Rooting Fig Cuttings - Improved Propagation Method Using Cups

[@TheMillennialGardener]

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[@shashakeeleh5468]

Looks like I have to go get pine bark chips, which is crazy, since I live in a pine forest. I have cypress mulch, which is lighter and think it might be too wet. Can rarely find small bags of pine mulch and don't use it outside because fire ants love it.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@shashakeeleh5468 it is best to experiment. You may be okay using some kind of shredded hardwood. I think Mike Kincaid uses 100% fir fines as a medium and has great success. Many people are now using 100% diatomaceous earth and having luck as well. There are a lot of options, and it all comes down to trialing.

[@shashakeeleh5468]

@@TheMillennialGardener Understood. Might you tell me what you're using? I ask because it look really nice.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

shashakeeleh I think this was mostly Walmart Expert Gardener potting mix with some added perlite and some of the fines out of a bag of mini pine bark nuggets to increase drainage. The potting soil itself is too heavy in peat and encourages rot, in my opinion, so adding perlite and some pine bark fines increases drainage and lessens water retention.

[@shashakeeleh5468]

@@TheMillennialGardener Agree. The WMt brand is thankfully lighter than MiracleGro PS, IMO, so more easily amended. I'm using Cactus, Palm mix for figs now with slight amendment so it doesn't dry out too fast, but would rather have to water more often than have it drown. Thanks much, will see you in the AM for the dwarf tom tasting!

[@mindiekaplan3542]

The video contains a lot of clear detailed information I haven't seen in other videos. This is my first time rooting a fig cutting. I feel a lot more confident that I know what to do. Thanks!!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm happy to hear that! Best of luck!

[@LifeIsBeautifulnz]

To be honest. This is the best rooting tutorial I ever seen. Very packed of details that necessary to all levels. I m not a fig grower but will adapt with Cherimoya plant in my back yard. Thank heap for sharing. ❤ Little Kiwi

[@highlandscommunityclub1160]

Getting ready to take some cuttings from a neighbor’s fig tree. Thank you for sharing your expertise!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Best of luck!

[@mgfons]

Thanks, great video. I used a new soil mix this time to root my cuttings, and got roots in only two weeks. I used roughly half coco coir, and half peat moss. Then, I added some pumice (about 1/4 the amount of the coco coir and peat moss). Then, I sprinkled a little willow bark powder and kelp meal into the mix. Not much at all, less than 1% of the total soil mix. Willow Bark Powder and Kelp Meal have natural rooting hormones. I rooted my fig cuttings using the fig pop method, and used bottom heat pad, and got roots in two weeks.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That is fantastic. You must've got some really fresh cuttings that were ready to go. Sometimes, cuttings are so dormant they can take over a month to really wake up and get going. You scored some awesome stuff! Nice work.

[@RonnieMinh]

I am lucky to live in Littlefield Arizona, we just stick the cuttings in the ground and they grow.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Do you have to water a lot given your most likely arid climate?

[@RonnieMinh]

The Millennial Gardener Our farm sits on a natural aquifer. We water for about two years till the roots hit the aquifer and after that there in no need to water.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Ronnie & Minh that is awesome. Sounds like the perfect environment for figs - Arizona heat and dry air in the summer, but without the watering problems!! You must get amazing quality.

[@ryanau7222]

Do your fig cuttings bear fruit?

[@RonnieMinh]

@@ryanau7222 Absolutely they do. Not every variety can handle our hot weather, but the ones that can do really well.

[@tonytone6346]

Your a great teacher. Thank you !!!! I have a large Chicago fig with tons of branches and going to do cuttings. This was the video I was searching for. I don’t want mess up.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I'm glad you found the video helpful. Best of luck!

[@zw5509]

Drain hole hack from another channel, leave cups stacked and drill them all with the larger bit at one time! Did it and it worked. Time saver. Nice video.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You know, I tried this, but found the cuts split more this way. Cheap plastic! Next year, I'll be using tree pots from GreenhouseMegastore. You can bury more nodes that way and increase your chances of success. I was using Solo cups, so the quality was..."meh."

[@zw5509]

@@TheMillennialGardener I like the translucent cup depth for Tom's. Have to look at the tree pots.

[@ChristinesBackyardGarden]

Great tutorial. I'm wondering if 4 years later, is this the method you still use for your fig cuttings?

[@hamidbenabbou6886]

You're a true man that I respect sincerely ! You're my lovely teacher So proud of you great teacher Hamid BENABBOU from Morocco Have a good luck Sir

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you so much! I'm glad the videos are helpful. Thanks for watching, I appreciate it!

