Winter Rooting Methods

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Opiem10

Well-known member
With many new members joining, with some members struggling to successfully root cuttings, and with A LOT of cuttings likely to be exchanged this winter via contests, the Phantom Figger, or Community Cuttings Giveaway, I wanted to open this thread for those who successfully root a majority of their cuttings to post their methods.

Posting pictures, videos, and step by step instructions would be fantastic ways to help members who are newer to fig growing have earlier successes. Successful methods may vary by growing zone, so having multiple resources can help our newer members. And who knows, maybe even the best of us can be exposed to a new method to try.

Let’s share our years of propagation experience.
 
I rooted all my cuttings this year outdoors. I tried three different ways to see how they all would do.. I put a few of my cuttings that Toronto Joe & Figless gave me in tree pots with Promix HP. I then made a hole for the cutting and added some mycorrhizae to the hole so that it came in contact with the cutting. I then lightly scraped the cuttings to expose the cambium layer. I then dipped all the cuttings in Clonex rooting hormone and inserted the cuttings into the Promix Hp for the first few. I then did the "United Method a friend Joe recommended, which was making another hole in the Promix HP and adding Diatomaceous Earth in the hole and surrounding the cutting so that the cutting is not touching the Promix. My third way of rooting them was I stuck them in a 5-gallon bucket, "I got that from Opiem10," The bucket contained my potting mix, which consisted of peat moss, mushroom compost, and perlite. I had an 80% success rate with the first two methods. I had a 100% success rate of just taking the cuttings and sticking them in 5 5-gallon buckets containing the potting mix. I don't have pictures of the 5-gallon bucket, but I do have pics of the tree pots. I used rooting hormone for all cuttings. I have a grow tent and grow lights in an attempt to root more cuttings in the winter. As of right now, I'm burnt out from caring for nearly 100 fig trees, plus my garden, which is pretty huge. It's a lot of work for one guy to do, which is why next year, in my third year of growing figs, I am installing a drip irrigation system. There are many methods of rooting cuttings. When my dad and uncle came to America, they just took the cutting and planted it right into the ground, which has worked since the time of the Romans. I think we over thinik alot of these so called methods however i do find they give you an edge in rooting the cutting. Just my opinion.
 

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I am only 3 months into figs, so I defer to those with greater experience, but by following what I have learned, so far, I have only lost one cutting, I258, which I hear is a bugger to root.

I have watched countless videos and also saw Mike Piersimoni do a workshop at the Pennsylvania FigFest on fig pops that is
really helpful. FF doesn’t allow me to link it, but I posted it on my FB page, and here is the link to that: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FSk4mcf81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

What I like about what he does (and I was doing too, so I know it works) is that he really compacts the soil in the bag prior to putting in the cutting.

I read that the up potting is one of the major points where fig pops fail, and having the compacted soil, the whole thing comes out like one big piece, that you can just plop into the bigger pot (versus where I hear that the often the young roots tear off during the up potting).

As to products, while Promix HP seems to be the pre-made go to product, it’s pricey, so it’s nice to see that in Harvey’s video, he uses this Promix, which is much cheaper (I just paid $18 for it on sale). P.s. I added more perlite.
 

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BucksCountyFigs said:
I am only 3 months into figs, so I defer to those with greater experience, but by following what I have learned, so far, I have only lost one cutting, I258, which I hear is a bugger to root.

I have watched countless videos and also saw Mike Piersimoni do a workshop at the Pennsylvania FigFest on fig pops that is really helpful. FF doesn’t allow me to link it, but if you want it, just dm your email/cell number, and I’ll send it to you. What I like about what he does (and I was doing too, so I know it works) is that he really compacts the soil in the bag prior to putting in the cutting.

I read that the up potting is one of the major points where fig pops fail, and having the compacted soil, the whole thing comes out like one big piece, that you can just plop into the bigger pot (versus where I hear that the often the young roots tear off during the up potting).

As to products, while Promix HP seems to be the pre-made go to product, it’s pricey, so it’s nice to see that in Harvey’s video, he uses this Promix, which is much cheaper (I just paid $18 for it on sale).
Click to expand...
This photo is the worst soil you can buy. It’s not the HP promix in the yellow bags. @MattK can share some photos to account for our disastrous last winter season. I lost almost all cuttings in this soil and he did also. Promix HP has a lot of perlite and the yellow bags are definitely lacking of perlite
 
Opiem10 said:
With many new members joining, with some members struggling to successfully root cuttings, and with A LOT of cuttings likely to be exchanged this winter via contests, the Phantom Figger, or Community Cuttings Giveaway, I wanted to open this thread for those who successfully root a majority of their cuttings to post their methods.

