I figured I would start a new thread to get ready for 2015. The figs in the greenhouse are going dormant, although the Barnisotte, Flanders, and Black Ischia in the corner where the sun hits first thing in the morning are still hanging on. I have started a few cuttings I received from trades and off ebay:
Col de Dame Grise
Col de Dame Noir
Ventura (rotted)
Violette Soleis
Izbat an Naj
Black Madeira (from my mother tree)
Bourjasette Grise (3 molded/rotted)
Paradiso Bronze (molded/rotted)
Ronde de Bordeaux (from my mother tree)
Malta Black
Maltese Falcon
Maltese Beauty (dried out)
Sodus Sicilian (my mother tree)
Marseilles Black VS
Longue D aout
Noir de Barbentane
Nero 600M (my mother tree)
There are a few more varieties I have my eye on as well, but have been well out of my price range so far on ebay.
johnnyq627
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I am trying a few different methods of rooting this year:
Cuttings straight into perlite
Cuttings straight into 75% perlite 25% peat
Rooted in sphagnum then placed in 75/25
So far, I feel the 100% perlite is too unforgiving and dries out too easily if I am not paying attention. So far the only cuttings I have lost were in 100% perlite. They were all Bourjasette Grise, so it could have just been the variety or their health. They dried up and then molded.
It was from last year's UCD order. It took a long time to root and then put out a few sickly leaves and stopped growing indoors. I kinda gave up on it and then when the greenhouse was put up, I moved it out there. It has grown a bit, but extremely slowly.
I also have two figs traded to me by a F4F member:
Lake Spur
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2014Dec20/IMAG2214.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2014Dec20/IMAG2214.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
I watered the three figs with water and bacillus thuringiensis mixed in to take care of a small gnat problem. The young Vasilika Sika did NOT enjoy that bath and began to wither. I flushed it with RO/DI water and it is bouncing back now. I placed sand on the top of the pots as a last step to take care of the gnats and along with the BT seems to be doing the trick.
bigbadbill
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Looks, great, Nick. Also, congratulations on the Sodus cuttings. It was such a tasty variety for me this summer as well. I am glad some others will have a chance to enjoy it, too. ( Probably sooner than later as vigorous and productive as it is).
GreenFin
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Woo-hoo, looking forward to another year of great pics and tales of tasty fruit :)
Hope all your cuttings root, best of luck in 2015!
johnnyq627
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I hope so Bill! I can't wait to get to taste a properly ripened SS in the summer heat! While I feel blessed to eat the greenhouse figs, they just don't have the same flavor of those hot August figs.
I'm hoping to try one in ground next year as well, although I still have a lot of room in my garage for more pots :)
johnnyq627
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[QUOTE=GreenFin]Woo-hoo, looking forward to another year of great pics and tales of tasty fruit :)
Hope all your cuttings root, best of luck in 2015![/QUOTE]
Thanks GreenFin! I am off to a good start so far except for those 3 Bourjasette Grises... best guess is I let them get too dry, which is the opposite of last year's problem of too much water.
Ampersand
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Off to a good start, congrats on the Sodus sale!
I'm doing a little experiment with a layer of limestone screenings on the soil for gnat suppression. Seems to be working.
johnnyq627
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[QUOTE=Ampersand]
I'm doing a little experiment with a layer of limestone screenings on the soil for gnat suppression. Seems to be working.[/QUOTE]
Kelby does the limestone still let water through? Id be afraid it would cake up and form a barrier? Post a pic if you have one as Id rather use limestone than sand if it works!
Ampersand
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I have to water a little slower since it did cake a little, but it's ok.
johnnyq627
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Very cool Kelby! Where did you buy the screenings?
Ampersand
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We had a pile at work. We get it at Fleetwood block. If you have a truck it's $25 per ton.
deerhunter16b
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My black Madeira also started last spring from ucdavis looks exactly like yours .. I can't believe how slow they grow ..Even though I pumped it full of fertilizer.....hopefully this year it will take off.
