Growing fig trees from cuttings is a simple and economical way to establish a fig orchard in your own back yard. Figs root readily and easily, as long as you effectively manage moisture. While there are many methods to choose from, the simplest is to root the cutting in damp medium in a sealed bag. This is often referred to as the "fig pop" method, after it was demonstrated by Ben B., a Washington state fig collector and blogger who recorded his success on his blog here.
Benefits of the Rooting Fig Cuttings Using the Fig Pop Method
Moisture management. In my experience, the most difficult part of rooting fig cuttings is managing moisture. Too dry and the cuttings perish. Too damp and they rot, fungus sets in, and fungus gnats take hold. (Fungus gnats are small, winged insects that are a common pest in indoor plants. They are attracted to moist soil and decaying plant matter.)
Space efficiency. It doesn't take long to go from being a fig amateur to a fig-aholic. Most of us don't just grow a single fig tree. Rooting fig cuttings takes many excited fig collectors by storm and, next thing you know, there are cuttings rooting in pots all over the house. Using the fig pop method, cuttings can be rooted in a very space efficient way, tightly packing hundreds of cuttings into a small plastic tote that can be moved easily.
Tidiness. Growing fig cuttings in plastic bags that are sealed with rubber bands keeps things tidy. No soil dumping on the floor. No water leaking from the bottom of pots. No spilled watering cans. Tidy.
Easy of use. Set it and forget it. Once assembled you can store the fig pops and let nature do the work. Moisture levels in the rooting medium stay fixed, since the bags are sealed and you simply wait until cuttings need a larger pot.
Affordability. The fig pop method saves the cost of nursery pots and excess rooting medium. Rooting 100s of cuttings can be done for a fraction of the cost of traditional methods using more costly tree pots. It saves in time spent watering and treating for gnats, as well.
Before You Begin: Supplies Needed
Here's what you'll need to root fig cuttings using the fig pop method:
Fig cuttings - Select cuttings that are fresh, lignified (not green, but brown and hardened off), and disease free. The cutting should have three leaf node sections and be 9-12" long. Check out our collection of cold hardy fig varieties here.
Pruning shears.
4" x 16" 2-mil poly bags. (Order your Fig Pop Supply Kit here.)
#32 rubber bands.
Tape.
Labels and marking pen.
Potting mix. We use PRO-MIX BRK 20, because that is what we have on hand most of the time. But PRO-MIX HP is a better choice due to the greater porosity. Add perlite to any potting mix to increase drainage if necessary.
Isopropyl alcohol 70%, for sanitizing tools and cutting surfaces.
Step 1: Sanitize
Working clean helps to minimize rot and disease risks. Truth be told, I often skip this step in the interest of time. It's recommend to use 70% isopropyl alcohol instead of bleach solution, since it is supposedly less harmful to plant tissue.
Start by using a clean towel and a small amount of the alcohol to clean your pruning shears.
Next, wipe the fig cuttings down with a clean down dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol. Allow them to air dry. If you won't be using the cuttings immediately, you can now store them in a labeled resealable bag in the refrigerator.
An alternative way to sanitize fig cuttings is to soak them for 30 seconds in a tub filled with 10 parts water and 1 part bleach. Remove the cuttings and allow them to air dry before use or storage.
Step 2: Prepare Potting Mix
Using a large plastic tub, damped the potting mix with enough water that it can be compressed in your hand and partly hold together, but not so much moisture that you can squeeze droplets out of the mixture. You want it more on the side of lightly damp rather than wet. Wet equals rot, decay, dead cuttings.
If you need to add additional perlite to the mix to increase air flow, then do that now. 50% perlite to 50% peat is a good general use mixture for rooting.
Moisture level is probably the most difficult thing to convey, but experience will show you how wet is too wet, and how dry is too dry. Air on the side of too dry and you will be better off, most of the time.
Now take your damp-but-not-wet potting mix and fill the appropriate number of poly bags about 40-50% full.
Step 3: Insert Fig Cutting
Using the pruning shears, trip any browned, dried or damaged cutting ends. Cut the top of the cuttings at a 45-degree angle to keep moisture from pooling there and causing decay. The bottom of the cutting can be flat.
