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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Is there an optimum humidity for rooting cuttings?
 
 


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alan7s

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
From the posts, it sounds like people are doing OK with quite a range of humidity
but I wonder if there is an amount in which figs would do best with; i.e., at
a given temperature - say 72 degrees. 
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John Alan
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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Not sure it there's an exact number to shoot for John but in our home it is 10% moisture this time of year.

What I look for is barely any consistent (day or evening) residual moisture on the bags we use to root it (new bag method) and we are better than 90% success on most varieties. We are using 1/2 perlite and 1/2 potting mix moistened lightly. The bags are held in a 1 gallon pot with a ziploc bag tented over them.

I air them out for a few minutes every 3 days or so, more if I see more than 25% condensation on the ziploc bag.

I usually do not water them for at least a month from the start and I let the condensation I see in the bag/tent be my guide so I do not overwater and kill the cutting. I use a squirt bottle to water as some cuttings need water and some do not.

Hope this helps.
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Vince Russo
Norwalk, CT Zone 7A

Wish list - Any cuttings of the Col de Dames would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
alan7s

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Thanks Vince, that's helpful.  I put a hygrometer in the tent and it reads 95%
but I am not watering; only misting and mix was lightly moist so didn't want
to cause a problem.
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John Alan
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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
if you have sufficient air volume, and change the air often enough, probably 60-70% is good. 10% is awful dry.
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rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
The good thing about Jon's new bag method is that you don't need a humidity tent and so as the buds break they do so in to room air and don't need a transitional adaptation period.  It's that transitional period where a lot of people lose cuttings.
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Zone 6, MO

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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.
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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
We go through a lot of Chapstick this time of year. John I'd drop that % down also as 95% may be inviting mold.
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Vince Russo
Norwalk, CT Zone 7A

Wish list - Any cuttings of the Col de Dames would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
alan7s

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
OK thanks, I'll try for the 60 - 70%  but it seems to me your numbers must be right up
there under the bags.......no?

By transition period you mean taking the bag off and moving the plant into light once there are leaves ?
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John Alan
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rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
You have plastic covering the whole group of baggies.  If you let that stay as leaves grow in to it the stomatae will not develop the strength needed to close.  If you take off the plastic covering the group of bags and leave it off you risk the leaves drying out because the stomatae can't close.  So you have to either mist the leaves as they transition from high to low humidity or leave the bag off for increasing times but replace it so the leaves don't dry out.  That's how you transition them.  If you never have plastic covering the baggies that will not be an issue.
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Zone 6, MO

Wish list:
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.
strudeldog

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Bob,

I thought you were giving my word of the day to learn, but when I googled stomatae I am still not sure. Are you refering to stomata? Which is a new word for me as well so I guess still learned a word.
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Phil N.GA. Zone 7 Looking for: De La Reina, Del La Senyora, Martinenca Rimada, Parfum De Cafards, Ponte Tresa,  Sangue Dulce, Emalyn's Purple, and on and on
rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Stoma is the pore or opening.  Stomata is a complex consisting of the pore and the guard cells around it that open and close it.  Plural of the Greek, "stomata" may be "stomatae".  There are many on most land plant leaves so I use the plural.  However some words are plural and singular.  So Stomatae may be incorrect and stomata may refer to one or many.  I'm just doing my best.  :)
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Zone 6, MO

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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.
ascpete

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
John,
Just noticed this Topic today. I measured the humidity in my ziplock bags (Sphagnum moss). At 78 Deg F it was 85% Relative humidity. The instrument has a sensitivity of plus or minus 2% (83-87% RH). Inside the bag were cuttings with good root growth and 1 or 2 healthy leaves each. The bags are currently in a dark heated cabinet. Hope this helps. They are opened every 2-3 days for fresh air and inspection.
alan7s

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Pete;   Yes, very helpful as mine is reading 85% and wasn't sure if mold would
start but everything seems fine so far.  How large could the leaves get on those
cuttings before you would need to get them into light?  I have a few with tiny leaves
but still in the dark.  Don't know if there are roots yet.

Thanks
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John Alan
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ascpete

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
I typically cup when roots are visible (1/4 inch) and the bottom end has started to callus. These cuttings are actually part of a test. They had been in an unheated room (45-65 deg F) for 2 months in Sphagnum Moss, I  placed them in the 75-80 deg F. rooting cabinet 9 days ago, They had not grown mold in that entire time.

I usually cup the cuttings once I get callus formation and use "humidity domes" for only 2 additional weeks (at 75 deg F) then introduce the cutting to a south facing widow at room temperature. By that time there is visible root growth in the 16oz clear cups. That usually takes 4-5 weeks.
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