Although I prefer large and thick cuttings I do get excellent rooting results with very small green cuttings. Last year I rooted several 'toothpick-cuttings' from a young Precose Ronde de Bordeaux fig (in January). They were tiny ground-shoots sprouting from a one-year-old plant. In the summer the rooted toothpicks grew really fast. I think I may expect my first 'toothpick-figs' in the next growing season! 

Regards!
   

Vijgenboom
Holland (Europe)
Zone 8 (quite cool summers, wet winters)

Very nice growth for such a tiny stick!  You may have had a head start since it looks like it was a sucker with tiny roots to begin with.

I have had success with thin cuttings (and single node cuttings) but I found they needed extra care to make it since they don't have the stored energy to overcome challenges and they seem to grow slower the 1st year. 

The roots developed in a glass of water in this particular cutting. In my opinion the rooting  methode in a bag with peat moss works better, also for the 'toothpick-cuttings'. After rooting I put the tiny cuttings in a mixture of potig soil and vermiculite. I then put them in indirect light in the window sill.

I agree with Pino, I think that centre of heartwood stored energy, Thin cuttings mean that limited energy stored in heartwood area to overcome challenges to grow.

It is very hard to get cuttings here, I am able to get some thin dry cuttings, like Lauretta,Improved Celeste, Osborne Prolific, Black Mission, I use basic bag method, My house was water leak by previous owner with high mold counts in air, it means that it will be high failure rate with cuttings.

so it is amazing that  Vijgenboom 's   toothpick cuttings, it grow well, great job!

 

Hi Ricky,

not all varieties root as well as the Precose Ronde de Bordeaux. They root fast, they grow fast and they are very resistent to cold. A good choice for colder climates like mine…

I will start a rooting experiment today with 8 very small cuttings (Precose Ronde de Bordeaux) in a peat moss bag… Let's see how many will get roots and how many will make it to fruitbearing trees.

 

Vijgenboom

By the way, I have noticed that the 'toothpick' itself doesn't grow well. The new stem comes from a node below the ground surface and has probably been forming roots of it's own to ensure a steady and larger flow of water and nutrients. 
So I guess it's important to bury at least one node below the soil line...

I think that you are right, more node below soil line mean more roots, and more reserved energy in heartwood to grow roots and leaves to ensure steady grow.

good luck for your thin small cuttings, Hope to see it grow and produces some sweet figs.

good job -- hte only one I haven't gotten to root so far was a skinny RdB -- everything else that was thicker I got to root without too much trouble!

Another variety doing well as a toothpick cutting: Verdino.
This variety is widespread in Tuscany, Italy and in cultivation for over 1000 years in the region around Florence.

   

Looks cool. I have never rooted anything like this. Could you please take a couple seconds to detail the method(s) that are most likely to lead to success.  I have a little Alma that got some root rot. I am trying save it, but I may take some little cuttings like this from it, and then try to save the main portion. Any help is much appreciated. 

THANKS!

Hi Supermario,
this particular Verdino cutting rooted in a plastic bag with moist peat moss in about 3 weeks. I think the peat moss method works best with these tiny cuttings. I put them in a mixture of potting soil and vermiculite when the roots are still small because I guess there are not many stored nutrients for the new roots in the little cutting, so the cuttings have to start photosynthesis earlier than larger cuttings in order to survive. 

Regards,
vijgenboom

I have had success with a couple of slightly thicker than toothpick cuttings. Iwas anazed that they survived and one has roots. But they do require much more care. I rooted mine in perlight. I did feed them worm tea, which Im sure helped. I have also had success with a couple of one node cuttings, which I have grown, one in perlite and the other in soil. Again they required a lot of help and it took a LONG time (8 wks) but its doable! The reason I had one node cuttings is because I had to salvage some of my early cuttings when they got moldy. Im still learning...and salvaging! I can post pics later...

My slightly thicker than atoothpick rooted cuttings! It took a long time to root but its doing good so far.

Almost two months later my Verdino toothpick cutting has put out three leaves. Obviously, it is not in a hurry...
Meanwhile the motherplant is preparing a nice breba crop!

 
 

Wow, good job!!

That last picture is fantastic!  Thank you for sharing!

Hi Vijgenboom,

Thought I share with you my Verdino cutting journey, I obtained it from a friend and he gave me two tiny Verdino cuttings. I didn't expect for it to root as well.  
   

The Verdino cutting now have grown to 5 foot height now, and throwing off large sized leaves! Who would have thought 7 months ago, it came from a tiny twig smaller than my thumb!  

Wow, the original cutting looked like an undersized asparagus shoot.

Nice work.


Andrew

Awesome looking leaves. Nice job.

This is so cool! thanks or sharing.