Introduction post..

[Erick]

Hi, my name is Erick as that is my username. I live in eastern Kentucky. I've grown a garden my whole life, my family always puts fresh food away every year.
I order some fruit trees from gurneys and two small brown turkey fig trees was part of that order. I've also got one small unknown from someone. I've got some cuttings I'm working with now, but mold has been my biggest problem. I was trying to root them in moss or paper towel method. I did put a 10% bleach on them but the next day when I came home from work small amount of mold again.
So I took them all out of the box and put them in small cut off cups of water with a small cfl light near. All help would be great.. I know I'm new and have alot to learn.. Thanks Erick

[jkuo]

Welcome Erick!

I didn't have good luck with the paper towel method when I tried it. I also tried just rooting in water and that failed for me too. I've had much better luck propagating cuttings in damp coco coir or just plopping cuttings in potting mix. Using the coir or potting mix method, you only have to dampen the media once and you can ignore the cuttings for a while, which works well for me since I'm chasing my kids around a lot and don't always remember to check my cuttings. As I understand it, you have to regularly air out the cuttings with the paper towel method, and rooting in water requires swapping out the water every day or two.

Are you keeping your cuttings warm? I initially had some mold problems, but keeping my cuttings at 75-80F and airing them out every so often seems to have solved that problem.

[fitzski]

Welcome, Erick. Here are a few links to various rooting posts.

http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...rooting-method

http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...ing-media-poll

http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...rooting-method

As to what I method do I use now? I started the year with moistened sphagnum moss and had horrible results partly due to the fact my moss was way too wet and many cuttings rotted or got moldy.

Then I went back to last years methods of direct rooting with better success and now I'm trying rooting in coir.

I hope this helps.

[Harborseal]

If mold comes back quickly it may mean the cutting is dead. You can try a small scrape of the bark. If there's green underneath it's still good. Physan 20 and Cosan 20 work better than bleach and one or the other should be available at a big garden center.

For rooting, read this page for principles then click on the alternative method. That's what I do. I use the agricultural grade 3 perlite you can order through hydroponics stores. If you use the coarse perlite from HD or garden centers you have to sift or rinse out the fine particles. They hold too much water and don't allow enough air in. You can use plastic bags, cups or large storage boxes as long as there's lots of drainage hples in the bottom.

http://figs4fun.com/basics_Rooting.html

[newnandawg]

Welcome to the forum Erick. Lots of trial and error and learning from it was key for me. I did try many methods
and year before last tried the Root Riot Cubes and thats what I continue to use. Lots of pros and cons have been
shared about this method. Here is an interesting link.

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/root-riot-a-follow-up-6358900?highlight=root+riot+cubes&pid=1278148057#post1278148057

[Erick]

Thanks for all of the useful info, I try to keep it 70 to 75 where the cuttings are. I don't have them on heat mats tho. I find that anytime they are in anything with humidity they pot up with mold. I just wash them with bleach last night. Would hydrogen peroxide work better?

[Rafaelissimmo]

You can use a fungicide to prevent mold-I use diluted Chinosol powder.

[drphil69]

I found I have no mold issues when rooting in damp sphagnum moss. Key word is damp... not wet. If you squeeze every last drop out that you can it is ready.

I put them in a baggie with moss, in a shoe box on top of TV cable box - that keeps it about 75-78F. The only problem I have with this is getting the moss off of the roots without breaking the roots.

Welcome and good luck! Lots of info here, and lots of good people.

[Vincent_15]

Welcome Erik, newbie here to. transfer them in coco coir should helps alot and put them on you're water heater.
Vincent Canada zone 5

[Erick]

Thanks for all of the great info. I'm going to place a order for some coconut coir and physon 20. I might have to just get new cuttings if these keep getting mold on em.. Thanks Erick..

[Hershell]

Thanks for joining Eric. The response is a little different here wouldn't you think? I'm back home and will try to send you a pm tomorrow. It never hurts to remind me if I forget.

[Erick]

Yes everyone has been so helpful.

[Claymango]

I'm a first timer here...read a few links about rooting cuttings in Co Co Coir combined with Dip N Grow... Rooted 2 rare cuttings on my first try ever...

Check out my step by step video on youtube... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5SdjWRPmkE

[Darkman]

Welcome aboard! I'm trying the Coir in cups and in the deli boxes (Chinese take out) this year but I will try some other methods too. Maybe spread the cuttings around so if one fails the other may work.

[JimmyS]

Welcome to the forum Erick.

[WillsC]

Welcome Eric Sorry for the slow reply, been busier than a one legged man at an ass kicking contest.

[Chrisk]

LMAO Wills . That was the comment of the year! Trying to get the visual!!!

[Chrisk]

Welcome to the forum Eric. Great place to be and lots of awesome info. Happy figging bud!

[Erick]

Thanks for all of the great tips and warm welcome. I now have my cuttings in soil. I'm hopeful that maybe a few of them will root and do good. Then by this fall I will have a new setup for rooting cuttings. Thanks. Erick

[Yeehova]

Welcome Erick, I would like to join many others in promoting the benefits of coco coir. Great stuff!