[@nigelhorsley5650]

Like a previous commentator Lela T., I also quickly make holes using a soldering iron. Don't do it on stacked plastic cups as you'll end up with them stuck together. I also use Elmers waterproof wood glue to 'cap' off the top ends of my cuttings. I agree too on micro cuts but use a rooting hormone gel that also has fungicidal qualities and make sure all the cuts are covered in it.

[@donaldkasper8346]

Anti fungal rooting compound does nothing. Cuttings will still rot. You don't like rot, don't use potting mix made with rotted wood.

[@simonesheeka6791]

What an amasing informative video with detailed plant biology broken down for easy digestion...every step easy to follow and detailed Thankyou sooooo much Simone from Brighton uk

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you so much! I appreciate that, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching from across the pond!

[@salsus7535]

Just a suggestion to simplify the drilling of the cups for drainage, stack 8-10 cups and drill as shown in the video: small drill first then larger drill for drainage holes. Excellent video!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The cups will crack if you do that. The plastic doesn't hold up well.

[@virginiatracy6127]

I do a lot of gardening so I bought a cheap soldering iron .about 12 bucks on Amazon. I find this to be invaluable when I need to drill all those holes.it would go right through those little cups.just stay away from breathing the smoke.also I love that you use the word medium for potting soil instead of media like so many people on KZbin do.that drives me crazy.oh and I am now growing my figs in grow bags and really notice a difference in the size of them.it gives them a great root ball.check out some videos on grow bags.I enjoyed your video

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Well, “media” is the plural of “medium” 😆 I am normally a fan of grow bags, but only for annual vegetables. I urge you to use caution when it comes to trees. I had trees in felt bags, and what happened was the roots grew through the bags, and the more hair-like roots actually weaved themselves into the inner felt/fabric. When I tried to up-pot them, the felt bags were basically sewn onto the trees. I had to cut them off with shears, and this caused extensive root damage because I had to cut/rip the bags away. It becomes impossible to remove them. From here on out, I will never use a fabric bag for trees and only for annual vegetables. They’re awesome for tomatoes and peppers since they provide good soil aeration, but for trees, once those roots grow into the bag, you may kill the tree trying to remove them. I urge only hard containers for trees.

[@virginiatracy6127]

no no,I put trees in the ground or in huge tubs but I grow my figs in them.they seem to like it they grow a little faster.if I see any roots coming through the bag,I will take it out immediately and put it in the ground.we just have such crappy soil around here.hey,thanks for your reply.happy gardening.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Virginia Tracy fig trees (and really most trees) in my experience will put their initial energy into root development. If you restrict their root growth in containers, it forces them to put their energy into growing green growth and fruits. I’m convinced my figs fruited so early and heavily for me because they become quickly rootbound. It is the law of diminishing returns, though. Container figs perform better when young, but mature trees in-ground produce more than container figs could ever dream.

[@ChachoBob]

I'm using this method for some unknown fig cuttings from my mother-in-law's fig tree and it is the most effective method so far. For comparison, I'm also using the 'sand method' and regular potting method and they have given me no action as far as root growth. I'm actually kinda worried cuz its October and I've got roots crawling out the top of my cups and some buds starting to burst. This may affect their growth cycle in the spring when I up-pot and take outdoors. We'll see... Great vid.

[@teamuncle]

Top Notch Mr Millenial.. Thanks for the clear concise instruction, education.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@2brownbraids]

Yes, I agree, baking all potting media is a must if you keep cuttings/plants inside the house. Good point. Good video, very complete. Thank you

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@normitataylor3948]

Thank you

[@71160000]

I happen to have a small green house with two hydro beds filled with clay pellets and a six hundred gallon fish tank that pumps water through the beds two or three times a day. I take a half dozen or so fig cuttings with leaves from the new growth of a fig tree. Strip all the leaves off except the top one or two and place the cuttings down into the clay a few inches. In two to three weeks there are roots and new leaves coming out. I leave one cutting as a mother plant and pull and pot all the others. In a few months the mother plant has lots of branches and I cut them all and set into the beds for more trees. I'll take cuttings off the mother plant until it starts to get too big for the bed, pull it and plant in a pot allowing another cutting to grow for cuttings. I have yet to find an easier way to root most plant cuttings than the hydro bed methods. Most people could do a fairly small system just for rooting if they grow a lot of different plants that they wish to propagate. I have an older one that consists of a tub on the ground and two tubs up above it with clay pellets and pumps in the bottom sump to circulate water into the top tubs. I use a liquid mix of greenhouse fertilizers in the sump tank.