Charlie
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Lake Spur looks very happy. :) Thanks for sharing and I wish you the best in the coming year!
johnnyq627
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[QUOTE=Charlie]Lake Spur looks very happy. :) Thanks for sharing and I wish you the best in the coming year! [/QUOTE]
Yeah I have a feeling that Lake Spur is going to hit my ceiling before spring... it has that look like a little kid gets before doing something mischievous!
johnnyq627
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There is something so magical about walking outside on a cold winter day and stepping into the greenhouse to see a few precious figs just waiting for you... hung down as if whispering in your ear "I'm ready for you and I am delicious!"
Black Ischia
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2014Dec23/20141223_170717.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2014Dec23/20141223_170717.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Col de Dame Blanco
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2014Dec23/20141223_170740.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2014Dec23/20141223_170740.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
bigbadbill
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Hey! I think I hear it, too. The col de dame blanc wants me to pick it. I''ll be right over, Nick.
johnnyq627
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[QUOTE=bigbadbill]Hey! I think I hear it, too. The col de dame blanc wants me to pick it. I''ll be right over, Nick.[/QUOTE]
You might have to! I headed out of town for the holidays and they are calling for 40+ mph winds on Christmas... That was enough to blow the doors off the greenhouse last time :(
Ampersand
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I'm closer, Bill, I call dibs! Hahah.
Enjoy your Christmas figs, Nick!
johnnyq627
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Picked some of my last figs tonight. I think I have one CdDB and one Ischia Black left...
The cuttings are doing well. I forgot to take a picture, but so far the CdDG and Violette Soleis are the fastest growing.
I do have to say, the 100% perlite method is TERRIBLE. It is too unforgiving and I am constantly struggling with the fine line between over and under watering. I seived the small pieces out using a pasta strainer, but still it compacts and holds in too much water. Unless you can find really chunky perlite, I recomend using a 50/50 perlite/peat mix. I also have been putting 1/2" of my normal potting mix at the bottom to help with nutrients once the cutting gets a bit more vigorous. This has worked much better for me. I have had one or two cuttings do ok in the 100% perlite, but most I repotted this week to find the perlite clumped around the cutting and no root growth.
waynea
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The Black Ischia look outstanding Nick.
johnnyq627
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Well I think this might be it, one last fig remains but is still pretty juvenile and the recent cold snap has hit even the Black Ischia that is in the warm sunny corner of the greenhouse.
The CdDB was thick like jelly inside and had a strong berry flavor. For a cold greenhouse ripened fig, it was outstanding and the perfect cap to my 2014 fig season!
Now it is time to concentrate on the fig babies.
waynea
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Congrats Nick, this is a great way to end the year. CdD Blanc is a wonderful fig, good luck and good growing on the fig babies.
johnnyq627
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Thanks Wayne!
Aaron4USA
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I love threads like this, as if it is telling an entire story...
Thanks for sharing with us Nick :)
I tried many methods of rooting myself.
-In Ground Direct...well, that's like hit and miss. -SM was out of the window the first week! -Miracle Grow mix was good but was getting messy with some green growth , fungus and some flied... -In Water was just so unreal, the cut end just started to melt... -100% Perlite has worked the best for me, clean, nothing in it bothers the cutting (btw, cuttings start in zip-locks). The only thing with Perlite is that you have to manage the moisture.
Overall I still Like 100% Perlite the best so far.
johnnyq627
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Well not too much of an update as the winter is still in full swing. The greenhouse got down to 19F the other night when it was -5F outside, which knocked the remaining leaves off of the Flanders and Sodus Sicilian. Then today it got over 100F in there as temps rose into the forties outside. It will be back down into the -5F range tomorrow and cold the rest of the week. I added a second heater to try and maintain 50F and get the figs started in a few weeks.
Inside, rooting is going well. I had a lot of my young ones dry out on my extended vacation, but they are bouncing back and putting out new leaves.
