6 chances for Preto

[AdamD123]

What are the odds of these 6 Preto cuttings rooting using the three cup method? We will see.....

[greenfig]

66.7% ?

[strudeldog]

Probably less than 10% with my rooting skills, Some folks would claim 110% chance and looked at another way some might state 600%

[fitzski]

Hope you have better luck than me with direct potting method.

Rooting in coir seems to work best for me.

[cis4elk]

Rooting is the easy part. Keeping them alive after that is the challenge!

I agree, for me the best and easiest method is to root in coir using a baggie, then move to a cup. I did some recently which I started in coir then moved directly to 32 oz deli/yogurt containers. I mixed the coir from the baggie with some locally available organic potting mix. So far so good, all have roots on the walls but only 2 with leaves so far. This is skipping one of my old steps, Just looking for a way to simplify it more.

Good luck.

[brettjm]

Exactly 100%, after you send 3 of them to me of course. Its a no brainer, really :-P

[COGardener]

Hopefully at least 1 for 6....

[F. Bennett]

A few years ago, I started with three 4" cuttings. Two of the three made it to beautiful vigorous trees. If I can do it, anyone can.
At that time, I simply used sphagnum peat moss in a tupperware container. Then, they graduated to 70/20 perlite/potting mix. Eventually to 1 gallon pots and the rest was easy. You'll do great!

Oh, that was my first year ever rooting cuttings too.

[AdamD123]

Thanks for the tips Frank. I'm using the miracle grow seed starting mix...damp but not soggy....I may try to graft one tip cutting to another fig... But I've not done any grafting of figs yet.

[sppsp]

I hope you get 6 preto trees from those 6 cuttings. My one and only cutting fail last spring. Good luck!

[AdamD123]

Thank you Shailesh.

[tyro]

If you don't have that variety I'd graft at least one as backup.

[AdamD123]

Paul- I may try and graft a small cutting into another tree. At this point I only have the cuttings...no mother plant.

[SCfigFanatic]

If you followed the directions, and use the same materials. I guess at least 5 of 6 will grow.
Altering anything other than what I have tested with, can end up with different results.

Just a few weeks ago I started texas blue giant cuttings, they showed root hitting the dirt cup edge in
7 days.
All 4 of 4 rooted.
2, I gave away and 2 are out planted in my orchard and growing.

Doug

[quackmaster]

Good luck!! 2 years ago I had one preto cutting which grew into a tree that I still have, but it is so riddled with fmv it is only about a foot tall still.

[AdamD123]

Ryan... I thought Preto should be relatively virus free and black Madeira had the virus problems.

[quackmaster]

That's what I thought also, but the preto cutting I got is loaded with fmv, and get this my black madeira from KK has never shown any fmv, lol. Just the luck of the draw I guess.

[quackmaster]

That's the reason I wanted a preto, because it's supposed to be healthier and a little earlier then black madeira. The one I have isn't healthier and I don't know if it's earlier yet.

[AdamD123]

So....following the advice of some I decided to graft one tip cutting on to an existing fig....hopefully it will take. I used grafting pruners that create a notched cut and some Teflon plumbers tape. Was fun to do.

[AdamD123]

Here's the Preto grafted growing tip.....still looking fine.

[Charlie]

Watching with much interest. Where did you get the grafting tool? I looked at several of those but never got one yet.

[AdamD123]

Charlie....I got it on amazon a year or so ago to graft ceiba trees. It's coming in handy now.

[AdamD123]

Grafting pruners...see pic

[jmaler]

A lot depends on the cutting. If it wants to grow, it will. If not your SOL. You do the best you can and sometimes it's just not enough.

In three instances I stuck 5 or so cuttings of the same variety, Smith, LSU Gold and Adriatic, JH, in a large flower pot just to see how they would root. They all sprouted. The pot of Smith produced 2 strong and one weak plants with one fig. The pot of LSU Gold produced 5 strong plants with a few figs. The Adriatic produced three strong plants loaded with figs. None of the figs will ripen this season.

Obviously the growing conditions were the same for all the cutting. Bottom line is to me, if a cutting is going to root and take off, based on my growing style, it will, else regardless what you do it will die.

Good luck on your six cuttings and the graft.

[SCfigFanatic]

Jmaler
During warm months its true. Anybody can stick a cutting in soil and some will grow.
I like to root cuttings starting at the end of December.
I root them in December and plant them in my orchard in march.
Many fruit the first year.
I have tried every method I have read about, my 3 cup method is more dependable
than everything else I've tried.
My orchard has 60+ trees in ground.
I purchased 3 of these as small trees.
The rest were all started by cuttings.

If my method helps some one , great.

If it does not work or directions were altered then you have to expect altered results.
So, if it does not work. Oh well, just try something else.

I will be starting cuttings again this december.
I can post results, like I had done years before.
If you can root a stick, you too can have a orchard.

Have fun

Doug

[AdamD123]

Two of the 6 Preto cuttings are already starting to root!! I thought they all got toasted in the 4 days of 103 F temps......
The graft.....not looking the best....

[SCfigFanatic]

Be patient, more will root.
Glad to see it working for you.

Doug

[AdamD123]

Thanks Doug. Actually I was surprised to see roots so fast! I'm sure more will root over the next few weeks.

[SCfigFanatic]

Well
?

How did you do?


Doug

[AdamD123]

4 out of 6 have nice roots. Just repotted with 70% perlite and 30% pro mix. The tiny graft I tried got fried in a 95 degree heat wave. The 2 additional cuttings are leafing out but no roots just yet....there is still hope for 6 out of 6 😎

[COGardener]

Congrats Adam, they look great.

[AdamD123]

Thank you Scott.....now the challenge is to get them through the winter.....

[COGardener]

And that can be very challenging.

[F. Bennett]

Nice work, Adam!!

[AdamD123]

It helped to have super healthy cuttings to start with! Thanks much Frank. There are two more smaller cuttings still in the works as well...looking good. I didn't use any bottom heat...all were outside in a mostly shaded, protected spot.

[WillsC]

Adam,

I don't mean to be a wet blanket and just stating this so you will be prepared.....BUT......the rooting is the easy part. 95%++ of all cuttings will root. The problems and death happens after they root. They are going along just fine then one day a leaf droops and dead. So just be careful with the water. Maybe we should name it SFDS (sudden fig death syndrome).

[AdamD123]

Thank you Wills. I most certainly appreciate the warning....I'm hoping to keep them going thru the fall if I can. They are inside under a sunblaze light and seem to be doing ok.....