I have lost 2 rooted cuttings the past week. I'm confused because they had plenty of roots and leaves. They just wilted and shriveled up. I pulled them out, and they were rotted at the base of the stem. I am very careful about watering and always ere on the side of less water to prevent root rot. Both had soil that was moist and close to needing to be watered. The temperature stays in the upper 70s for most of the day and occasionally spikes when the sun shines through the window. Any suggestions?

wish i knew ,had the same thing happen to me .. my domenick cuttings gone

What sort of temperatures are the "spikes"?

BTW, in case you need the backup, I'll probably have an extra Lyndhurst White.

for me, the number one cause is over watering

but sometimes, they are really strong like yours, and then it's almost like the cutting presses its own "abort" button

[QUOTE=donpaid]for me, the number one cause is over watering [/QUOTE]

This.  Times ten.  It's gotten to the point where I'd rather let my cuttings dry out and die that way than face watering them again :-/

First, let's consider soil moisture in containers. There are 5 levels -- count'em on one hand!
1. Saturated -- typically during watering before soil drains
2. Wet -- in a loamy soil, this is the state immediately after you have watered AND the excess moisture has drained. Ok, more drops will come but essentially its done draining.
3. Moist -- There is moisture in the soil but also microscopic air pockets between soil particles due to evaporation, uptake by the plant(s), and subsequent drainage. It is the favorite state of most plants. Sand and clay are only briefly in this state.
4. Less Than Moist -- The soil isn't dry but it is going there quickly. It is time to water. Water thoroughly so that the soil is saturated and make sure the container can drain.
5. Dry -- Many plants are dead or dying at this state.

Second, when you check soil moisture the place to measure is in the holes at the bottom of the container. A chopstick makes a great probe.

Now if all of the above has been ok but your rootings are still rotting, then the next culprit would be anaerobic bacteria. This is often due to copper and/or zinc missing from the culture. If you suspect this is the problem, then over the counter you can purchase Liqui-Cop manufactured under the Monterey Gardens brand, or with (or without in some states) a pesticide applicators license you can purchase Kocide 3000. The latter is potent, a few pounds might last you a lifetime.

Also I would caution about using mycorrhizae in a growing media rich in organics with no sources of phosphate, iron, copper, and zinc to mediate the mycorrhizae growth. This is probably not what you are experiencing but I have seen it in the past.

You said that the soil was moist AND close to needing to be watered-

I started cuttings for the first time about a month ago and haven't watered most of them yet. They're all in 1 gallons and definitely dry up top (upper 1/2") and I'm trying my hardest not to pick up the spray bottle. The most important rule that I've picked up on while researching how to grow fig cuttings was that water is BAD! And I've come to realize how very little water cuttings require initally.

-So in your above picture, the soil surface is a dark brown (pretty moist). Like I mentioned, mine is dry up top which looks gray and scary. I need to scrounge up all my willpower not to water. But I pick up the pot and it still has some weight to it.. I'm waiting for it to feel a whole lot lighter (and has a few more leaves) before I add some water. Hopefully this helps, but what do I know? I'm probably going to be that outlier that kills her cuttings from under watering :/

[QUOTE=nepenthes]You said that the soil was moist AND close to needing to be watered[/QUOTE]

Who said that?

[QUOTE=Hermitian][QUOTE=nepenthes]You said that the soil was moist AND close to needing to be watered[/QUOTE]

Who said that?[/QUOTE]

The original poster, Troyb.

[QUOTE=Troyb] ... Both had soil that was moist and close to needing to be watered. ... [/QUOTE]

A moist soil is NOT close to needing to be watered.

Probably gnats. Did you have these in a humid environment before?

I have been there, I have lost so many over the first 2 years. If not overwatering then check for gnats, does the bark peel away? I have about 100 cuttings going through the rooting process (outdoors in a plastic shelter), sometimes overwatered but always with Gnatrol and later the total enclosure is sprayed with permethrin, so far no gnats and have lost only 4, same variety same source. The temperatures have ranged from 50-80, but they are rooting, leafing and several have nice branching. I do not recommend others rooting with this method but it has worked the last 2 years for me, I have about 350 in 3 gallons from last year. Good luck and good growing.

Your soil is too dense and heavy and too wet.  That cutting isn't dead, either.  You still have white roots.  Carefully pick away the rotting parts and put the cutting in coarse perlite with all the fine particles rinsed or sifted away.  add a pinch of peat.  Bury the cutting almost to the top.  Water it once then wait till it's dry to water again.

Thanks for all the replies! I had just watered the cutting in the picture a few days before. That one was definitely wet. I agree moist does not need to be watered, I think I needed to be more descriptive. The one in the picture i can understand why it died based on your comments. I broke my ankle and was having difficulty getting up to care for my figs so I probably watered it prematurely to prevent it from drying out. To be honest, I want to blame someone else like my wife, but I don't think I can; damn I think it was me. I guess I didn't think they would be so sensitive when they were rooted. The other one that had not been repotted is a bit of a mystery for me. I hadn't watered it in a long time and it was very light when I picked it up and it barely had any moisture on the sides in the cup.
Take home message... I will let them dry out even more than I have been to prevent root rot.