[@pennywiltz6906]

Vermont again. Had wrapped my pruning s in 1 ft lengths, wrapped in wet paper towels in plastic bags. Dang if they’re not all sprouting roots. Love my figs.

[@cmajors4596]

Here's a tip for all you gardeners. Instead of drilling holes in the bottom of your growing cups, you can burn them in, super quickly, if you use a soldering iron. Try it! It's a real time saver! You will never drill holes in anything plastic again!

[@mofomoco]

This is my 1st year trying to root a lot of cuttings...i have almost 100 going right now. But i am doing mine in a garage in AZ in winter with a lot of fish tanks around the cuttings. My spare garage is for raising fish, so hopefully the humid warm air helps them grow roots faster

[@cs7717]

A few times you said the leaves are on top and the large circle below it is where the fruit grows. That is actually backwards. The fruit grows from the top nodes and the leaves are below it.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

C S you know, I am looking through my old photos of my trees right now and both are true. Sometimes figs grow above and below, sometimes they’re offset and close to parallel, and it gets even more confusing when double figs grow. Either way, you must look for the tiny bud and orient it up. I’m 100% certain all my fig cuttings are potted properly.

[@cs7717]

@@TheMillennialGardener I have no doubt whatsoever that yours are properly orientated. You have quite the nice collection. In all my years, I have only seen the big leaf circle on the bottom, so I learned something new today!

[@davidhalldurham]

Very informative video! I've made the mistake of letting my cuttings put out greenery before the roots have gotten established. Big mistake. Using a heating pad will be a great help next time.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

David FYI - I had to relocate the figs downstairs. The heating pad made them too hot. The bottoms hit 102F. I put them downstairs on the cold kitchen floor and now the bottoms are 77F and the tops 70F. Perfect. If you use a pad, invest in a laser thermometer, pull the cups and scan the bottoms. It is worth it.

[@rc4840]

You are an excellent instructor!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I appreciate that! Thank you for watching.

[@TnT_F0X]

I got 3 cuttings coming... grafting one onto my Chicago Cold Hearty, other two I'll root. I'll go with Coco coir and perilite, since they'll both be clean of bugs. Thanks for the tips. Bornholm Diamond Cuttings, I hear they taste like melon. Cant wait.

[@truclynguyen9700]

Instructions easy to follow, thanks

[@thor4594]

I have done what Mike suggested in the cutting for rooting, and it is AWESOME!! Ive had great success!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That’s great to know. Some of the things he did made a lot of sense to me. We can always innovate and improve.

[@bobbrawley2612]

I'm not going to be able to apply Mike's technique to my living condition so I'm using JSACADURA lasagna technique . Or figpop method could work with me . I mean figpop is similar to Mike's method . Bag or cup . What's the difference. How about joining up with WTF FACEBOOK group all the experienced figgers are in attendance WTF stands for What the Fig . As an added inducement several offer free or nearly free cuttings . 2 other KZbin fig gurus are in attendance and many figbid sellers follow and comment

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Bob Brawley I’m familiar with his “shoebox” technique. My understanding is the difficulty is in the up-potting. I’m not familiar with the group, but I don’t really use Facebook.

[@bobbrawley2612]

@@TheMillennialGardener yes I didn't take the uppotting into account. I. often talk of that method is it better known as the shoe box method. I just read someone referred to it as the lasagna method.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I believe I did try it last year but all the cuttings rotted. It seems this method really needs to be fine-tuned with the amount of moisture.

[@lucyrosas5177]

Great video! Can I do this with any type of fruit tree? Please let me know. I will really appreciate it!!! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!

[@epiqemusic]

Hi. Great video. Is there a followup video to how they turned out? Thank You!!

[@joerappa5278]

Following you closely here with your propagation methods because I am doing the same. Your other way of bagging, and this way. The only thing I am missing was the pine bark nuggets. I will have to pick some up this weekend. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome. The nuggets are a gamble. I hope they won’t provide too much moisture and create a rot prone environment. We’ll see how they do.

[@joerappa5278]

Hi. I just watched this video for the 2nd time. You did a great job with it. A couple of more questions. I am also experimenting just like u are. I put 6 cuttings in 6 cups 2 weeks ago in a medium size bin. Not as high as yours though.. However, I did not get to purchase the parafilm yet. I am ordering one and it will be delivered during the week. 1) After being in the cup for 3 weeks, would it be a waste to cover it with parafilm so late? 2) i have 3 cuttings covered in a ziplock, and 3 without a ziplock. What is your opinion on covering it with a ziplock to keep the humidity in? My room temperature is a regular 72 degrees. Thank you

[@TheMillennialGardener]

1- If you can’t wrap the cuttings immediately in parafilm, I would skip it. You’ll just disturb them and possibly halt the rooting process or damage fine roots. You may just want to most the cuttings every couple days to prevent them from drying out. 2 - I think moderate levels of humidity can help (compared to the 15-20% desert-like humidity indoors in winter), but too much can promote rot. The short answer is I’m not 100% sure, and you may want to experiment. If the humidity inside the bag is too much, you can always poke holes in the bag. It shouldn’t be collecting water droplets. Thank you for watching. I’m glad you found it helpful.

