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Rooting from summer cuttings is very simple with this instruction
Rooting with this method has close similarities to rooting from winter cuttings. It’s essentially the same, however it requires complex tools found in the Rooting Materials post. Materials required are in the root starter kit as mentioned in the page. (Humidity Dome, Plug Tray, Growing Tray, Rooting Hormone and Seeding Heat Mat, sold separately).
Follow these 7 easy steps
- Go to your existing fig tree and look for a fresh straight bark branch about 6 inches long. It should be about the thickness of a pencil. If you don’t include this, you will notice that the green end will rot. Be sure to remove the leaves.
- Wrap the cut ends with damp paper towels, seal in a plastic bag (I use ziploc bags) and place in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. This will put the cutting into a normal dormant mode, making it behave as if it’s Winter.
- Prepare your plug tray by filling the plugs (holes) with grow medium (Paid Link). Add water and let it drain in into the growing tray under it.
- Prepare the insertion of the cutting by first setting the hole with a pencil.
- Apply rooting hormone (Paid Link) onto the cut end of the clipping. You can use your fingers or a small brush to apply the rooting compound. Slide it into the hole. Pinch the bottom of the plug tray to press the soil against the end of the clipping.
Place the plug tray into a growing tray. Cover this with a humidity dome. Place the entire hot house onto an insulated table (preferably wood). To maintain the grow medium temperature at 70F, insert the seeding heat mat under between the terrarium and the table and plug it into an outlet. Check the temperature periodically. If it goes over 70F, unplug it. Move this entire unit into a shaded area, in a greenhouse or near a window in your home. If it’s inside a greenhouse, you might not need the seeding heat mat.
Dryness is not your friend. Let’s add moisture.
Lift up one end of the humidity dome and using your spray bottle, mist a spray of water inside to get it super steamy inside. You will need to do this everyday. Check on this daily.
The tree above that is featured in this section in the orange pot succeeded as one out of 18 cuttings that I tried this out on.
Please tell me your results in this process in the comments section. Did you have success? Did you need to modify these instructions to reach a better outcome?
Tom,
Interesting site. I enjoy reading insight from fellow fig fans. I use a different method for both Spring and WInter time rooting of cuttings. I simply place the cuttings in a jar of water until the roots appear. Typically 4-8 weeks. Once the cuttings have roots 2-3 inches long I transfer to a starter pot. This works about 75% of the time. Have you tried this method?
Hi Pete, thanks for the comment and for finding my fig growing blog. I haven’t tried your method for rooting the cuttings. My mom just today asked me to root a tree for a friend of hers. I nearly fell over because to me, it seems so late in the season. I’ve never attempted to root a tree in the middle of July. So, I’ll see how it goes and then blog about it. 🙂
Hi Tom and Pete, I also use the jar of water method and found it to be fairly reliable.
I am now putting a willow cutting in the water for a couple of days as I have heard that it promotes root growth.
I just had my first fig today (brown turkey), it’s in a pot in the greenhouse and I have three varieties all with figs on.
I live in Hull U.K. and in the garden of William Wilberforce in the town centre is a fig tree along a wall outside which produces ripe fruit.
Take care Phil