Something like a Jiffy-Pot maybe?

[TorontoJoe]

No other plant I've ever grown has required such a light growing medium. Consequently, when potting up I'm finding that the mix rarely if ever slides out as a single mass - but rather breaks up leaving the roots completely exposed. A few days ago I accidentally destroyed some delicate roots...I was not pleased.

I was wondering if anyone had, instead of plastic cups, has tried using something that breaks down like a Jiffy-Cup? Or some other ingenious idea to keep the roots protected?

I've read about some just splitting the plastic cups and leaving them on - but I'd rather not do that.

All ideas welcome...

[Fygmalion]

Joe... I think that Dan years ago posted a few things about the use of Jiffy pots inside of the plastic cups; recently Dave has posted a few things regarding the use of Jiffy pots and now the jiffy compressed disks.... I thing that the jiffy cups would work well as described in the posts that I have seen; would certainly protect the main roots balls formed by the cuttings and allow for easier extraction. Dave's foray into the use of the 50mm Jiffy compressed disks might also really prove to be a great implementation scheme; am looking forward into seeing his results...

[Fygmalion]

By the way, if I was not clear... the Dan that I was referring to was the Dan of BB10 notoriety on F4F...

[TorontoJoe]

Thanks Tony. I'm not familiar with the disks. I'll check those out.

[Fygmalion]

Here is a link to really tall 50 MM compressed disks.... A little pricey as compared to the regular sized 50MM disks but for experimentation purposes...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261335966550?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[TorontoJoe]

Ahh. OK. I just checked out a Youtube video on the disks. I guess you'd have to start the cutting in them. I'm now starting in straight up perlite so that would be out as sliding into the disk would rip the roots off....

I'd like to make a version of the Juffy-Cup that's 9" tall. I'm looking into some sort of sheet version of this material...

[jrdewhirst]

Joe --

I grow cuttings in plastic cups. My planting mix is simple -- part Miracle Grow Planting Mix, part coarse perlite. [Of course, the MG is mainly finely ground sphagnum moss, with some perlite and a wetting agent.] The question is the optimal proportions of these two ingredients. If it is 100% MG, it holds water well and sticks together like a brick, but it is generally too soggy. If it is 100% perlite, it drains beautifully but dries too quickly and falls apart like a handful of gravel. So I figure the challenge is to find a happy middle ground.

This season, I have used roughly 2/3 MG, 1/3 perlite. That seems to be working well. I have to take some care to ensure that the roots don't stick to the cup, but that's not an issue related to the planting mix.

I think that others use a higher proportion of perlite (or similar friable material), which would make the root ball more crumbly. But after ~50 cuttings with roughly this current mix, I don't think I've ever had a case of roots rotting due to excess water. To the contrary, I feel that I can water without much worry because the mix drains well.

Could you get the root ball to hang together better by upping the proportion of some sticky ingredient like moss?

[TorontoJoe]

Moss is the one ingredient that I've never used...I think something long and stranded like that could hold things together. I'v also never tried coir. I wonder if that has longer fibers?

[jrdewhirst]

I didn't mean long-strand, unground sphagnum moss. I meant the finely milled brown stuff that is the main ingredient in Pro-Mix, Miracle Grow mix, etc. Long-strand moss might work, but it seems too soft and fluid. I prefer a root ball that hold together tightly.

[ThaiFigs]

I'm trying out tubes of rolled newspaper sheets filled with rice husk, sealed around cuttings with rubber bands and standing in a tray of 1/4" water. Don't plan on removing the newspaper when repotting.

[BrooklynMatty]

Pics or it didn't happen

Will the water wick up or top watering?

[TorontoJoe]

Paper tubes sound promising...How long have yours been sitting in the water? Any chance you can post a pic of that set up? I think I saw a pic somewhere of someone using cardboard rolls from toilet paper...That might be a bit narrow....

[ThaiFigs]

I roll them around a piece of pipe, fold over the bottom, crush the paper flat from inside the tube using a plunger made from a capped piece of 1" pipe.

I fill with dry rice husk, add the cutting (which never extends more than half way down inside the tube). A couple rubber bands holds the top closed .

Submerge in a bucket of water, holding a finger over the bottom to keep it closed. Once air bubbles stop rising, take it out and stand it up in a styrofoam cooler to drain and leave it in the shade, open on top, to grow.

Rice husk is lke organic perlite, it dries out quickly. But can't dry out if the paper is kept wet sitting in a small amount of water.

Don't know if this will work, it's just an experiment at this stage.