[@joerappa5278]

Ok on number 1. For number 2, there are no droplets or any kind of wetness in the baggie. But the dirt is still moist. It looks ok. I just checked my 4 cuttings that i was testing wrapped in a paper towel like u demonstrated. After 2 weeks, i see more of the white dots on the top part of the cutting than the bottom. The bottom has just a few tiny dots, but the top has a lot. The top 3 inches and bottom 3 inches are not covered with the wet paper towel.. Is that ok that the dots are growing on top? I hope they are tiny root dots and not mold dots.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Joe Rappa the cutting may root all over. That is normal. Just keep an eye on it and make sure there is no mold forming anywhere.

[@AncientHippie]

Thanks for your videos, I am expanding my collection thanks to your shared knowledge. If you are burying 2 nodes should you score both?

[@Dave-km4ws]

I use Nail Polish for the wound on top. It is easier to manage. When it is dry, the wound area is covered well.

[@ZonaFigs]

I put three cuttings in an eight inch pot filled up halfway with potty mix stuck the cuttings in it and put a bag over it and I guess it stayed so moist and humid they rooted all the way to the top of the cuttings. I had to take the bag off and knock the roots off at the top of them, it was so weird but there doing great now.

[@AaBb-oo4th]

Hi Millennial,,i watched a lot or your video ,,very like that you experience the thing to find what go wrong with the cutting I watch Ross Radi too and himself have rotting some year,and me too What i think is the cause is not 100% the substrate because i root a cutting one time in a real dirty compost and work good I think is the state the plant are when the winter come Imagine a good summer full sun and hot,,you fertilize your fig tree with your regular schedule and at the end of the season the plant have metabolize all the nitrogen and go dormant you will take cutting of it and no rot occur but if the year after sun and temperature are not there and you fertilize with the same ratio,the plant will not metabolize all the feed and are full of nitrogen as it go dormant,,that is when the cutting will rot when you try to root it ,,i suppose It is suppose to root better when there is more carbon than nitrogen,,,this is why green wood don,t want to root and rot too i suppose This is what i think but i have not experiment it yet Also nitrate are better than ammonium and urea that are major in miracle grow,,hydroponic fertilizer contain no more than 10% ammonium and no urea,(that cause a plant to be too lush and soft),,that what i use in all my potted plants and contain calcium and magnesium and my plant are very compact and sturdy Many thanks for all your partage,,,Alain

[@bjl1226]

Great information on rooting figs. What type of marker was used for identification? Also, do you use a metal tag band or just the plastic? I like using the clear plastic cups. Instead of drilling I use scissors and knick off a bit of the bottom edge 1/4 to 3/8 inches works well. I also line the bottom with a piece of paper towel. This helps hold the soil in and reduces the mess from water drippings. You could also put the planter cup in a uncut cup as a lower reservoir instead of the chips. It also prevents the markings from wearing off. I use a mix of potting soil, peat moss and perlite. I keep them in a low light area while rooting, no direct sun. Thanks for all of your efforts. They kind of become you children don't they?

[@rosebraskett]

I appreciate your video! Going to try coco husk. It's my favorite for hoyas keeping things moist but not wet. 🤗 I keep fish tanks too which keeps home humidity level up so I find prop boxes to be too much. Last summer I did some air layers without girdling. Worked like a charm. The lowest one which was mostly out of the sun didn't root well, so only change going forward is leaf pruning so foil gets hit with sun.

[@harataheke3440]

Thanks for sharing l love watching your videos hopefully my figs will grow

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@mred3608]

Looks like the right way to go. Hope they all root for you. I made the mistake of not sterilizing potting mix once and bringing it inside. A swarm of gnats was the result.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Even sterilizing last year I still eventually had some gnats. I can’t imagine what it would be like not baking the soil first. I don’t want to battle them for 4 months! It is no fun.

[@silverfoxes65]

You might want to try BTI for the gnats. I put it in my watering solution, then water the plants with it. Don't overwater. Has made a big difference.