Push the cutting into the potting mix until two leaf nodes are submerged, leaving one lead node above the potting mix. That single bud will push out a new shoot in the coming weeks.
Step 4: Apply Rubber Band
Secure everything in place using a single rubber band. On the outside of the poly bag, loop the rubber band around the cutting where the cutting and the soil meet. Twist it tightly to seal the poly bag against the cutting and pull the rubber band down around the bottom of the soil-filled bag. It will stay in place and keep everything securely held together.
Fold over the top of the bag and partially seal it with a small piece of clear tape. This keeps moisture from escaping from the cutting as it roots. Remove the tape and open the bag once leaves appear on the cutting.
Step 5: Care During Fig Cutting Rooting
Now you can store the fig pops while the magic of root development happens.
If you are storing many fig pops, use a nursery tote or bulb crate to hold them upright. Otherwise, any container that keeps them upright and makes it easy to transport them is fine.
Store them in a location that is 70-75F and out of the way. Using a heat mat helps the cuttings root faster. Don't set it above 75F, since the cuttings could dry out too quickly.
If you find the mixture was too wet, you can poke tiny holes in the fig pop to dry things out a little. After roots develop, you will need to do this to allow for airflow and oxygen for root transpiration. Only poke a few holes.
Using Rooting Hormones For Fig Cuttings
I don't find it necessary to use rooting hormones for fig cuttings, but it's possible it would increase root development and take. However, most commercially available rooting hormones use potentially cancer causing compounds like Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA).
As an alternative, use willow water by steeping willow bark in water overnight. The salicylic acid found in willow bark is a natural plant hormone that stimulates root growth. Now soak your fig cuttings in the willow water for 30 seconds before use.
Another alternative to commercial rooting hormones is raw honey. Dilute it 1:1 in water and apply this mixture to the fig cutting end.
Tips and Aftercare
Provide adequate light:
Bright natural light is ideal for assisting with root and leave development. Photosynthesis requires light and fuels root growth.
Indirect light is best. Do not allow direct sunlight to dry out fragile cuttings. Once they are rooted and growing well, direct light is preferred.
Manage humidity:
A spray bottle that atomizes water into a fine mist can be effective for managing relative humidity if the environment is too dry. Simply mist the cuttings a few times a day, only if they are too dry. This can also be useful when they have leafed out.
Poke a few holes into the fig pop bag to allow them to absorb water after growth has started and its necessary to water the growing tree. You may opt to pot them into a larger pot at this point if the roots have filled the bag.
Fertilization:
When the cutting is actively growing and has a strong root system, it will need to be fertilized using a mild fertilizer solution. Follow the label for directions. Don't over-fertilize.
Dealing with gnats:
Few things are more discouraging when rooting fig cuttings than a full fledged gnat infestation. How does this happen? They thrive on moist organic matter and will take great pleasure in taking up residence in your overly-damp potting mix, gnawing at decaying fig bark and roots. Prevent this by heeding the advice above about moisture levels.
Use sticky traps. Suspend them just above the fig cuttings.
Diatomaceous Earth can be sprinkled at the base of the cuttings.
An infestation should be dealt with using a product called Gnatrol. Gnatrol
is a biological control agent contains larvae of the predatory mite Hypoaspis miles, which feed on fungus gnat larvae. Don't wait until you have a big problem to use it, since it can be slow to take effect.
When to pot up:
After your cutting has rooted and filled the fig pop with roots, it's time to "pot up". You could pot the tree into a permanent 5 or 10 gallon planter, or, if weather permits, plant the fig into its final outdoor location. If you are planting the fig tree outdoors, remember to acclimate it to the environment first, but incrementally adjusting its exposure to direct sunlight and ambient temperatures.
Conclusion
Rooting fig cuttings at home is an easy and satisfying way to enter the world of plant propagation. Figs root quickly, effectively and grow fast once started, provided much a quick feedback loop in the process.
Using the fig pop method of fig cutting propagation is a good choice to start with and will allow you to produce many rooted cuttings in a small space at a low cost.
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