I have had slower growth this year, which I contribute to my continued struggles with perlite rooting. My initial issue was not sifting the Home Depot perlite, then continued by not rinsing the fines off the sifted perlite. I am going to try to get to a hydroponics store this weekend while I am back home in Poughkeepsie.
I believe I have finally figured out Black Madeira rooting as well. First it goes into barely damp sphagnum moss for nearly 2 months in a ~75F degree area to get small roots, then into a 75/25 peat/perlite mix that is almost completely dry. I mean really dry, other cuttings can't handle that dry, but BM seems to be loving it.
It was in perlite only and never did much, it tried putting out a fig, but never leaves or roots. Bummed on that one, but grateful for all my other successes so far.
This year's easiest fig to root goes to RdB, which has been very quick and easy. MBvS and CdD Gris have gone great with 50% and slowly with the other 50%. Maltese Falcon started slow, but are now hitting their stride.
My hardest fig to root continues to be my Sodus Sicilian.
This little guy has small roots, but just sits there, waiting, as if it knows spring has not yet arrived. I am beginning to wonder if it is so used to cooler temps, that it roots better in colder than 75F temps? I might have to experiment a bit next year.
Well, hopefully the UC Davis orders show soon. I have been checking ebay for cuttings, but between the fraud and high prices I haven't gotten much to play with.
DaveL
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Nick, thanks for the pictures. This is my first year trying to root cuttings. I have a bin leafed out to a stage similar to yours and a bin with some slow pokes. Nice to have pictures from others to make some comparisons.
johnnyq627
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Thanks Shailesh, I think airlayers will be a bit easier for the Sodus Sicilian.
Dave don't give up on the slow pokes as they are often some of the best growers later on.
PepperMan
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Nice plants! Man, that CdDB looked amazing.
johnnyq627
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Thanks Pepper! The CdDB were very slow growers last year.
Troyb
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Nice thread! I'm wondering how your greenhouse is fairing with the below 0 temps lately. Any leafing out yet?
johnnyq627
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[QUOTE=Troyb]Nice thread! I'm wondering how your greenhouse is fairing with the below 0 temps lately. Any leafing out yet? [/QUOTE]
Now that I put the second heater, I gain ~40 degrees. Right now, nights have been dropping below zero. I figure once the night temps stay above 20F, I will start to see figs leaf out.
PhilaGardener
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[QUOTE=johnnyq627]The greenhouse got down to 19F the other night when it was -5F outside, which knocked the remaining leaves off of the Flanders and Sodus Sicilian. Then today it got over 100F in there as temps rose into the forties outside. It will be back down into the -5F range tomorrow and cold the rest of the week. [/QUOTE]
Do you worry about those hi temp spikes on sunny days? I wonder if those would be tough on the plants.
johnnyq627
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I was worried as on a sunny day even with the vents open it can get up to 100F. However, so far they all look great. They actually look better than the ones in my garage.
PhilaGardener
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Glad to hear they look great! That's pretty amazing with swings like that.
johnnyq627
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Well the greenhouse is now staying above 50F at night. Surprisingly though no figs have begun leafing out yet. The tips are turning green, so I don't think it will be long now.
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2015Mar1/IMAG1985.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2015Mar1/IMAG1985.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2015Mar1/IMAG1984.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2015Mar1/IMAG1984.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
The cuttings are still growing albeit very slowly this year. This longue d'aout has graduated from the rooting humidity bin to the humidity reduction bin to begin the process of getting used to normal humidity.
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_171232.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_171232.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Over how many days do you guys adjust them? I find it really depends on how strong their root system is and how many leaves they have. Less roots or more leaves means longer adjustment.
The young Col de Dame Grise that dehydrated while I was on vacation is beginning to leaf back out as well.
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_171959.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_171959.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
On my trip to NY, I found one of the pots I have been looking for with holes only on the side of the pot. I need about 10 more, but haven't been able to find them locally. I might end up making more half barrel SWPs instead, but they are heavy and tough to get in/out of the greenhouse.
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_165102.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_165102.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Oh and the cuttings in coco coir are doing well.
