At Times Square , New York is hosting 1 million people celebrating New Year’s Eve Thursday night (waiting for the count down)

here is the count down time :

At the same moment, here is Dallas Texas, I am savoring a drop of honey from a cutting named New Jersey Giant that I bought on Ebay on Dec 16, was delivered by USPS on December 19, 2015 .
Using sand as rooting medium . Ten days later, tiny green things appear----> sign of life.
On December 31, at count down time, one of the cutting oozes a drop of honey
I taste it. It is SWEET , like honey.     
    
I never expect something like this . Usually the honey is oozing from the ripe fruit

The oozing honey from a cutting ! Amazing !

 

Thank God for your first blessing to me in the very first second of the new year of 2016

LIFE WILL BE GOOD, from now on ...

***

How did this happen.? Strange. I need this one. The figs must be awsome

Mai, do you know the type of sand media that was used to root these cuttings?

I had this exact experience! I was freaked out about what it was, but now I see instead of worrying I should have just tasted it like Mai did lol! My cuttings that were exuding this "drop of honey" a few weeks ago and were the Emerald Strawberry variety.. Since then they have bursted with new growth and are currently super healthy :) thank you for sharing your experience Mai as I've been scratching my head about what it could be since then.. :)

Happy New Year to everyone!

[QUOTE=waynea]Mai, do you know the type of sand media that was used to root these cuttings?[/QUOTE]

I use the coarse sand bought at Home Depot , PaveStone . A big bag cost only $3. 82 as I remember  

How do you root in sand?

[QUOTE=figpig_66]How do you root in sand? [/QUOTE]

Punch holes in the bottom and around the clear plastic cup.
Pour sand in, up to the top.
Push the cuttings down 1/3.
Cover around the cup with newspaper or with napkins (so they can absorb excessive humidity)
Put the whole thing in a zip bag . 
Use the fork to poke the zip bag ONE TIME for air escape . If more than 1 time ---> humidity loss

Leave it alone anywhere . Depending on the variety, new buds will come out---> where there is green there is life then there is smile hehehe
No need heat mat. No need hormone. Need nothing except patience 

Good luck !

Same technique as the bag.
Why plastic cup here ? bag is for individual cutting
Plastic cup is for group cuttings , at least 4 together 

Thanks. Going to try the sand out. !!

I tried some cuttings in sand. For Longe D'Aout it was the only medium that worked. Coir, spaghnum moss and perlite all failed with Longe D'Aout. I am sure it is my technique but thanks to the sand I have a rooted cutting now.

Last night I already enjoyed that drop of honey and cleaned the surface of it, but this afternoon another drop of honey !

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/hongkhackimmai/0a35fa9e-ebe4-43b2-82fa-540d7460e8fb_zpsxsggougf.jpg[/IMG]

close up

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/hongkhackimmai/fd8bde11-41db-4a73-86e8-ecfe8ad68a7d_zpswdw5ithr.jpg[/IMG]



Two more surprises !
Today I check on my Old Brooklyn Italian cuttings bought on Ebay and started to root it on December 14, 2015
here are the cuttings:


 and I could not believe my eyes .... 
Now is January 1st, 2016, the cuttings bear figlets (this big) instead of leaf buds !

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/hongkhackimmai/f610b0d8-a11b-4e49-b452-1ee69e438025_zpsm9uhksw4.jpg[/IMG]



Open another bag . This variety is Riviera also have figlets !!!! 

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/hongkhackimmai/0a3fcd0f-d689-44e9-95cc-49859e6c6439_zpsa7vzqqpx.jpg[/IMG]


Put the two of them side by side 




[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/hongkhackimmai/e72191be-c3bf-46be-a956-50fd58d15db8_zpsm7oplrst.jpg[/IMG]


Life is sweet ...

Very nice!!!

I always pull my figlets off my cuttings when they form and give it very little thought, but Mai's post gave me two questions:

1) Do figlets on cuttings only form on varieties that are breba producers (I'm assuming)?

2) If you leave the figlets on and give them light can the figlet help the cutting out by photosynthesizing to aid root development?

I've just assumed the figlets are a net liability for the cutting, but if they can photosynthesize and then abort they might help?  Would be interesting to do a side by side comparison with figlets left on and figlets left off a few dozen cuttings of a figlet producing variety.

[QUOTE=GregMartin]
2) If you leave the figlets on and give them light can the figlet help the cutting out by photosynthesizing to aid root development?

.... Would be interesting to do a side by side comparison with figlets left on and figlets left off a few dozen cuttings of a figlet producing variety.[/QUOTE]


That is what I am doing now . A few hours ago, I pulled the cuttings out of the zip bag and put the one with figlet near to the neon light to see if it will root faster than other without figlets   

Oh how interesting, honey and figlets. I can't wait to hear if the figlets are a help to the plants. They are such amazingly vital and intelligent living things!

Jodi,
A lot of people would twist the figlets off, however I will keep mine, because I also have other cuttings without figlets to grow .
In my tradition (and I believe in many other Asian countries too) we believe that the very first day of the New Year is very important . If any tree set fruit on that day for you, you will be lucky for the whole year. If honey comes to you on that special day, your life will be sweet like .... honey hehehe, the whole year of course
Now you understand why I was bragging about my cuttings on New Year Eve .  

Most of us on the Carolina Shore and the outer banks include sea shells in the sand mix. I don't know if it is the Calcium or just superstition. I haven't heard of anyone using egg shells which would do the same. The 20 degree cold snap finally took the leaves from my "Pounder" but I still have five figs about the size of the first knuckle of my thumb.

[QUOTE=lolita1234]Jodi,
A lot of people would twist the figlets off, however I will keep mine, because I also have other cuttings without figlets to grow .
In my tradition (and I believe in many other Asian countries too) we believe that the very first day of the New Year is very important . If any tree set fruit on that day for you, you will be lucky for the whole year. If honey comes to you on that special day, your life will be sweet like .... honey hehehe, the whole year of course
Now you understand why I was bragging about my cuttings on New Year Eve .  [/QUOTE]

How cool that you received so many sign of luck and sweetness for the new year of 2016. I hear for some it is the year of the monkey with wisdom and love at the forefront. And I am really impressed with your knowledge and abilities with the cuttings and plants. Your posts on rooting in bags was amazing. Thank you for sharing with us newbies. Best to you, Jodi

Do the gnats still get into the sand? Will they still be a problem if I switch?

Jodi,
I am a Monkey . 2016 is my year
I am not a pro gardener or an horticulturist (?) . I just play with everything I have

Thank you for your nice compliments, however I know that some people in this forum (who own nurseries or pro gardeners) are laughing at me ...

Hi Andrew, no.  With sand you should have no problems with fungus gnats.  In fact, covering standard mixes with a good 1/2" or more of sand should help eliminate fungus gnats as well.