help/advice

[awildcatb11]

I have found a jelly like substance on my cuttings they are in water to root. I do not know about it,is it good or bad? What should I do?
Larry

[AscPete]

A photo would be helpful with a diagnosis, but any foreign substance would be bad...

Are you changing the water every few days or using an aeration stone to keep the water aerated?
If not the jelly may be bacterial and or fungal growth which is rotting at the cuttings. If the cuttings are still healthy the jelly could be washed away you could continue rooting in water or start over. Good Luck.

Here's a simple rooting method posted on our forum, http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...rooting-method

[Harborseal]

Google biofilms (not on this site). If you rinse the jelly off you'll want to put the plant in a disinfectant of some kind. Alcohol will kill the plant.

[Jamie0507]

I think I know what you are talking about. I've seen this when I didn't change the water often enough.. As in at least every two days.. I definitely agree with Pete and Bob above, it seems your best bet would be to wash it off and disinfect with maybe a mild solution of bleach water.. Maybe 5% bleach/95% water. The aeration stone Pete suggests sounds like a great idea! Pete where do you find these stones? Hydroponics store maybe?

Hoping you caught it on time.. It stinks to lose cuttings!

[AscPete]

The aeration stones and pump can be purchased at any Hydroponic store or at any Walmart or Pet Store that sell Aquarium supplies...

I don't use water rooting methods for dormant fig cuttings, but have tried them to get root initials on green or freshly cut material.

[AscPete]

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1284197705&postcount=14

A homemade Bubble Cloner experiment...

[Rafaelissimmo]

When I water root I start the cutting in a cup of water that I change every day. Slime/jelly is something I have seen in cloner rooting when the cutting either does not take or when the end is too deep in the water. It is a sign of rot. I find that if the cutting has begun to rot, you probably have lost it. Only a long cutting with a clearly live section can be saved by cutting the rotting section off in its entirety. Otherwise the rot will spread rapidly up the rest of the cutting.

[pppldj]

Does the bark slide off or tear with very little pressure? I agree, it sounds like rot.

[awildcatb11]

Thank you all for the information. I rinsed the cuttings off several times until the foreign substance was eliminated rinsed in bleach water and changed the water each time, the root initials seem to alright.
Larry

[Taverna78]

Just my 2 cent but when I buy my wife flowers from store she always add little bleach to the water in vase and say it helps keep the flower live longer. She never uses flower food come with them. I never root in water so I can't help but maybe the bleach in water may work I not known for sure tho

[awildcatb11]

Fabio that is a splendid idea. I am going to try it.
Larry