Posting pictures, videos, and step by step instructions would be fantastic ways to help members who are newer to fig growing have earlier successes. Successful methods may vary by growing zone, so having multiple resources can help our newer members. And who knows, maybe even the best of us can be exposed to a new method to try.

Let’s share our years of propagation experience.
Click to expand...
Love this idea!! I suck at rooting they die every time, i just killed the one and only success ive ever had 😭
 
Bofig said:
This photo is the worst soil you can buy. It’s not the HP promix in the yellow bags. @MattK can share some photos to account for our disastrous last winter season. I lost almost all cuttings in this soil and he did also. Promix HP has a lot of perlite and the yellow bags are definitely lacking of perlite
Click to expand...
If you add more perlite to the yellow bag promix, would that fix the problem? I'm asking because I have some of that promix in the yellow bag and was planning on using it. I am on a budget and need to use what I have on hand if possible. I also have a bag of perlite.
 
ETXfigs said:
If you add more perlite to the yellow bag promix, would that fix the problem? I'm asking because I have some of that promix in the yellow bag and was planning on using it. I am on a budget and need to use what I have on hand if possible. I also have a bag of perlite.
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In comparison by adding perlite to the same levels as something like sunshine #4 you will spend roughly the same but the quality is the issue. There are parasites in the yellow bag which get magnified by the end of the season when big stores clearance it. Some people have no issues but I won’t use it to root ever again. For potted peppers or tomatoes or up potting figs it works ok when you add perlite.
 
ETXfigs said:
If you add more perlite to the yellow bag promix, would that fix the problem? I'm asking because I have some of that promix in the yellow bag and was planning on using it. I am on a budget and need to use what I have on hand if possible. I also have a bag of perlite.
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Get a bag of peat moss and mix in your perlite add some lime to bring up the PH. That's pretty cost effective
 
You can root cuttings in just perlite alone. I have a friend who roots cuttings in only sand. Both allow the roots to breath and are well draining. I’m going to give that a crack. I do know the smaller grade perlite is preferred along with I believe he uses playground sand in bags from Home Depot
 
I find you can root in any medium. Indoor rooting can be harder than outdoor. You need to figure out lighting and deal with bugs that would not be a problem outside. The problem with any mix is bugs. If using any loose mix no matter the name I would use gnatrol. I have not used this product. But many swear by it. I now use the dried coco coir blocks. No bugs in them. Moisten the mix add perlite. I use very little perlite. Fill bags or pots and stab cutting's. Then seal. I use wax. That keeps bugs in or out. I do moisten with mild fertilizer. But it is not needed. I just find it helps. The extra coco not used in that round of cutting's. Add to your potting mix. Any damp medium exposed brings bugs.
 
As @Bofig said I will not use any bags of pro mix from Walmart or tractor supply. The quality and storage of the product causes issues.
I started loosing a ton of cuttings and air layers. I flushed tap water through the soil catching the water. I found what looks like pot worms. Not a real big deal with established plants but not good for seed starting and rooting. It took 6 weeks for premier tech to get back to me. They offered no help as I watched cuttings die. After running a few tests I found Spinosad and Bifenthrin controlled them. I went through 6 bales and have 10 unopened. They only offered to refund the 3 I could find a receipt for.
 

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My method is very similar to goodfriendmike. 50/50 coco coir to perlite in a well compacted fig pop bag. I’m only about a year in and made several rookie mistakes with lots of adjustments over time. As to not over saturate the coco coir bricks, I now soak them in a small plastic container overnight. It’s much easier to add water if it’s needed. Stubborn/slower/thicker cuttings may need more water after a couple weeks. I inject water with a veterinary needle to keep them going. If nothing is changing and it’s been 8 or more weeks, I usually make a fresh cut at the bottom
 
Is the ProMix HP ok? I will probably just get some coco coir and mix it with perlite. It seems like I could put the yellow bag ProMix in the oven to kill anything.
 
Bofig said:
This photo is the worst soil you can buy. It’s not the HP promix in the yellow bags. @MattK can share some photos to account for our disastrous last winter season. I lost almost all cuttings in this soil and he did also. Promix HP has a lot of perlite and the yellow bags are definitely lacking of perlite
Click to expand...
Interesting. I wonder if it’s because of the composition or a bad batch?

It’s the one that Harvey recommended and used on his cuttings page. However, I did add a lot of perlite. Would that fix the issues that you mentioned?
 
ETXfigs said:
Is the ProMix HP ok? I will probably just get some coco coir and mix it with perlite. It seems like I could put the yellow bag ProMix in the oven to kill anything.
Click to expand...
Putting it "yellow bag" or any other medium in the oven. Kills off all things. Good and bad. Many good mediums out there. Even some MG soils if treated.
 
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