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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > 60+yr old tree, unknown variety. Any thoughts?
 
 


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jenn42

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I have been waiting for a long while to get cuttings from this tree that has been in the family for 60+ years. It was my great-great-great grandparents tree. It is located in Arkansas unprotected. I was soo darn excited when my mom told me she got some cuttings, I could not wait. Yes Jenn, I got you 8 cuttings. She cut them yesterday morning, wrapped them in a wet paper towel in a zip lock.

She got here to Texas late yesterday evening. To my dismay they are tip cuttings. All the leaves were wilted. I immediately put them in water & cut off all the leaves as they were wilted pretty bad. They are still sitting in water. Is it even possible for them to root?

I was only able to get one leaf pic. My grandma said the earlier figs were much larger than the one pictured. Any ideas on what variety it might be? The pic of the fig only was very ripe & tasted of something like a melon berry. Not too sweet, no seed crunch, thin skin. The fig in the pic with the leaf was not as ripe. I didn't get a very good pic of the outside of the fig (stupid camera phone). I am attaching pics of the fig, leaf & mother tree.

Thanks for any help you might be able to provide!

Attached Images
jpeg 20140906_182710.jpg (549.25 KB, 115 views)
jpeg 20140906_182730.jpg (594.08 KB, 121 views)
jpeg 20140906_183003.jpg (531.74 KB, 125 views)
jpeg Kirchoff_fig_tree.jpg (359.39 KB, 118 views)


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Jenn
Austin, TX Zone 8b

Wish List: CDD, Bryant-Dark Unknown, Red Lebanese, ORoarke, Calvert

Will hopefully have cuttings to trade next year as my yearlings mature

MichaelTucson

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenn
Is it even possible for them to root? 

Yes, it's possible to get them to root.  There are a couple of people here who have posted good techniques for rooting green cuttings.  I think ascpete was one of them, and he's good.  A couple of others too.  I've done it on occasion as well.  The way it worked for me was this:  I cut the outer half of the leaves off.  (If they're already too wilted, just take that whole leaf off).  Then I put the cutting in soil that drained well very well in a 1 gallon pot, with a few inches above the soil. Then I soaked the soil with clean water.  Then I took a white plastic bag and covered the entire pot, tucking it under the edges (but NOT covering the drain hole).  I put the covered pot in the shade.  You could put it any place warm but not too hot (I would avoid direct sun -- you don't want to cook that cutting -- I would say outside in the shade but I don't really know how hot it is in Austin in September -- 70's would be good).  This worked for me.  <EDIT> I left off a few important points.  1. Do put them where they'll get some light.  If there are any leaves or half leaves at all, you want them to gather some energy.  And whenever it starts making new leaves, they'll need some light. Some light, but not direct sun.  (The white bag rather than clear helps to filter it a bit, but put it in shade, not direct sunlight).   2.  Do make sure that the soil can drain... controlling the moisture is important  (too much and they'll rot... too little and they'll wilt and dry out).  3. Open the bag every day or two to let it "air out" with some fresh air. </EDIT>  

But again, there are a few other members here who have done a lot more with green cuttings... you can search on "rooting green cuttings" and maybe find them.  (I'll take a look as well... I also remember seeing a few spurious-looking posts from people who didn't have much experience... if I locate a good one I'll link it in another post here, but go ahead and search for yourself as well).  

Good luck Jenn... sounds great that you've got cuttings from your family's heirloom tree.

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a
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pitangadiego

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
My $$ says Celeste.
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Grasa

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Jenn, anyway you can have them dug up an sucker with roots or set up an airlayer?    I have been lucky rooting the green cuttings of my own tree. I plant them in the soil, with very little exposed to the air. cover with a bottle with no bottom and keep it under filtered light (under the tree). some died back completely, but new shoots are coming up from the ground. So, even if yours seem dead, continue to treat it normally, maybe it makes a came back.  good luck .
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james

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Bass has a technique for rooting summer cuttings on his website.  It works for me.
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In containers - Littleton, CO (zone 5b)
In ground - N.E of Austin, TX (zone 8b) 

2016 Wish List:  Dārk Pōrtuguese, Grānthāms Royāl, Lātarolla, Negrettā, Nōire de Bārbentāne, Rockāway Green, Viōlet Sepōr, Viōlette Dāuphine.  Iranian figs are always welcome.
jdsfrance

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Hi Jenn42,
Remove all leaves except the last two . Put 2/3 weeks in a bottle of water - changing the water every other day in a shady spot but not in darkness.
Then put in moist dark compost from nurseries during one month (keep water in the plate under the pot ) in a greenhouse. Avoid windy and cold spots as wind and cold desiccate cuttings .
Keep babying the cuttings and when they show stress of too much water ( yellowishing leaves) then progressively treat as trees by giving less water each day.