[@silverfoxes65]

Some people have suggested sand sprinkled on top of your potting soil, the bugs don't like it. I have even had the gnats crawl into the drain hole of my pots and raise their family. Maybe some mesh over the holes will stop that.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@silverfoxes65 I have BTI. It is incredibly toxic, and I would really prefer not to bring that into my house. I use the Mosquito Bits out of desperation outside. I don't want to bring that indoors. You need gloves and a mask, preferably, to apply that. The best practice is to not bring the gnats in to begin with. Baking your soil will prevent that. So far, not one gnat and it's been 3 weeks.

[@silverfoxes65]

@@TheMillennialGardener I agree that the best practice is to keep the gnats out in the first place. But I can not find anywhere that BTI is even remotely toxic to humans. This Canadian Publication may help sort this out. www.gdg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/BTI_GDG_EN.pdf

[@karlaesparza3286]

Great. Video. Thank you for all the great info

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@surfviewgardens2396]

Another great video! Thanks, man.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@newbiegarden]

The bottom bump is where the leaf comes out of. I've seen this same method from that other big youtuber (forgot his name) but your video is much more informative.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you. I was apprehensive to edit this together because it is so long, but I wanted to make a very detailed video to have in my library. I intend to cut together a much shorter video that’ll require a lot less effort to watch.

[@newbiegarden]

@@TheMillennialGardener Its good bro. It helps and teaches people. Keep them coming.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks 😊

[@teresabrockett7525]

I use a Wood-burning pen to make my holes in the cups. Works like a charm. 😊

[@matthewwoitkowski4275]

Terrific video!!!! Learned a lot!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Matthew Woitkowski thanks for watching!

[@edemyre8993]

Well done. I especially liked the part about rooting the cuttings in sterilized mini nuggets; I live in central Florida and fungus thrives here if you give it a chance. I'm just growing my first figs and your advice is quite helpful!

[@davidmalina5887]

I had a problem after planting the cuttings to root and covering them up to retain moisture and increase the temperature. Basically every leaf node caught mold. What I did was to mix a bit of edible soda with water and just sprayed it on the surface of the cutting and also top of the soil. That will kill the mold and will not hurt the cuttings/plants in any way.

[@111Lky]

Thank you, your videos are thorough and so clearly presented. My go to fig site!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching! I appreciate that.

[@nmnate]

Good timing. My first set of cuttings should be arriving this week. Got 2 each of MBVS, Takoma Violet and Ronde de Bordeaux. I think your explanation for the node orientation is correct, but you have the leaf and fig locations swapped. All of my cuttings have had the larger circle near the bottom and the fig "bumps" are just above it in the correct orientation. Just look at your trees, I'm sure you'll still have some fig bumps to compare (I always have some on my Celeste tree, even when dormant). My leaf stems are usually significantly larger than the fig stems.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You are correct, the lead node is the larger bottom node. The orientation is correct, however, and that is all that really matters. Good luck with the new cuttings. Try not to go overboard 😂

[@nmnate]

@@TheMillennialGardener Overboard?? I have 6 cuttings I just got from Off the beaten path (Bill), waiting on 6 from WillsC, and I'll probably buy about the same from Harvey in a month or so. If I'm successful, I can always give away the extra trees (or trade). I'm trying to not go over 20 cuttings this winter...we'll see if I can make that happen. Harvey has some really cool varieties. I'm staying far away from the fairly exotic varieties, my "rarest" is probably CddN or the original Golden Riverside.

[@larawines4875]

Do you do an update video on these? Are you still using the same method or have you made changes? @themillenialgardner

[@succulentqueen7737]

Help. I already started my cuttings before watching this video 2 weeks ago, in a humidity dome, very warm & humid and they are sprouting new leaves like crazy but haven't rooted yet. What should I do? Should I snip off the new leaves? Should I stop humidity by removing the dome? Should I put a towel over the dome to make it dark & not remove the leaves? Or put them in the dark hot garage. It's August. They are not in direct sun at all, but it's a somewhat bright area. Anything I do will distub them, and you said they don't like to be disturbed.

[@KebunHumaira]

In my country we mostly only use wet cocopeat without other mix on soil , the stick only glued with red onion liquid and we let them dry first before burry them. For the final we put them in the house or at the corner of the house which not straight having issue with the sun and the heat but still get the light in the morning until afternoon by the sun so we have use good place for it and sometime under the tree and full cocopeat works great with the heat no need container or mini greenhouse just a red onion to shape the node, some cocopeat for soils and a good place from getting direct sun light and heat during the day. In 3 weeks more or less the cutting Will grow both root and leaf

[@succulentqueen7737]

What shoul i do? Mine sprouted leaves too soon & no roots yet. It's been only 2 weeks.