[Dave]

Joe I'm testing these out right now I have 2 trays plus going I'll let you know how it turns out as soon as I see roots "or not"

[ThaiFigs]

Prediction .... roots will grow out the bottoms fairly quickly. They will then grow in, under, around and through the light grills. Which will defeat your purpose when they tear off... Don't ask how I know... lolz...

[Dave]

I suppose that could happen if you leave them unattended for a long period of time ,,, I start a close relationship with my cuttings checking them on a daily basis I like to really pamper them once I see the first sign of roots coming out of the jiffy pot I will immediately pot them up to a 1 gallon container success is all about the bond you have with your cuttings

[ThaiFigs]

I've killed too many with kindness so I tend to take a live and let die approach now

[lilfiggy]

dave this looks great where did you get the racks in the bottom of your tray

[Dave]

home-depot White Eggcrate light Diffuser http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-...S-R5/100579509

[FigMania]

The racks look like the diffusers you can get for overhead lighting.

I have been using toilet paper and paper towel cardboard cores cut to size for seed starting for my veggies. I'm guessing they might well work for fig starts as well. They decompose easily. Maybe taking a nail or ice pick and punching holes thru the core will allow roots to easily find a way out if the core doesn't decompose easily enough. Just a thought.. cuz I haven't tried it with fig cuttings yet.

[TorontoJoe]

@ Thaifigs - please post progress.

@ Dave - also very cool. Think it would be worth sliding on a second disk to get at more nodes?

[Dave]

Joe these pods are about 3 3/4" tall they have them that are taller but 99% of my cuttings the roots come out of the bottom of the cutting usually never out of the side so any taller would be a waste for me at least

[TorontoJoe]

If that's the case I see how only one makes sense. Do you soak those to as the package recommends or less to avoid rot? Impressive roots. I suppose you wouldn't plant that too deeply then?

[Dave]

I soak them for about 30 minutes thats how long it takes for them to fully expand I let them sit out and drain and then after I put the cutting in the JP I squeeze them to get it tight up against the cutting which also releases a little bit of water I plant my cuttings deeper than the roots are of coarse it depends on the cuttings

[TorontoJoe]

Thanks Dave. Hope you don't mind all the questions... Do you enclose this in a bin...therefore eliminating the need for additional water later? Or are you adding water as you feel them drying out?

[Dave]

I like questions they make me feel important I keep them in a bin with the top open from the beginning this way there is no weening the cuttings off of a high humidity environment and yes I water them as needed "not too much water it will kill the cuttings"

[chuckell]

Joe I'm testing these out right now I have 2 trays plus going I'll let you know how it turns out as soon as I see roots "or not"

dave how tall are them jiffy pots, and where you get them??

[Dave]

they are 3 3/4" tall I bought them on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/JIFFY-7-peat...YAAOSw9GhYgjkt

[chuckell]

thanks

[TorontoJoe]

Thanks Dave. I've rooted tons of cuttings. I was getting near 100% success for a while.... Then, just when I thought I had a perfect method figured out, these twigs threw me a curve ball. I started getting either rot or little to no root growth....mostly just nothing... Really weird... So here I am re-visiting my whole process and seeking new ideas....

I'm largely attributing some recent problems with low or erratic humidity in my house. The house is heated gas/air and got quite dry when winter arrived. Other than having some very different varieties, it's the only thing I could think of that would cause such a drastic change.

I had the idea of creating absolute climate control by building a large rooting chamber using a humidifier, lights, heating mats and fans managed by a pre-wired temp/humidity controller. Since I already have a cooler/humidity chamber that I built out of a commercial Coke fridge to cure capicollo, my wife took exception to the idea of another such unit in our basement.

[ThaiFigs]

My decidedly low tech approach to humidity control.

[TorontoJoe]

What is that contraption I'm looking at on the right?

[ThaiFigs]

That's the ice chest hiding below some shade cloth. All sitting on some PVC shelving...

[adipose]

I did an experiment with Peat Pots and posted some pics on f4f a couple years ago. It worked. I abandoned it for a two cup method of my own design that partially solves the uppotting issue. I have never lost a plant uppotting with this method (about 50 successes).

The main reason to eschew peat pots is it adds a lot of work, and slows root growth. It also costs more (if you care), all for little benefit imo.

When uppotting from peat pots I frequently tore away the pot to allow root growth. This brings you full circle to unprotected roots (though with small tears it is still safer).

I say, don't do it. I can show my split cup design when I have time for pics next week.