They need to stay at the same humidity and temperature it is important ( roots and above ).

[QUOTE=rcantor]Your soil is too dense and heavy and too wet.  That cutting isn't dead, either.  You still have white roots.  Carefully pick away the rotting parts and put the cutting in coarse perlite with all the fine particles rinsed or sifted away.  add a pinch of peat.  Bury the cutting almost to the top.  Water it once then wait till it's dry to water again.[/QUOTE]

+1

Water by weight.  Get a cheap digital kitchen scale on eBay.  Went from killing hundreds of cuttings to none by overwatering after using the scale.

Cheap Scale

I don't know for sure, but I think gnats won't directly kill a cutting.  They'll probably cause just enough damage that the cutting will probably take up less water than it usually does.  That's when the overwatering by us will start and we'll finish the job.  Damn gnats!

[QUOTE=brianm]Probably gnats. Did you have these in a humid environment before?[/QUOTE]~does the gnats kill the trees?

Gnat larvae will eat as many roots as they can, usually all. Then with no roots and moist soil = dead cuttings.

[QUOTE=waynea]Gnat larvae will eat as many roots as they can, usually all. Then with no roots and moist soil = dead cuttings.[/QUOTE]~ oh my i didn't know this i will go spray them now ,thanks ~

I figured out the problem with the other fig. I added a scoop of vermiculite to the mix as an experiment. I don't recommend it obviously. Hope the other ones don't meet the same fate.
I also realized that my cuttings are too wet still. This cup method is harder than I expected. Maybe coconut core would be good for me to try next year. Thanks again for all the instructions. I have a lot to learn.

My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.

I'll have to keep an eye out for gnats. I have seen them in the greenhouse, but not in the room I'm rooting in. Thanks for the warning.

[QUOTE=joann1536]My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.[/QUOTE]~ that must be what killed mine ,i had 62 cuttings rooted very nice healthy looking and all.i only have 29 now so they got me good ,i have been spraying them .hope i don't loose anymore geesh ~!

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=joann1536]My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.[/QUOTE]~ that must be what killed mine ,i had 62 cuttings rooted very nice healthy looking and all.i only have 29 now so they got me good ,i have been spraying them .hope i don't loose anymore geesh ~![/QUOTE]

What are you spraying them with?

I go with nycfigs comparing with my experience.

I would defintily say too much water. A rooted in  100% perlite. Everything fine until leaves occur...then first leaves grew, I watered more because "the poor little plants now needs so much water when having leaves"....forget it.Error!! Rot came and I'm sure, I'm really sure, gnats followed rot. They did not start the damage.

Now that I keep my perlite so dry that I normally would say there is no molecule a water left in the pot (just the weight of pot, perlite and cutting in my assumption)  everything stays fine. No rot, no gnats.

With your rooting medium I would suggest watering once when planting cutting in. And not adding any water until the leaves begin to look like suffering drought despite being covered for high humidity. Then same thing..watering once..again wating once but intensive and not regularly and keeping moist constant.

This is so crucial that I even would suggest spaying for humidity should perfectly not be done on the rooting medium.

As I read in another thread: a user is waiting 15 days after watering the second time..and I got the impression this even is right for cuttings standing in a warm-dry living room in pure perlite....a bottom 2-3 centimeters of it stay wet enough for every root coming....One has to know that the cutting can even supply the first tiny roots with water if there is none...But no cutting can withstand rot when it is wet just a few days because there is now nutrients and water circulating in the cutting so far...so no chance for defense mechanismn to be run.

with your rooting medium I would even asume 3 weeks without water to be okay if not placed on a very hot heating pad.

[QUOTE=nycfig][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=joann1536]My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.[/QUOTE]~ that must be what killed mine ,i had 62 cuttings rooted very nice healthy looking and all.i only have 29 now so they got me good ,i have been spraying them .hope i don't loose anymore geesh ~![/QUOTE]

What are you spraying them with?[/QUOTE]~they make a fungus gnat spray you mix with water i bought it on ebay i don't know the name right now but can find out i have to find it in my grow room ,any way look on ebay and i bought a small amount it makes 15 gal come with mixing directions and applying instruction i will get the name for you later today i have to go to town don;t have time right now ~

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=nycfig][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=joann1536]My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.[/QUOTE]~ that must be what killed mine ,i had 62 cuttings rooted very nice healthy looking and all.i only have 29 now so they got me good ,i have been spraying them .hope i don't loose anymore geesh ~![/QUOTE]

What are you spraying them with?[/QUOTE]~they make a fungus gnat spray you mix with water i bought it on ebay i don't know the name right now but can find out i have to find it in my grow room ,any way look on ebay and i bought a small amount it makes 15 gal come with mixing directions and applying instruction i will get the name for you later today i have to go to town don;t have time right now ~[/QUOTE]~it is called    ~GNATROL~

