Should I remove the figs from my cuttings?

I even take them off any tree I ordered later in the summer. I had two that came with figs and I took those off since I knew I was up potting and I needed them to establish a good bigger bunch of roots. I likely could have even ripened them but I didn't know if it was too much for the trees so I just took them off. 😊 Now they are waking up and I have high hopes for this year!
 
I totally agree with everyone saying to take them off. They just suck nutrients and energy that the cutting does not have excess of at such a young vulnerable stage. Also, growing a fig first tends to suppress leaf buds in my experience.

One last thing to note, is that every time I take off Figs that form before leaves, it always takes the cutting two to sometimes even four weeks to push a leaf bud. I think it is because they have to readjust their hormones from fruiting to growing hormones, which takes a while. So, just don’t be worried if the cutting seems to stall for a long time after you remove them.
 
Bill D said:
Started some cuttings about a month ago. Some are already forming figs. Should I cut these off so they can focus on root growth? Also going to attach a picture of one growing some roots out of the top which I thought was neat. Thank you for any input.
Click to expand...
It never ceases to amaze me how human logic is applied to botanical principles without any scientific proof what so ever..

Please cite one paper that describes the detrimental affect of leaving figlets on cuttings.

For every one plant that you believe was hindered in growth by having the fig fruit remain, I will show you a fig plant that the reverse occurred.

For example: attached are pics of 7 week old cuttings with figlets attached. Strong root growth before producing shoots.
Cigarrette lighter to show relative size.
Then the same cutting in ground 7 months later, with the same figlet at maturity. Tasted delicious. No growth retardation at all.

The fig plant will abort the fruit itself if it is not able to mature it. - Just as in the wild with seedlings and no human intervention.
 

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arfabuck said:
It never ceases to amaze me how human logic is applied to botanical principles without any scientific proof what so ever..

Please cite one paper that describes the detrimental affect of leaving figlets on cuttings.

For every one plant that you believe was hindered in growth by having the fig fruit remain, I will show you a fig plant that the reverse occurred.

For example: attached are pics of 7 week old cuttings with figlets attached. Strong root growth before producing shoots.
Cigarrette lighter to show relative size.
Then the same cutting in ground 7 months later, with the same figlet at maturity. Tasted delicious. No growth retardation at all.

The fig plant will abort the fruit itself if it is not able to mature it. - Just as in the wild with seedlings and no human intervention.
Click to expand...

I’m not sure there is a paper specific to figlets and rooting cuttings. The concept of pruning or thinning fruits on young plants in exchange for increased plant vigor/establishment is predominant in every institution out there from strawberries to apples. Your tree has good growth but I have seen examples of greater growth.

Unless you conduct your own study with sufficient sample size how do you know your growth may not have been greater? How many figs is too much? Does fig variety size matter? If a cutting starts growing one 80 gram fig, is that different than a cutting that starts growing two 20 gram figs? Are you taking into account the total caliper/length and volume of wood (stored energy in that cutting)? Have you done this with an apical cutting with like 5-6 nodes/figlets up top? Were the figlets pictured non-existent when rooted or were they the same size/present at time of rooting? Where are pictures of your control group? How many varieties have you performed this experiment on?
 
arfabuck said:
It never ceases to amaze me how human logic is applied to botanical principles without any scientific proof what so ever..

Please cite one paper that describes the detrimental affect of leaving figlets on cuttings.

For every one plant that you believe was hindered in growth by having the fig fruit remain, I will show you a fig plant that the reverse occurred.

For example: attached are pics of 7 week old cuttings with figlets attached. Strong root growth before producing shoots.
Cigarrette lighter to show relative size.
Then the same cutting in ground 7 months later, with the same figlet at maturity. Tasted delicious. No growth retardation at all.

The fig plant will abort the fruit itself if it is not able to mature it. - Just as in the wild with seedlings and no human intervention.
Click to expand...
I would argue, if you want to prove your point maybe post some scientific data to shows your point.
That would help your case, I tend to agree with the above statement.

That's a nice looking tree you have there.
Some leave them on, some take them off...I'm in the off camp. :)
 
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