GoodFriendMike
Moderator
I would remove them. You want them to put there energy elsewhere.
Winter Rooting Methods
- Thread starter Opiem10
- Start date
BucksCountyFigs
Well-known member
betdempster
Well-known member
Ok thanks I thought so. I will try one with tweezers and try not to hurt the leaves. If it messes up the leaves I'll wait a little bit till the other leaves get bigger and the remove the other. I think I can get them with tweezers though
Here are two pictures. One shows the length of the 2” PVC pipe (12 inches). The other shows a slight tapered tip I cut which help you slide the fig pop bag over the tube.
I fill the tube to the very top with rooting media. That fills a bag nicely.
Attachments
betdempster
Well-known member
I got them off without hurting the leaves
BucksCountyFigs
Well-known member
Awesome - thanks!!
betdempster
Well-known member
I'm sharing because I'm excited! I have failed root 4 previous smith cuttings from 3 sources and I'm on cutting 5 and 6....but today I peeked in my dark cutting box and there's a tiny bud of green! I know it may not mean success yet and anything could happen but it's the first time I actually have a bud!
Jigfig
Well-known member
Not guaranteed, but that can be a good sign.
grasshopper
Well-known member
Did you find out the cause(s) of the last 4 failures? That to me is a valuable lesson to help rooting the next cutting. Also, if you are new to rooting, it is best to root cutting one at a time, especially when you have duplicates.
betdempster
Well-known member
Yep I'm new making rookie mistakes and learning a ton.. first two I think were too wet. I took them out and looked and they looked rotted- and I didn't put them in the dark
Next two just didn't do a thing, took them out and looked and no roots - looked like the same sticks I put in there 4 weeks prior. Maybe got too dry because then I was afraid to water
These last two I got advice from members and have I think a good water to soil ratio and put in a 4x 9 pot with a bag like a fig pop and will not add any extra water until leafed out when I'll water with weak fertilizer water once a week and step up slowly.
None of the cuttings were dormant so I think I have to propagate right away. I wouldn't be able to save the extra and propagate later, right? I can only refrigerate dormant ones?
Whatever happens I sure am learning patience!
grasshopper
Well-known member
Your original message said: "I have failed root 4 previous smith cuttings from 3 sources and I'm on cutting 5 and 6..."
It seems you were suggesting smith was difficult to root because you had 4 attempts from 3 cuttings sources. That was why I asked if you have learnt something from the 4 failed rootings. I am glad you clarified the failure was due to watering, not smith.
Also, you didn't mention you are rooting non-dormant cuttings, which are better to root right away.
Are the cuttings lignified?
What kind of soil are you using? And what water to soil ratio do you settle on this time? Are you using any rooting hormone?
It seems you were suggesting smith was difficult to root because you had 4 attempts from 3 cuttings sources. That was why I asked if you have learnt something from the 4 failed rootings. I am glad you clarified the failure was due to watering, not smith.
Also, you didn't mention you are rooting non-dormant cuttings, which are better to root right away.
Are the cuttings lignified?
What kind of soil are you using? And what water to soil ratio do you settle on this time? Are you using any rooting hormone?
DavidNC
Active member
So far, wet sand is working as advertised for me. I258 is showing roots at 16 days. An RGR cutting was my first bag-pop out of the sand, we'll see how that one survives the transition. Probably should have left it in the sand longer.
Advantages: Visibility, no soil mold/bugs, responsive temperature control, "ideal" moisture.
Advantages: Visibility, no soil mold/bugs, responsive temperature control, "ideal" moisture.
DavidNC
Active member
Sand holds what it will hold. I added about 1/3 perlite to break up the density a bit. I rinse the sand thoroughly, drain, smack the container on the countertop, drain the excess water that surfaces, smack and drain a few times until no more water surfaces. Then I mix in the perlite to break up the solid mat of sand that results. Cut a groove with my finger, lay the cutting horizontally in the groove. Spray water lightly to nudge the sand up to the cutting. I did inadvertently lay a couple right on the sand, no inserting, but these ones have pushed themselves up off the sand by the roots.
I second that; since there's always going to be some temperature overshoot (when using a thermostat), I get the best results setting my thermostat at 76.
betdempster
Well-known member
I would not be trusted to say anything is hard to root in terms of variety - and I'm not sure that's really a thing... From what I've seen in other people's posts it's doesn't matter as long as conditions are right it may be that some varieties tolerate good enough and some are more narrow range but I didn't have any issues rooting any others so " hard to root" probably means my conditions aren't right and those fails were all me for sure. My i258, campaniere nsdc and LDA and black triana and NDB and others rooted no problem. The thermalito Olympian, Brunswick and rubado died but they were rotted too and it was me not understanding water. And they were my first ones. The ones that have survived were not drowned. I've only gotten extra cutting of smith because it's supposed to be a good productive southern fig plus it's personal at this point lol and I will get one rooted. I'll eventually try Olympian again but not this year because it will be a jungle in here. The year olds can go to the garage once dormant but my cuttings will take up room inside.
All cuttings were lignified (appeared to be fully lignified)but not dormant
This recent time soil was Pro mix HP moistened till I could not squeeze any water out I didn't measure mix to water but I looked at advice I got and it made little balls of dirt but wouldn't drip at all if I squeezed it.(first time when they rotted was water potting soil I had with extra peat moss mixed in and I kept watering it because I didn't know better)
Every day I learn something new. And everyone here has been so helpful!
betdempster
Well-known member
Oh and I used hormodin 3 cut a slice off the bottom under a node but did not score the bark . And I learned how to tell up from down
DavidNC
Active member
@betdempster What I'm finding is that a simple variable, such as which temperature favors root growth over shoot growth, complicates matters a bit. Uncertain as it is may be whether this variation is gene-related or otherwise, I would find it odd if they were exactly all the same in that regard. 2 varieties I have rooting, I258 and Improved Celeste, were substantially more prone to shoot formation, before rooting, than dozens of other cuttings of other varieties under the exact same conditions.. Had I not corrected the ambient temperature by lowering it from 73 to 68, shoot growth might have starved the cuttings before roots could form, resulting in failure.
I think you're onto something that cutting condition and preparation have a lot to do with it, but I wouldn't totally rule out genetic variation in playing a part.
I think you're onto something that cutting condition and preparation have a lot to do with it, but I wouldn't totally rule out genetic variation in playing a part.
betdempster
Well-known member
@DavidNC good to know. I have two I258s and one is smaller seems really strong and healthy - the other is taller but has struggled since I got it. I'm going to prune it down to a stick of 16 inches when it goes dormant to see if I can get it on track. But if not and if the smaller one stays stronger I'll propagate it next year. I also am going to get a dormant cutting of Celeste because the one I had wasn't Celeste. So that's great info to have about the temp that worked for you. I appreciate it.