propagating in bags questions and problems...

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Hortstu

Registered:1350422638
Posts: 108

Posted 1397685812	Reply with quote #1

So I've been away for awhile, haven't had much time for figs since the storm displaced us and I lost all the small trees I had. Anyway I'm back and I have some sticks I've taken from a friends fig. I wanted to try the method in the propagation section on the main page. I used approx 8" figs 5-6 per bundle wrapped in slightly moist paper towel with about an inch sticking out the bottom. Here I am about 10 days later and I've got some stink a bit of mildew/mold and some rot. Since I don't have any figs handy to make another attempt I cleaned everything well with food grade hydrogen peroxide and rewrapped them in new towels. I assume it was too wet in the bag? Can anyone get a little more specific about the moisture level? Should I leave the bag open and give a little water everyday? What can I do to get more success? Any tips will be appreciated. __________________ Mike Zone 7a coastal nj

brianm

Registered:1389664758
Posts: 971

Posted 1397687420	Reply with quote #2

To wet to warm no air. Those are the recipes for mold. Make sure your cuttings are very clean before propagating and everything is sterile. Your paper towel needs to be ringed out really good and barely feel any moisture. Put in dark area that doesn't get to hot. Open cuttings every few days to ventilate.could take a week or a month to root. __________________ Wish list: Galicia Negra,UC Davis Black Ischia, Maltese Raven

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1397689281	Reply with quote #3

See my thread "twigs to figs..."

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1397692538	Reply with quote #4

ziploc bag and paper towel is about the simplest way to root the cuttings. but you need to keep an eye on things daily. first, the paper towel should be wrung out to a point it's just moist. if it's wet.. there is a chance cuttings will mold. second, you should air out the cuttings every day or two. no fresh air will cause mold. third, the room temp or where ever you keep the cuttings should be around 75-80 degrees. move the cutting as soon as you have roots. leave it in the baggie too long and the things will rot or dry out. i know it shouldn't dry out, it's a closed system. but you are airing it out daily and the paper towel is not holding much water. soon, thing will dry out. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

eboone

Registered:1378418906
Posts: 1,100

Posted 1397704188	Reply with quote #5

Another thing that can cause rot that fast is dead or damaged cuttings-mold can attack them very quickly. Was your friend's tree outside in the nasty winter and could the cuttings you have been damaged by cold and/or wind? __________________ Ed Zone 6A - Southwest PA --------------------------- Short wish list: CDDG, LSU Red, Dark Greek (Navid), Col Littman's Black Cross. And any cold hardy early fig.

hoosierbanana

Registered:1287901146
Posts: 2,186

Posted 1397704916	Reply with quote #6

When you see condensation in the bag it is probably best to take them out, dry the inside of the bag, and rewrap with freshly squeezed paper. Newspaper takes longer to mildew IME than paper towels. __________________ 7a, DE

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1397747225	Reply with quote #7

Hi Hortstu, Didn't the tree of your friend have a sucker available ? Remember spring is here ! For the cuttings I would put half of them outside in a deep pot or in the dirt and water every two days - no gnats - no too much moist - mix will dry better ... Plant them by leaving 1 cm ouside of dirt. As for rooting inside, the temp is the hardest parameter to master - here at least, we swing every day - day warm - day cold - Inside air keeps too moist, keeping dirt too moist - ... Perfect conditions for loosing the cuttings :( . The choice is yours :) __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1397748247	Reply with quote #8

i don't care for the suckers. they suck energy off main tree. i usually get rid of them as soon as possible. VdB and White Greek has suckers coming off already. need to cut them off today. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

Hortstu

Registered:1350422638
Posts: 108

Posted 1397765649	Reply with quote #9

Quote: Originally Posted by brianm Make sure your cuttings are very clean before propagating and everything is sterile. How do you clean/ sterilize the cuttings? Quote: Originally Posted by eboone Another thing that can cause rot that fast is dead or damaged cuttings-mold can attack them very quickly. Was your friend's tree outside in the nasty winter and could the cuttings you have been damaged by cold and/or wind? Yes the tree was outside. They might have been damaged but I didn't notice anything obvious. I'm going to get some more cuts this weekend, but I'm still attempting to root the ones that started to mold. Thank you everyone for all the input. I appreciate every post. __________________ Mike Zone 7a coastal nj

Hortstu

Registered:1350422638
Posts: 108

Posted 1397765790	Reply with quote #10

Quote: Originally Posted by RichinNJ See my thread "twigs to figs..." I searched "twigs to figs" but got 8 posts that didn't look related. Do you have a link handy? __________________ Mike Zone 7a coastal nj

Rewton

Registered:1291943117
Posts: 1,946

Posted 1397767914	Reply with quote #11

I also wonder if your cuttings were taken off of a cold-damaged tree. If you have access to the tree you might consider an air-layer at this point. __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

Hortstu

Registered:1350422638
Posts: 108

Posted 1397879052	Reply with quote #12

Sorry to bumb this but I'm dying to know how you "clean" your cuttings before rooting them, as brianm mentioned... __________________ Mike Zone 7a coastal nj

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1397879387	Reply with quote #13

cleaning the cutting can be as simple as washing it under the running water.. or going all the way and scrubbing with anti bacterial soap using old tooth brush and soaking it in bleach solution, sealing both end with wax all under antiseptic environment. it depends on the condition of the cutting for me. usually if it's super clean as in they were already washed before getting to me, i'll just start rooting it after slicing top and bottom. if the cutting is not cleaned, i would wash using anti bacterial soap and a toothbrush. very old or damaged cuttings will mold and rot super quick. washing it won't help at all. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

brianm

Registered:1389664758
Posts: 971

Posted 1397879872	Reply with quote #14

What Pete said lol __________________ Wish list: Galicia Negra,UC Davis Black Ischia, Maltese Raven

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