According to Tapla's opinion, it is not advisable.

Take a look here:

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg061607474155.html

When figs are pruned the branches falled on warmth water (running) of a brooks frequently roots whitout problem.
Many different may be on a Jar: the wood may rot.
The easy way is to bury the cuttings on cold soil in winter (30-40°F). Take into account that frequently if the air has lower temperature, normally the subterrain temp. are upper, and frequently is no frozen.
Another way is to conserve on wet envelope on fridge.
In spring if is locate on warmth wet site, for 3/4 of its length buried, the cuttings roots quikly and....... certainly.
Sergio

Thank You all I will however still try the water method (changing water everyday) and planting the twigs in soiless mix.

Thanks!

Iohnathan,
Your question was precice, my answer gives the easier way, (wait till spring),.. because also give correct temp. and wet in home is not simple.
If you don't want to wait, look in later mails of the Forum about rooting of figs (on pots), there are few interesting conversations.
I'm however sure that is possible roots figs in hidroponic cultivation, but may be that simply change the water is not sufficent.
Ciao!, Sergio

I've rooted many figs over the years in plain water (yes, I know water roots are different). The fig cuttings developed roots, leafed out, and transplanted well. They grew into very healthy little trees. Some have even borne fruit at this point.
My method is to rinse off cuttings and place 3 at a time into a clean mason jar, half filled with water. Mark the water line on the jar and always keep the water at this level. Change the water daily and rinse off the cuttings, too. Keep these cuttings under flourescent lights about 3 inches from the tips. The cuttings will start to leaf out and you'll notice whitish bumps on the stem part in water. Try not to knock off these bumps when you're changing the water. This is a precursor to rooting.
After the roots strike, keep in water another few weeks. Pot them up (when there are sufficient roots-I wait until there are about 4 thick roots) in a Promix type soil and use a large, clear plastic cup for the pot. Make 3 drainage holes about 3/4 inch up along the SIDES of the cup (to act as a water basin). When you pot up the cuttings, place a loose clear baggie over top of the cuttings. DO NOT CLOSE OFF THE BAGGIE AT THE BOTTOM...IT MUST REMAIN OPEN. Keep the soil continually moist, and keep the potted cuttings under the lights for another few weeks. Open up the baggie more as the leaves grow and bud out. You'll also be able to see the thick roots developing in the clear cup. I also rinse off the potted cuttings every few days. Gradually harden off for your growing conditions and ideal growing temps/sun outside. Good luck :)

Though roots form readily and often seemingly more quickly on many plants propagated in water, the roots produced are quite different from those produced in a soil-like or highly aerated medium (perlite - vermiculite - seed starting mix, coarse sand, e.g.). Physiologically, you will find these roots to be much more brittle than normal roots due to a much higher percentage of aerenchyma (a tissue with a greater percentage of inter-cellular air spaces than normal parenchyma). If you wish to eventually plant your rooted cuttings in soil, it is probably best not to root them in water because of the frequent difficulty in transplanting them to soil. The "water-formed" roots often break during transplant & those that don't break are very poor at water absorption and often die. The effect is equivalent to beginning the cutting process over again with a cutting in which vitality has likely been reduced.

If you do a side by side comparison of cuttings rooted in water & cuttings rooted in soil, the cuttings in soil will always (for an extremely high percentage of plants) have a leg up in development on those moved from water to a soil medium for the reasons outlined above.

Should you decide you still wish to root in water, you can easily dispense with with maintaining water levels and changing water if you have an old aquarium air pump and air stone. Take a piece of Styrofoam and poke holes in it about the diameter of the cuttings. Insert the cuttings and secure them so one or two nodes are below the bottom of the foam. If you're using leafy cuttings, the leaves will usually secure them adequately. Float the foam with cuttings in a pan of water with a mild fertilizer solution and add the air stone to the water. The highly oxygenated water will stimulate root initiation much more quickly than just water, and as noted, there will be no need to change water or monitor levels as the floating foam keeps depth of cutting in water constant. You will still be left with the problem of transitioning the plant to soil, however.

Al

figs can be propagated in water. the best way is not to simply change the water. if you place an air bubbler (the kind you buy for fish tanks) in the water this will keep the water oxygenated. cuttings require oxygen to form new roots. a lack of oxygen will cause cuttings to rot. you will also need to make sure there are no leaves as this will drain all of the cuttings energy. score the bottom of the cutting so that the outside bark is off but dont cut through the light green matter under the bark.

Al, have you tried propagating figs in water, if so, what were your results?

Although I have never used these but there are aeroponic cloning devices available like this: https://www.amazon.com/GrowBright-OctoCloner-Aeroponic-Cloning-Propagation/dp/B015TL6Q0M/ Basically similar to what Al has described if you are inclined to do cuttings in water.

I prefer to do it in soil mix directly and use either modified 511 (less of the bigger bark pieces) or modified gritty (more of the finer turface). Pretty high success rate. Plus one can eliminate one step from the process.

In summer many tropical cuttings will root fast directly in soil under the shade of some other tree or bush. Of the list above by canoeanu I have rooted xmas cactus, figs, hoya, night blooming jasmine, willow, star jasmine, various azaleas directly in ground. They are easy to root and transplant and so are many other plants. In my opinion trying to compare water vs soil rooting for these plants is not much of consequence. Try doing the same experiment with harder to root plants.

Lol - V - I think someone's pretty anxious to "have the debate over and over again, seeing that it was necessary to reanimate a 3 year old to achieve that end. I've propagated ficus carica, the hardy fig, in water and found they root with the same ease other plants in the Moraceae family root, including mulberry. Predictably, the roots were fragile and transitioned poorly to a solid medium, which is why I don't root anything in water. If you do enough exploring of texts aimed at providing information related to vegetative propagation (Hartman and Kester's Plant Propagation, e.g.), you'll see descriptions of the differences in root types (aerenchyma pith vs parenchyma). I believe it's also included in texts by Dr Carl Whitcomb, AHS's Plant Propagation, add Ball/Redbook's Crop Production, which is aimed at the greenhouse/nursery trade.

Any other comments I might think of would essentially end up being a rephrasing of what ToC offers. I might note, though, no one is pressuring anyone to stop rooting in water - it's just not the best way for the reasons mentioned in this thread; and, that it's not the best way isn't going to change, even if in some cases rooting in water is easier.

Al

Al, thank you very much for your comments and for the references. I have Plant Propagation and I see that I have some reading to do.

By the way, although I have questioned some of your comments, I have learned a lot from you and I most certainly do respect you.

Thanks for that, Vlad. Much can be built on mutual respect.

Al