My 3 cup rooting method

[SCfigFanatic]

Here is what I do.

I use 2-18 ounce clear cups and one 18 ounce black cup.

My dirt cup (clear) I put 10-12 holes (1/4" dia) with soldering iron
in the sides and bottom.

I take the other clear cup and melt 1 hole in the top.
This will be the humidity dome to raise humidity inside.

I have tried adding a draft hole at the bottom of the top cup
but it has not worked as well as it drafts out the humidity to fast.

Prepare the cuttings by cutting from the bottom to about 6 inches
total length. I just want a clean cut before dipping it in Clonex.

I use a rooting formula mix to put in my dirt cup
from miracle grow. I wet the mix first, not soggy but moist.
This variety has produced no fungus gnats so far.

Make a hole in the dirt for the cutting, dip in clonex and put into hole..


Then I lightly tape the top cup to the dirt cup and plop
the whole thing in the black cup.

Put it on a window sill a leave it alone for at least 2 weeks.

Wait until roots are showing, then add 2-3 holes to the top cup(humidity chamber)
Wait a week or more and add 4-5 more holes to the top cup.
This is allowing the cutting to adjust to lower humidity.

After say another week you can remove the top cup completely.
I put that top cup in between the black cup and dirt cup as a separate
humidity trap but keeps roots out of the water.


This is the most simple, yet most successful rooting technique
I have used thus far.


Should be easy for anyone to root cuttings.

I had posted this info elsewhere so it may be old news for some.
I just want to share what I have learned here.

Happy figgin everyone.

Doug

[Otmani007]

I had made a suggestion to create a sub-forum for tutorials, rooting methods, etc. this thread would fit in that category.

[brettjm]

How do you deal with watering? I find that overwatering has been the biggest killer of my cuttings....do you keep a certain level in the black cup?

[SCfigFanatic]

When you have already pre moistened the soil, it lasts up to 5 weeks with no additional water needed.
Following the directions carefully will duplicate my results. Other that have tried it are reporting 95% success.

[SCfigFanatic]

It looks like I started this topic in the wrong dang category...
not very "forum" savvy

[Harborseal]

No, there's only 1 "category" for new discussions involving fig plants and yours is in it. If another is eventually created it might be an issue but not for now.

[drphil69]

I like this method. Easy, no fuss. If you find you need to add water (my Fico Preto took 15-16 weeks to show roots, see my post from yesterday "Never give up" for pics), my method is to use an eye dropper and water from the lower holes on the side of the cup. I water very lightly and only when the cup feels ridiculously light.

[SCfigFanatic]

I do the same, I water through the dirt cup holes with a spray bottle if it gets too light feeling.
As soon as roots start to form, your cup will get suddenly light. The roots are just drawing the moisture up quickly.


Doug

[cis4elk]

Kind of funny, the method I use is very similar. I still get them started in bags and the premoistened soil is only slightly moist. When I have roots I put them in the cup and fill with soil and then spray it down with a mister until water starts to come out the bottom. I let them drain in the sink and then set them on folded paper towels to leach the rest of the excess moisture. The top cup has about 12 holes in it always, since I have roots already I don't need to have total humidity, just more than ambient. As the greens start to grow I might put a bigger cup on top to allow more room(I start with an 8oz top cup), and eventually I move the top cup off center about a cm to increase air, maybe 2cm the next day and then remove top cup the next day. Never had any problems hardening them off to air either. And I also use a spray bottle to water through the holes.
Great minds.

[SCfigFanatic]

Thanks Calvin.
One of the first fig trading friends I met.
It appears we go about it the same way.

There are sooo many ways to root a fig.

I remember rooting my first vdb cuttings in water.
it started to get a odor and I was off trying other methods.

It really is simple and effortless once set up.

Doug

[greenfig]

I am doing almost what Calvin described with a few variations:

I do not use an actual soil. I use a mix of pumice, Napa floor dry, perlite and a bit of coco. Impossible to overwater and more frequent watering allows me to add a diluted fertilizer. The pumice makes the cups heavy enough so they do not overturn.
For the rooting, I do

Moist paper towel until I see the root starts -
Actual rooting in coco and floor dry mix until the roots are 2-3 inches long -
Planting into the cups with mentioned above mix and keeping them outside in a shade .

The results are very nice, no overwatering and the fig leaves go through the sun adjustment from the very beginning. Of course, I can do the last step outside because of the zone 10a

[cis4elk]

Well, I used the term soil loosley, I should have said medium but I was feeling lazy. Two more key strokes you know.