[@jeanbarrett1771]

Is there any way to salvage cuttings that have bloomed leaves early? Can I fertilize? Not sure if it has roots yet.

[@nmnate]

I think I'm going to set up a grow tent in the garage this year. The garage is probably a little cool (it's insulated, but unheated), so I'll have to put down some heat mats. I've been leery about using cheaper heatmats with integrated sensors off of amazon (there's a lot of reviews or comments that they may cook your seedlings). You can get external controllers from Greenhouse Megastore, but, in any case verifying temperatures should be something you do immediately. I'll probably set aside space for 10 fig trees on one end of a 2x4' grow tent. I'll start garden seedlings in early March on the other side.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

NM Nate get yourself an infrared laser thermometer. I had to move my cuttings from upstairs. The heat mat was cooking them on the carpet. I scanned the bottom of my cups and they were 102F!! I moved them downstairs and put the heat mat on the kitchen floor since it is vinyl on a concrete slab and now the bottoms are 77F and the tops 70F. That’s perfect. I am hoping I didn’t cook them all because they were like that for 3 days before I scanned them. Definitely test with a thermometer and don’t trust the mats outright.

[@marconeves9170]

Hey, trying to grow some cuttings this year. Wondering if your still using this method or if you have some new findings? As usual thx and love your channel! Let’s see if I can get any figs this year!

[@DJ-uk5mm]

Great video thanks PS I use biodegradable coffee cups as once the cuttings have rooted you can just place the whole cup in the soil when you plant out make a couple of tares in the cup and place the cup in the soil without disturbing the roots

[@toddvlasak4015]

Curious - do you cover your containers ? to maintain the moisture ? I find that when I store the rooting containers inside ... the cover is helpful. If I put them in my garage, it's not really a problem ....

[@dalesteiner150]

drill is overkill....basic scissors and 3-4 narrow slots cut at the base works great....thanx for the great video !!!!!😎

[@TheMillennialGardener]

When you're doing 25 of the cups, you'll want the drill. Trust me.

[@R1D9M8B4]

This the facts, by my understanding. Thank you so much! Now to put into practice.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! I wish you the best of luck!

[@roseludvik1743]

I live in Al. I put mine in the ground and it grows ,no bugs ,just a lot of figs

[@tarekharb8978]

Excellent video and very informative, thanks for sharing ! Best of luck!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you for watching!

[@magiclife5397]

very professional video!!! Thanks

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you for watching! Glad it was helpful.

[@gvv1mhh]

Is it better to used Pine bark, Cypress wood or Cedar wood mulch? I’m worried about fungus and reducing the chances of rot.

[@christiethomas6905]

This is great! What if I didn't leave a buffer in the bottom? Can I pull them up a bit? They have been in their cups for a week at this point...

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Are you saying the cuttings are touching the bottoms of the cups? That could be a major problem. There needs to be a buffer for best success. If it's only been a week, you may want to re-pot them. I recommend at least 2 inches of buffer between the bottom of the cutting and the bottom of the cup.

[@christiethomas6905]

@@TheMillennialGardener Yes they are touching the bottom of the cup so I will repot them, thanks so much for the help, I am trying really hard LOL!!

[@ricardocortezsr2651]

awesome video ! it's good to make mistake's it makes us think,,you scratch your head and run outside and take a second look at your fig tree.Does the leaf go on the bottom or on top? what if my tree no longer has figs or leaf's now what !!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching.

[@rocket2811]

best video ever ❤

[@aarondlancaster]

A soldering iron works really well for holes too

[@piaaladdin1973]

I really enjoy watching and learning. I don't want to use a heat map. Is that a must? Also I just bought a mini green house for outdoors. Could they go in there for the winter?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I strongly recommend a thermostatically controlled heat mat. Figs generally root best when held between 70-77 degrees F. If you don't use a heat mat, you'll probably struggle to achieve those temps. I also strongly recommend avoiding small kit-type greenhouses in the winter, because they lose 100% of their heat at night and get scalding hot during the day unless you're controlling the temperature. I think the heat mat is a must for best success.

[@piaaladdin1973]

@@TheMillennialGardener yikes I’ve been propagating all month (September) different plants and bushes. Burning bush, butterfly bush, crep myrtle. Would these do ok in the mini greenhouse? Otherwise no idea where to put them all

[@prisciladennison3360]

Great video love it I learn a lot and very much explain perfectly….

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad it was helpful! I appreciate you watching!