[URL=http://s1048.photobucket.com/user/Salmon_Slam/media/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_172148_RichtoneHDR.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s378/Salmon_Slam/figs/2015Mar1/20150301_172148_RichtoneHDR.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
What are folks methods of checking for roots without accidently breaking them when brushing the coir aside?
johnnyq627
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Shailesh, I gave up waiting, time to crank the heaters up in the greenhouse and get this party started!
jdsfrance
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Hi Johnnyq627, Hit them with fertilizer . that should convince them to move on . IMO, their dirt is a bit dry for plants that should be growing. Here Spring is wet, and giving them a bit more water should help them as well .
johnnyq627
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This just in... UC Davis cuttings are on their way! YIPEE!
johnnyq627
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[QUOTE=jdsfrance]Hi Johnnyq627, Hit them with fertilizer . that should convince them to move on . IMO, their dirt is a bit dry for plants that should be growing. Here Spring is wet, and giving them a bit more water should help them as well .[/QUOTE]
Thanks JD, I gave them a good soaking yesterday, so we will see if that helps.
johnnyq627
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I came home tonight to two packages of fig cuttings, one from USDA and the other from a generous forum member.
I received two of the four scions I requested; Panache and Col de Dame Blanco.
The package from the generous F4F member contained a fig I have been looking for for a while now; Italian 258! He also sent a Black Zadar to keep it company.
Thanks for all the updates from Douglasville! Reading back through this thread, I see that others (not just me) have experienced slow growing Black Madeira. Mine looks so much like those in the posts! I started this from one cutting received from UC Davis.
Best of luck to all this 2015 Fig Season.
johnnyq627
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Hey Maro. My BM from KK grows very fast and shows few signs of FMV. My BM from UCDavis grows extremely slow and shows significant FMV. I was hoping to try a new Davis cutting this year in hopes of a better specimen, but no such luck.
Maro2Bear
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Hey Nick, the cutting that I started my BM was very small and " puny " looking, but I only received one. So, I was happy that I was able to get roots, leaves and that it grew at all. I looked at it this morning and it's alive and has green buds. So, lets hope these BM grow better this year.
Snow coming down hard here in MD.
johnnyq627
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[QUOTE=sppsp]Good to see the cuttings are shipping from germplasm system. The cuttings look long and healthy... you might be able to cut them in half and have twice as many chances to root them into trees.[/QUOTE]
That was what I did last year with success. This year I am going to try keeping them whole to see if the maturity time is reduced. The bark on them was weird, kinda rubbed off black on my fingers. I wonder if they spray fertilize or something in their orchard?
johnnyq627
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Ok folks, it's time to blow out the rest of my cuttings!
I kinda missed Jon's annual drawing this year, so in memory of that fun process I figured I'd try something similar... each cutting will cost $1. Shipping will be $6. I will not say how many cuttings of each I have and it will not be a first come first serve process. Shipping to continental US only, CA, FL at your own risk.
Here's the plan: email me at nrallers@gmail.com with which varieties you would like. You have until 11:59am EST tomorrow (Friday March 6th). At that time, I will somewhat randomly determine who gets what based on requests and availability. I will then shoot you an email with which varieties you have been selected for and your total cost. If you agree, you have until 11:59EST Saturday (March 7th) to send me payment via paypal for shipment on Saturday-Monday depending on how many packages I need to ship.
Any emails not following the rules or that I cannot understand will be disqualified.
No good pic of this, yellow fig with amber inside. Early + honey flavor.
PhilaGardener
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Very generous offer, Nick!
waynea
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Way to be generous Nick.
socalroth
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Thanks Nick. Very generous. Email sent. Mike
johnnyq627
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ok folks, everyone has been responded to! You have until noon tomorrow to shoot me your payment and I will get your cuttings out!
Nick
johnnyq627
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Some great news, my Sodus Sicilian cutting finally is showing some roots! It only took nearly 3 months, holy smokes! I guess good things come to those who wait! Too early to count my figs, but it shows promise!