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=nycfig][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=joann1536]My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.[/QUOTE]~ that must be what killed mine ,i had 62 cuttings rooted very nice healthy looking and all.i only have 29 now so they got me good ,i have been spraying them .hope i don't loose anymore geesh ~![/QUOTE]

What are you spraying them with?[/QUOTE]~they make a fungus gnat spray you mix with water i bought it on ebay i don't know the name right now but can find out i have to find it in my grow room ,any way look on ebay and i bought a small amount it makes 15 gal come with mixing directions and applying instruction ~it is called    ~GNATROL~[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=nycfig][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=joann1536]My biggest two problems have been overwatering and gnats.  Gnats are the worst!!!  Of the cuttings, almost 100% rooted in December.  My once beautifully rooted cuttings had begun to leaf out in January, and overnight it seemed, the roots just disappeared.  The poor little leaves just withered and died.  I'd never have known, but for the fact that I pulled up one cutting, and there was a big, fat larva snacking away on it.[/QUOTE]~ that must be what killed mine ,i had 62 cuttings rooted very nice healthy looking and all.i only have 29 now so they got me good ,i have been spraying them .hope i don't loose anymore geesh ~![/QUOTE]

What are you spraying them with?[/QUOTE]~they make a fungus gnat spray you mix with water i bought it on ebay ,any way look on ebay and i bought a small amount it makes 15 gal come with mixing directions and applying instruction ~it is called    ~GNATROL~[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Chuck - A lot of people on the forum use Gnatrol including myself.  It's a great product.  Are you spraying your plants
with Gnatrol in addition to watering?

[QUOTE=nycfig]Chuck - A lot of people on the forum use Gnatrol including myself.  It's a great product.  Are you spraying your plants
with Gnatrol in addition to watering?[/QUOTE]~no i don't get any on plant all you do is wet the soil down as often as it says once every 5-7 days until they are gone.~

I have used Gnatrol in the past with good results.  One thing I remember reading is don't mix large batches since once mixed with water it only has an effective shelf life of about 14 days. 

This year I have been using a coir and perlite mix (2 parts coir/1 part perlite) and have not had a gnat sighting yet but there is still a lot of rooting season to go so we shall see.

[QUOTE=lifigs]I have used Gnatrol in the past with good results.  One thing I remember reading is don't mix large batches since once mixed with water it only has an effective shelf life of about 14 days. 

This year I have been using a coir and perlite mix (2 parts coir/1 part perlite) and have not had a gnat sighting yet but there is still a lot of rooting season to go so we shall see.[/QUOTE]~somebody on the other forum juat told me they do one app of seven and it kills them all and doesn't hurt tree ,i'm going to try seven~

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=lifigs]I have used Gnatrol in the past with good results.  One thing I remember reading is don't mix large batches since once mixed with water it only has an effective shelf life of about 14 days. 

This year I have been using a coir and perlite mix (2 parts coir/1 part perlite) and have not had a gnat sighting yet but there is still a lot of rooting season to go so we shall see.[/QUOTE]~somebody on the other forum juat told me they do one app of seven and it kills them all and doesn't hurt tree ,i'm going to try seven~[/QUOTE]~and thanks for the info i didn't know that ~

I used coir for rooting this last batch of cuttings, and it worked great.  The cuttings were in clear drink cups placed inside humidity domes with heat mats.  I could see the nice big roots through the cups.  Once the roots were looking really nice, and the cuttings sprouted leaves, I potted in 1-gallon black plastic, and was keeping them indoors in clear plastic storage boxes.  I watered them when I repotted, but no heat mats, just humidity from being inside the storage boxes and I "aired out" the boxes daily.  That's when I began to notice a couple of the cuttings starting to look wilty.  I thought maybe it was a bit of shock from repotting, so I left them alone thinking they'd recover in a day or two.  Then, another couple of cuttings started to wilt.  This didn't happen with the cuttings I rooted outdoors last September.  It didn't happen with the ones I rooted in ziplock bags.  I lost a few and I still have a few that might survive.  They've lost leaves, but the branches are still green and not dried out so I remain hopeful.  I pulled one of the rotted cuttings up, and that's when I discovered the larva.  There were no roots at all on this cutting, which had a lot of really good roots when it was in the plastic cup.  Gnats ate all the roots from the cuttings, so the plants just wilted and rotted.

The weather has been in the 60s, a couple of 70s so I've been lugging them out onto the patio during the day so they get some sun. Nights are high 40s, and I am covering them at night.  I have started to use 1 tablespoon H2O2 in a gallon of water.  So far, my fingers are crossed, but it is looking pretty good.

I'm not a big one for using pesticides.  I'd much rather try to prevent them.  

Another one bites the dust! I had a Marseilles vs that had a ton of roots, but rotted. I haven't watered it in ages. No sighn of gnats, just rot. Do you think I can salvage it if I cut the growth and the rot off?