[SCfigFanatic]

What I suggested to use is a sphagnum peat moss, perlite, fertilizer, and a wetting agent. So it is not soil I use either.
Thanks all

Doug

[Jenn42]

Very simple, I like it

[F. Bennett]

I've done this to a few cuttings, thanks to Doug. Seems to be working great so far!

[SCfigFanatic]

Great Frank, keep us posted.

Doug

[rusty hooks]

I use a similar method as well. Being located in zone 9b makes this an outside endeavor on heated mats. Pro mix, clear 24 oz cups with domes and a hole on top (for the straw)...I'm cheap...errr value conscious...so I brush the clonex on with a soldering brush (flux brush) and I cut the bottom of the cuttings at 60 degrees (preferrably through a node)...partially for identification and patially to increase the surface area of the cut for water absorption.

I also scrape the bark down to the cambium using a butter knife with minor serrations on it prior to the application of the clonex. All top cuts are trimmed at 90 degrees and covered with a pruning paste as a last process...to minimize moisture loss. Most of the time the cutting protrudes through the "straw hole" in the dome and ends up budding out there....if the cutting buds out below the dome I trim a small wedge out of the dome to allow the leaf a passage through.

The mat is placed on an old aluminum screen door laid with a slight (2-4 degree) slope and covered with 1.5" ridgid insulation and a heavy cotton towel. 6 inches of the towel is allowed to lay over the uphill end of the door and placed in a large disposable aluminum turkey pan. The pan is filled with water and wicks the water to the lower end on the mat...keeping the towel moist and the humidity up. A little of the water is absorbed through the bottom of the cups and drains away to the end of the mat.

As the cuttings develop roots I start them on a thin solution of a hydro ponic liquid food in the turkey pan.

Minor tweaks have me near 90% rooting right now. Some cuttings procurred at the local RECRFG scion giveaway late January had roots well developed enough to go into gallons within 3 weeks and are 6" tall now....pictures at 11. (Bournabat variety)

I like the black cups and I'm on that trail tomorrow morning. I just recieved my Davis cuttings and they are going into the darkness tomorrow.

Good thread folks....you've got to love co-operation!

[SCfigFanatic]

I started my cuttings in December.

They are now outside planted in the orchard ready for a full seasons growth.

It's kinda what I do for winter.

I could just stick cuttings directly in the dirt in early spring,
but what fun would that be?

Doug

[pacifica]

Hi Doug, you said place it in a window sill and leave it alone for at least 2 weeks, can it face to the sun (either direct or not direct to the sun)?
Once you remove the top cup after you see the roots and new leaves, will you let it enjoy direct sun or indirect sun ? Thanks for your responds

[SCfigFanatic]

Direct sun for both.

Doug

[pacifica]

Noted with many thanks. I was told it should be removed from any direct sun.I started a few cuttings last week using perlite + potting mix in a plastic cup then placed in a see-thru polybag etc. Can I also place them in window sill with direct sun as well ? Thanks.............

[SCfigFanatic]

The 3 cup method uses the direct sun to warm the soil and create condensation on the top cup.

My cuttings get all the sun they can through out the entire process.
Understand that winter time daylight hours decrease as we go through winter.
I like to use supplemental lighting to give my cuttings 14 hours a day of good lighting.
It makes the plant think its spring with the longer daylight hours.
I started out with only the window sill and they still grow good.

Hope it helps

Doug

[Visceral]

Regarding you starting with window sill only, do you leave the plant in the window sill location until you move it outside in Spring? As the plant leafs out (hopefully), I'm wondering if it will start to get cramped next to the window.

[pacifica]

Thanks............ Doug

[SCfigFanatic]

This is all inspiring me to get started my self.......I was not going to start cuttings this winter.
It is just so much fun to watch a stick grow into a tree.
I guess I need to go get some cuttings of my favorites.
I will sell those trees next summer.
Why not...


Doug


visceral, I move mine to a table in front of a southern exposed window

[SCfigFanatic]

Everybody's box was taken this afternoon by a new mail lady.
She did not scan my 8 boxes in her car like the other delivery person has.
Everybody got either 2 day or 3 day priority mail flat rate box ($5.25)
depending how far away. Hopefully tracking numbers will start showing progress soon.


Doug

[rayrose]

Doug
What if you don't have a southern exposed window nor grow lighting. The only
windows I have face northwest. Will your method still work?

Ray