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Storing fig cuttings using a Vacuum food sealer !

Hello all , I was thinking to store my fig cuttings using a Vacuum food sealer !
has anyone of you used it before ?
please advice me . 
Thank You -font-b-Portable-b-font-font-b-vacuum-b-font-font-b-food-b-font.jpg 


Hello Baghdad
I've never done it but I don't think it's a good idea since it takes all the air out.
Vito

I do.

Dennis did you noticed any difference ? 

Sounds like a great Idea! I have a Foodsaver so I may try it! Thanks..:)

yes, the cuttings are 10x fresher and can last longer than 1 year.  I made a comment about this in one of my post weeks ago.  Just don't go cheap and get that Zip lock Hand pump.  That thing does work but temporarily!!!!  Bite the bullet and get the Zip Lock Vacuum Seal System.  I paid 40 bucks for mine at walmart.  Even cuttings wrapped in plastic wrap doesn't last long.  Air and mold will hit that cutting wrapped in plastic but not if its vacuum sealed.

Amazing, I would have thought that the vacuum negative pressure would cause the cuttings to lose some moisture and over time kill them. Who knew!

This post is a little off topic.

Foodsaver makes an accessory that allows you to vacuum-seal canning jars.  I store cutting that way.  The jars are superior to plastic bags in many ways.  Glass is impermeable and will maintain a vacuum seal for many years.  Plastic is permeable and easily damaged by sharp or pointed edges on the objects (like sticks) that you seal in bags.  Glass jars can be reused almost indefinitely. The down side is that they are bulky.  You have to make sure to get the right attachment.  Canning jars come in wide-mouth and narrow-mouth versions (and at least 10 different shapes and volumes).  Wide-mouth jars are more versatile and require the wide-mouth attachment.

Because of the amount of material required to  seal the plastic bags, the bag gets smaller and smaller each time you use it...and then you throw it away...if it hasn't already been punctured.  However, there is a hack that allows you to use ordinary ziplock bags and heat-seal them.  They are a lot cheaper than the Foodsaver bag material and the freezer bags will maintain a seal fairly well.

I have been using the attachment for about 15 years for leftover seeds.  It is great for extending the refrigerated life of things like dairy products (like that half-used container of sour cream in the back of the refrigerator) salad greens and herbs.  I grind my own grains, so I buy in bulk and store the whole grain in half-gallon jars.  When vacuum-sealed in jars, things like WHOLE grains, dried beans, pasta, even chocolate will remain fresh for several years without refrigeration, if that is your goal. Powdery substances like flour or finely ground spices are NOT a good candidate for sealing in jars.  Because of the way the unit operates, particles are drawn out between the jar and the lid, leaving a fine residue on the rim of the jar.  As a result, the seal fails in a fairly short time.

Don't be sucked in by the plastic storage containers offered by the manufacturer.  They eventually develop cracks and won't hold a seal...and they are expensive for what they are.

If you don't yet have a vacuum-sealing unit and want to purchase one, I strongly recommend that you buy a unit that has an accessory hose, without it, you can't use the jar attachment and are losing a valuable storage alternative.  It is also important that you purchase replacement seals and hose at the same time.  They will be unavailable once the unit is discontinued and Foodsaver won't offer tech support.  Planned obsolescence.  Foodsaver is now owned by Jarden which also owns Ball, Kerr and Bernarden canning jars.
 
The good news is that although the sealing element usually fails in 1-2 years, the vacuuming function usually works for a long time.  I've tried several brands of sealers.  All of them fail.  From my experience, Foodsaver is less bad than the others.

If you don't want to invest in a Foodsaver and only want to seal a few things, there is a very recent product that I have been testing for 3 months. It is called ThriftyVac. 
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GX26U8K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It is nothing more than a canning jar lid with a valve in it.  Interestingly enough, it works with some commercial food jars and a couple of styles of Weck (German) canning jars.  So far, it has maintained a seal for 3 months.

There are dozens, maybe hundreds of hacks for vacuuming-sealing available, some better than others.  You can turn a bicycle pump or brake bleeder into a vacuum pump and use the jar sealer attachment.  With a little adaptation, you can reuse pickle and other types of food jars as long as they have a "soft-seal" lid.

End of commercial.

C.J.

wow thats so amazing !! I'm buying one today for sure and storing all my cuttings.
Thank you All 

I have used " Glad cling wrap " to store for 2 week no refrigeration, they staid very fresh. Could this work for fridge??

I can vouch for the FoodSaver brand, I have had mine for around a decade and it works like day one despite my constant abuse of it. 

Dennis,  Do you treat or prepare you cutting for vacuum storage other than washing and drying them?

C.J.

Mario-1
I have used Glad cling wrap for cuttings (tightly wrapped) from my own fig plants and then placed in bubble bag for storing in the fridge for 10 months and found them viable for successful rooting.

I found this post to be very interesting. I just want to hear from others on any hacks they may know about using regular plastic bags to use with a FoodSaver.

Ive had my FoodSaver for 25 years...yup, same original one! It has always worked well for me for everything from pickling jalapeƱos, lemons, olives to storing spaghetti for camping and more! It has always, always worked great! But, i have never stored fig cuttings or any cuttings, for that matter, so I would really like to give it a try.

Here is what im thinking about... i may not be able to buy the same type of plastic for my current machine (does it still exist?) or, it may be too expensive so i want to see what other options I may have to again use my FoodSaver instead having to buy another one.

Thanks for your opinion/ideas about using other bags for FoodSaver.

I have thought about doing this before but I thought those units were a couple hundred bucks then bags.

If there is airspace in a bag of cuttings when you put them in the fridge a layer of condensation forms on the inside of the bag and then collects in pools and dropets. Then the air inside the bag is dry and absorbs moisture from the cuttings, if the temperature changes it will condense again...

So getting rid of the airspace is the best way to keep cuttings fresh and rot free.

Found one on ebay, a black and decker for 40 bucks.

Sounds like a good idea.....

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  • sal

Sorry I didn't get to take pictures but I did get to Vacuum seal mine. It's incredible how good it worked.

Quote:
Originally Posted by garden_whisperer
Found one on ebay, a black and decker for 40 bucks.


Im sure it will do a great job. And, you're likely to find bags for it much easier!

Quote:
Originally Posted by sal
Sorry I didn't get to take pictures but I did get to Vacuum seal mine. It's incredible how good it worked.


I didnt get to vacummn seal my cuttings today. I had to clean out my worm bin to separate all the castings & put new bedding for winter. This took a while. I also had to transplant some kiwis (and other plants)...will be putting up a kiwi trellis soon!

I hope to remember to take pics when i seal my cuttings. Will post if i do.

Can anyone update this thread on how well this works? Success rate?

Do you still refrigerate after sealing?

And by "refrigerate", they are kept above freezing?

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