[@MegaTattoo69]

Yeah I tried the parafilm, I ended up with mold so what I use now is a little bit of latex paint just at the very tip to seal the opening keep insects out and keep moisture in it seems to work pretty good a little bit of white latex paint on the end of your finger dab it on there you're good to go...

[@RobertaPeck]

Wow so well explained!!!

[@rosejafari8917]

I drilled my drainage holes while stacked inside one another and just drilled 3 times. I'm making my potting mix 1/3 each peat moss, vermiculite and perlite, mulch it and clear bag it.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Let us know how it works. That's close to what I used. I used something like 1/3 coir, 1/3 perlite and 1/3 mulch...give or take.

[@siov4279]

Where can I get cuttings like that? I have Chicago hearty, but I am trying to clone cuz IO didn't know the shoots were bad till recently, when I saw a video saying they were! and it is probably why they have not fruited yet also> second question, my tree had some issues I believe due to the air pots I had them in? I am going to suran wrap around them cuz I dont have money to throw them out. just to stop the water from escaping tjhe sides. I also think the way the roots grow in these air pots is really not good! it grows in on itself and seems been worse had it just been put in a larger pot they will probably do better?

[@rickcapobianco7262]

Great video…just planted 10 cutting. My first try ? I live in Ocean Isle NC and am looking to purchase more cutting , any ideas?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I am going to be offering my cuttings shortly. Due to the cold snap, I will be ahead of schedule this year, so I hope to have things ready within the next week or so. I'll have an announcement shortly. In the meantime, I have a full video on where to buy figs here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKG9omh6oJeKja8

[@lelat.3386]

I make the holes with soldering heat gun, it takes seconds and can’t crack the cup

[@ashtanga2000]

3:33 the bottom (larger) node is the leaf and the top node is the fig. and at 7:43

[@heirloomseeder]

Will this same method work for grape vine cuttings? Thanks in advance.

[@dominicmihalik7514]

I didn't see a video detailing your results. How did the cuttings do?

[@HeirloomReviews]

Great video Full support have a great week! : )

[@pdiscool]

Hey the millennial Gardner! I have been rooting some cutting for about 7 weeks and noticed some issues. I used parafilm and now I’m noticing even tho I have nice top growth and roots the top is desiccating and rotting at the top under parafilm. What could cause this? Under watering, over watering or grow light (4 inches above top) too close? Should I remove parafilm after top growth starts or does the cutting still need it?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Jesse R it is hard to say without pictures. If the cuttings have rooted and are sending top growth, you can probably remove the parafilm. If you see mold, you may be able to treat it with hydrogen peroxide spray: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYrHfYmwmb2bhLc But if you’re beyond mold and into rot, you may need to prune off that dead piece so the rot doesn’t spread, then spray with peroxide to kill off the bacteria. What is causing this is likely too dry of air. The air inside homes is already around 15-20% during winter in most homes, which is desert-like. If you’re also using fluorescent lights, you’re lowing the humidity even more. This dries them out quickly, and it’s why I advise against getting cuttings early and rooting as early as possible. You have to go through that long, dry indoor phase and figs just don’t like that. You may need to remove the parafilm and mist them daily - spray a tiny mist of water from a spray bottle on them to add humidity if conditions are that dry. You shouldn’t do that with parafilm though, because it could collect under the tape and cause rot.

[@yvonneadams7672]

Hi... Have you got any videos on how to prune guava tree's? Presently, it's winter in my country. Thx

[@joerappa5278]

@The Millennial Gardner Happy New Year. I was wondering if you did the 1 month follow up to this fig cutting planting that you started on Nov 20th...looking forward to seeing what they look like now.. thanks...

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I never wound up doing the follow-up. Winter has never come to this area. I honestly thought I would have pruned my figs by now and would have several bins of figs rooting, but it's been so warm here it just hasn't happened yet. I'm probably going to cut my losses in 2 weeks and prune, but it's honestly been 70 degrees here practically every day. It's pretty wild. It has me way behind this year with the figs. For the record, 4 would up rooting, 1 rotted and 2 or 3 are still not doing much. I have a Maltese Beauty, Negra d'Agde and Pastiliere outside and they're leafing out well.

[@michaelgarland2281]

what do you think about using hot wax to seal the tops ?

[@jrendt2157]

I use a soldering iron to make the hole in grow cups. The cups don't crack, but it smells terrible. I was wondering, do you have any recommendations for varieties that will grow in zone 5?

