heck does one person manage such an undertaking? I am watching the threads documenting James "Greenfin" managing his undertaking on F4F and it seems that his efforts are just confirming my own thinking that that is a full time job to go through the end to end process.... Where does one put 3000 1 gallon figs after up potting? My pantry won't hold that many...   :-)
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Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
ADelmanto

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
Tsparozi Believe me, neither does mine. I am a landscaper and have access to new unknowns all the time. Most people are happy to have me come in and prune back their unruly tree. Here they grow as multi trunked large bushes. I sold 600 cuttings to a local nursery who will be growing 6 varieties next year. The others I sold here, and the last few I have up on eBay. I only keep a few of each variety to grow myself. Still, I have about a hundred cuttings in the fridge.

You can get about 100 cuttings into a 2 Gallon Ziplock bag. 2 bags side by side in a Rubbermaid tote. 4 layers high that's 800 cuttings. 4 totes is 3200 cuttings. If you had a cool but not freezing garage they would store all winter in there. Or you could stack them all in a second fridge for the winter.

AGM what is the plan after the winter?
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AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
Planting them in backyard nursery. Expanding my current fig orchard with some of them and selling the rest. Should have nearly 20 varieties. My orchard now currently consists of 15 varieties.
AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #22 
How long will cuttings store in fridge for??
AGM

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Posted Reply with quote  #23 
When storing in fridge, do you wrap them in damp paper towel inside zip bag or do you just put them in zip bag?
ADelmanto

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Posted Reply with quote  #24 
Don't kid yourself. This is a lot of work. I knew that from your first post. I want you to be successful at this so this is what I would do.

Cut into whatever length you want. 3 nodes is all you need but it can be more. 6-10" is perfect. Wash with water and dunk in a 10% Clorox solution to kill any bacteria or mold. (This is necessary for storage). Allow to air dry completely. Do not wash off Clorox solution. Cuttings can easily last 6 months or more in storage.

New cuttings will "sweat". They will give off their own humidity in the fridge. I wrap 3 cuttings per dry paper towel and then stuff in the Ziplock bags. Without the paper towel there will be too much condensation inside of the paper towel.

In the spring you can start them however you like.
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