Trying out Fig-pop. Some guidance needed

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danssale11

Active member
Hello everyone.

I'm trying out the fig-pop method. Used 5:1 promix water ratio. Used rooting powder. I used candle wax on top/tips. Did not use parafilm.

Should I poke tiny holes with a toothpick in the bags?
Should I keep this container lid open or closed?

Thanks in advance guys
 

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TorontoJoe said:
Oh... if I do have to add water, I do so with a syringe... place the water away from the cutting wood.

I also wet with a weak fert from day one. When you do get roots, they're going to want to eat something.
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Interesting on the fertilizing from day 1- does that mean you moisten the soil with water that has diluted fertilizer in it? Or you add it later?

Do you use 1/2 strength fertilizer or a different strength?

Not criticizing, just trying to learn how you do it. 🙂
 
BucksCountyFigs said:
Interesting on the fertilizing from day 1- does that mean you moisten the soil with water that has diluted fertilizer in it? Or you add it later?

Do you use 1/2 strength fertilizer or a different strength?
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Absolutely! I'm not to OCD about it. I use ProMix HP or SunGro Mix #4 as is out of the bag. I go by feel now but it's about a 5:1 by volume and yes, I use about ~1/8 or 1/4 strength soluble fert. Something like Jacks 20-20-20... but really low.

My feeling on this... and I know some will disagree... is that while the cutting can't do a thing with it while it's just a stick, as soon as it has roots it will benefit from some nutrients... and in small doses it can't harm anything.

If it's alive... it's got to eat. Especially if you want it to grow. Why limit it to only the resources of the cutting until it's time to pot up... I believe my ultimate survival rate has benefitted greatly from this.
 
I would think you have a higher risk of mold growing on the sticks with the bag being all the way to the top, holding moisture around them....however...it helps keep the from drying out.
I usually cut the bags to just a bit above the soil line, then wrap the exposed end of the cutting.
 
If you have pops with no holes in the the bags and parafilm (or equivalent) on any wood outside of the bag, then there's really no reason for the lid at all. Everything will be sealed up in the package. I'd just leave it off.

If you have exposed wood outside the pop.... I would keep it on but open a little to vent. I don't like this as much as moving the leafed out cutting from a humidity dome to regular humidity can cause leaves to drop from the sudden change in moisture.
 
TorontoJoe said:
Absolutely! I'm not to OCD about it. I use ProMix HP or SunGro Mix #4 as is out of the bag. I go by feel now but it's about a 5:1 by volume and yes, I use about ~1/8 or 1/4 strength soluble fert. Something like Jacks 20-20-20... but really low.

My feeling on this... and I know some will disagree... is that while the cutting can't do a thing with it while it's just a stick, as soon as it has roots it will benefit from some nutrients... and in small doses it can't harm anything.

If it's alive... it's got to eat. Especially if you want it to grow. Why limit it to only the resources of the cutting until it's time to pot up... I believe my ultimate survival rate has benefitted greatly from this.
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No one is allowed to disagree because I do the same thing.

1/4 strength Jacks 20-20-20. I did do some pops hydrated with plain water, but with Osmocote Plus chucked in there for funsies.

The smaller the volume the wood in the cutting, the faster it’s going to run out of juice.
 
IAK said:
No one is allowed to disagree because I do the same thing.

1/4 strength Jacks 20-20-20. I did do some pops hydrated with plain water, but with Osmocote Plus chucked in there for funsies.

The smaller the volume the wood in the cutting, the faster it’s going to run out of juice.
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This is the other reason why, while most people like sharpie sized cuttings... I don't mind one bit growing a log the size of a #50 montecristo cigar. Slower but way more juice
 
TorontoJoe said:
I believe that making holes in the bag defeats the purpose of the fig pop method. You want to maintain the humidity to take away the guess work of knowing when and how much to water.
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What makes it confusing is the seatle Bonsai Ben dude that made the fig pop videos put holes in them. Was the holes thing later realized to not be needed? Fwiw I toothpicked all of mine and they haven't lost much humidity if any over the last 5 days
 
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Ben is a successful grower. I take nothing away from him. I can only tell you what I do and why. To me, the whole benefit of pops is to create a sealed system. As soon as that’s broken, I don’t understand the benefit. I also don’t understand the potential benefit of the holes. There’s plenty of air in there for the roots when sealed. So I’ve never understood the purpose of the holes
 
I use the hybrid method with Stuewe & Son pots and bags, weigh the pots when first done and water accordingly. The first water I use to moisten the soil when starting the pot is just water. Waterings after have weak dilution of miracle grow applied with a syringe until weight is reached. I also use heat mats set to 77 with the probe in the bottom of pot. This pic is from a couple years ago but has been refined over the years and I have close to 95% success. In the past I used to use cheap, Amazon pots, heat mats without temp probes and watered indiscriminately. Find what works for you, make small improvements to your system year over year and eventually you will have a system that is consistently successful.

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LTCG said:
I use the hybrid method with Stuewe & Son pots and bags, weigh the pots when first done and water accordingly. The first water I use to moisten the soil when starting the pot is just water. Waterings after have weak dilution of miracle grow applied with a syringe until weight is reached. I also use heat mats set to 77 with the probe in the bottom of pot. This pic is from a couple years ago but has been refined over the years and I have close to 95% success. In the past I used to use cheap, Amazon pots, heat mats without temp probes and watered indiscriminately. Find what works for you, make small improvements to your system year over year and eventually you will have a system that is consistently successful.

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I use this method but the cheap amazon pots. Them stuewe ones are too expensive to ship. One day I will order a case of 300 to make it worth my time. Maybe more if I actually start selling some of these things.
 
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