[@scf6968]

I just put cuts in water...and 10 weeks later roots were developed ❤

[@vinny6396]

I love your videos. Leafi is the bottom knod and the fig is the smaller one... Just saying.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@FelipeRubio85]

Thanks for sharing this video it’s very informative! Do you recommend to use growing lights at all when rooting fig cuttings? And if yes, what’s the earliest I can use them?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

A lot of people use grow lights. I don't because my climate is warm enough to take my cuttings outside immediately, but if you don't have that luxury, you'll need grow lights or your green growth will be leggy and sickly. However, if you DO use grow lights, you must be very careful when acclimating them to true sunlight. Green growth grown under lights cannot tolerate the UV radiation of natural sunlight. You'll have to harden off your plants like I describe in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnyml6CnhdCmqrM

[@FelipeRubio85]

@@TheMillennialGardener thanks! I’ll take a look at the video.

[@patfiddles]

I have my fig cuttings in perlite, 4 inch branching with leaves with visible roots, but not bound- I water through 1x per week with very dilute fertilizer; how do you decide when to transplant into a more soil-based container. Trying to do this in zone 6a

[@robertjohnson2537]

Do you make those superficial linear incisions just around the bottom node that is buried in the soil or both nodes if you were to be able to bury two?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I’ve tried with and without. Honestly, I’ve had less issues with rot not scraping away any bark and exposing the cambium.

[@bonjour4807]

Well done!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you for watching. I appreciate the compliment.

[@peterstevens4223]

G00D Evening from Auckland, New Zealand it’s Saturday, November 30, 2019.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@AdM-h2r]

So I am currently using this method. I had leaves sprout after several weeks, but they dried up! Is this normal?

[@PhuongNguyen-bn6rr]

Can you tell me where I can buy Clonex Rooting Gel .Thanks so much

[@321sjh]

I have a Hardy Chicago fig growing and the fruit is ABOVE the larger leaf node. The fig node is smaller than the leaf node. What gives?

[@jilljohnson7180]

What do I do if foliage has sprouted but no roots? Should I pinch off the leaves and get a heating pad for the bottom of the plastic bin?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I would not pinch off the buds because you may lose that node, then. Generally, heating pads are best for root simulation, so very gentle bottom heat is a good thing. Once the buds have sprouted, there isn't too much you can do. The buds will slowly suck the cutting of its internal nutrients (since the nutrients inside the cutting are what sustains the buds at first), so you may want to apply a gentle, diluted foliar spray to the leaves. That may prolong the life of the cutting and maximize the amount of time for roots to form. It's always a challenge when the cuttings leaf out before they root.

[@chameleondream]

For an easier time putting holes in a SOLO cup, try using a dremel tool with a stone sanding head.

[@callmegilligant4433]

Last year when I pruned my turkey fig, I just poked a hole in the ground outside and jammed the cutting into the hole 2-3 nodes deep with relatively good success. Are all figs pretty much the same as far as being able to root from a cutting or are turkey figs more successful than others?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I've never seen a difference. I think they all root the same. It's highly conditions-based: the conditions outside, the condition of the cutting itself, and the moisture content of the rooting medium. Sticking a cutting in the ground and walking away generally has a low rate of success since it's difficult to control, so when people use that method, they usually plant many of them with the understanding most will fail. Sometimes, the stars align and the conditions are good and there is a high % of success.

[@02155Tony]

Hello, I was wondering when you are going to post the results from this post? I will be rooting around Jan. 15 and would like to know your results. Thank you, Tony T

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Tony T winter never arrived at my house, and I still haven’t pruned my figs. It has been so incredibly warm. It has set me way behind on rooting, and now I’m in the middle of a garden expansion project which has me sidetracked. For the record, 4 of those figs rooted, one rotted and 3 are still sitting. I have 4 new fig trees outside putting on nice green growth.

[@boblanders1647]

No. Lower is the leaf. Upper is the fig. figs form above the leaves of new growth

[@TheBryanyingst]

Looking at all those roots gives me wood.

[@loisreichert3640]

Thank you so much!! You are great!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@peggysmith5577]

Where can I order fig cuttings to grow in Tennessee zone 6 ?

[@gloriahelmer6300]

Wonderful tutorial. One thing, an easier way to protect the tips of the cuttings is to dip them in clean paraffin shaking off the excess before it solidifies. The buds will grow through it and it will keep out all the stuff we don't want in there while keeping the cutting from drying out

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I would prefer to use Parafilm over that. It's basically wax tape, and you don't have to go through the whole destructive candle-melting thing. It's just too much of a mess for me. By the time I melt the candle and make that mess, I can wrap them with tape 😅 If you enjoy the process, go for it though. I know a lot of people do it.

[@quashiesuzanne]

Great video very informative..

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!