Do you have hardened (brown) wood attached to the cuttings or just really green wood ?
My method works for both .
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ediblelandscapingsc

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
The earlier figs where Breba figs meaning figs on last years growth the main crop figs are grown on new wood most often they are different in size. Any chance we could get a picture of the whole fig before cut?  for rooting softwood cuttings the 2 liter bottle trick works great [0823091316417]
 use a good potting soil with a little sand and fill a 1 gallon pot 1 inch from the top with the potting soil mix. water the pots, make sure the growing media is damp but not mud. remove all the leaves except the top 2 and cut them in half. a rooting hormone be it a powder, gel, or honey helps your chances of rooting so dip the bottom 2 inches of the cuttings in hormone if possible. make a hole in the center of the pot with a pen and stick your cutting in the hole. firm the soil around the cutting and place a 2 litter bottle with the bottom removed over the cutting. This acts as a mini greenhouse with extremely high humidity the leaves should not touch the edge of the 2 liter or mold will be an issue. place in highly filtered sunlight or under a CFL or FL light. in about 3 weeks new growth will form and it's time to loosen the cap just enough to break the airtight seal. a week later give it a half turn looser.  a week after that remove the cap from the bottle. watch it for the first 24 hours if looking wilted replace the cap ASAP and try again the following week.  after a week or so with no cap remove the bottle. if it looks wilted replace the bottle and try again next week. the total time for a small plant with self supporting roots is anywhere from 6-9 weeks. good luck
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jenn42

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Thank you all! I cut off all the leaves. They were already wilted too bad, so there are no leaves. I still have them in water. I will get them into gallon pots tomorrow. I would say the 2-3"on the end is green & the rest (5" maybe) is woody looking. All are pencil thin tip cuttings. I will attach a pic of the fig before cutting, buy the color didn't come out right. It wasn't as dark as the pic shows.

I was guessing it was probably a Celeste also but I didn't think the leaves matched and it wasn't very sweet.

Attached Images
jpeg 20140906_182633.jpg (554.85 KB, 27 views)


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Jenn
Austin, TX Zone 8b

Wish List: CDD, Bryant-Dark Unknown, Red Lebanese, ORoarke, Calvert

Will hopefully have cuttings to trade next year as my yearlings mature

drphil69

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
With quite a few cuttings I think you have a good chance.  Spread them around different methods for better odds, IMO.
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Phil - Zone 7A - Newark, DE Newbie fig lover just trying to learn.
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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Wow, my cuttings take less, I just put them in ground with no leaves and they sart leafing after 3 weeks. I just peal the bark that goes under the soil and reveal green under the bark.
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DonCentralTexas

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Score!  

Just for encouragement, I have found green cuttings rooted faster, and a much higher success rate than when I did dormant cuttings.  I keep them in a humidity bin in clear cups of sifted moist perilite until I see roots.  

70's in September, haha, this has been a cool summer for us, today's high is 96.

Good Luck!
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Don  (Near Austin, TX zone 8b)

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ediblelandscapingsc

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Jon was right Celeste is the name of your fig.  Celeste is very sweet when it gets ripe and not overwatered . So sweet it goes by the name Sugar fig in some parts of the south. 
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snaglpus

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
100% Celeste.
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Dennis
Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a 
jenn42

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Celeste it is. I wonder why it wasn't sweet. Anyways I'm very thankful for everyone's help in identifying this fig! And thank you for the rooting suggestions also! My fingers are crossed that I don't mess it up & can keep this one in the family! If I get any more cuttings when it goes dormant I will gladly share (don't know if anyone wants more Celeste lol) but I'd be more than happy to share =)
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Jenn
Austin, TX Zone 8b

Wish List: CDD, Bryant-Dark Unknown, Red Lebanese, ORoarke, Calvert

Will hopefully have cuttings to trade next year as my yearlings mature
SoniSoni

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
That's a very special fig.  I wish someone had thought to preserve my family fig.  I wish you have great luck.   Please let us know WHEN they take.  I jsut know they will.


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Joe_Athens1945

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pitangadiego
My $$ says Celeste.
ditto!
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