Don't give up, we all struggle until we start to get the "feel" for it. Read through the pdf file at

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/figs4funforum/vpost?id=3007893&trail=150

Post number 143. The described method there worked well for me and there are a lot of "Lessons-Learned" that might help. After that, send me an email describing the details of the steps you used and I'll see if we can't trouble-shoot your process.

Steve, it's the point where I transfer the rooted cuttings to the growing medium. I'm either damaging too many of the roots, or overwatering (I have killed two brugs thanks to over watering too). These last two are almost always dry before I water. They seem to be doing okay, but I don't see any new root growth. It's almost like the process stops as soon as I try to pot them into larger containers.

I also tried to root them directly in potting mix using bottom heat and modified two liter bottle to trap humidity. Again, they root. Then everything grinds to a halt whether I transplant them or let them grow on a bit. The leaves start to turn brown, the roots stop growing, and the cutting shrivels up. All this after they have roots.

I'm using tap water that has been sitting at least 24 hours to water. I water when the cup feels light and I can't see any moisture either on the surface or around the edges. I am not fertilizing at this stage. These two cuttings have received no fertilizer. Last week I put them on the windowsill. They receive about 4 hours of morning sun then dappled sun the rest of the day. They seem to be doing okay, but again, no more root growth and no new leaves either.

I think I am potting too early based on the pdf you linked to. I'm going to retry the baggie method this evening with a few of the cuttings in the fridge. How long will these cuttings be viable? They are wrapped in moist, not wet, papertowels inside a plastic bag.

Thanks for the help.

It's easy to get impatient and pot too early (I had the same problem). If you are rooting in clear cups there is a balance between letting enough roots grow (good root branching) and waiting too long (roots start browning). Try also to lessen or remove the bottom heat after you see new roots forming in the rooting containers.

Also, try to keep the root ball intact when potting - the roots are too delicate at this stage to disturb too much. The biggest thing to watch after transplanting is maintaining the humid environment - at this stage they are very prone to wilting because they transpire more than the roots can make up. After transplanting, keep out of direct sun for a while. Do not fertilize until the plants are well established and growing vigorously.

Your cuttings should be viable in the refrigeraotr for a good month or two at least. Just check that they are not growing mold or drying out.

regarding watering - in rooting media I only give them about 1/4 cup water 1-2 time a week and use a daily mist of water inside the nursery to helpp keep the moisture up. When in soil, I only water when the soil is getting dry at the drain holes. Or, use a popsicle stick to test the soil - when it comes out dry, water. Water only enough so 10-20% of the water drains out. Do this a little at a time and wait until it works its way through the soil.

I think my plan this time is to put them back under a plastic dome after I pot them. My basement is heated with wood, so that dries the air out a lot more than most basements. That should solve my watering problems.

The humidity dome is a must at that stage. When you pot them up, no matter how careful, you cause root damage. The plants need help in retaining water after that shock. Just make sure they get some fresh air to avoid mold (I learned that the hard way). My basement is very dry also (around 20RH when the forced hot air heat is running). It took a few weeks for the plants to acclimate to that but after that they started growing well again. Good Luck.

Please don't give up. Listen to steve's good advice above. It can be hard but the best rule of thumb is patience, patience, until you can find your own comfortable method you are happy working with. If you root them in the soil, don't water much until after the soil is pretty dry.

Hang in there, I started a year ago and so far have had more loss than gain, can't say how many its to embarrassing.A couple weeks ago lost many that were growing inside the house to the fungus gnats.
Fortunatly got a few more cuttings to try again, now I religiously clean them ,following Dan's method, no heat,leave them outside, temperatures here have been 38 nights 60+ days. Some are showing roots.
Lost a valued cutting from Gorgi, it had roots, nice leaves' then just died . In the baggie the paper stuck to the roots so I though no big deal I just plant it with a little bit of paper. When I checked the paper was black from mold and killed the Sal?Skardu? Won't do that again. All the best

Just like the others said hang in there dont give up. Ive also lost a plants when rooted then transplanted only to see the leafs fall of and the stick just shrivel up and dry. Like Steve said at that point also a cover to keep humidity is needed, also watch the watering to much no good either. What is happening to you has happened to most of us also including me and still did this year also but it gets better. Like Maggie says patience, ive had particular type when transplanted do nothing for months, it had good roots and the bud refused to open then one day it did and took off from there. Also some will have nice roots no leaves like the one i talked about above, then some sticks will have bud open with no roots develop yet sometimes the roots come sometimes they do not and it does not make it. Right now i have 2 plants with 2 and 3 leaves that open and seem to be doing great but cannot yet see roots in clear plastic cups they may or may not come.
Your not alone!
Martin

I use the method that you talk about in the beginning. You might try putting some directly into the soil, deep enough so that only the terminal bud and a couple of inches of cutting are above the gound.

I like to stick prunings into the ground around my yard, and have had figs, roses, forsythia, grapes, rose of sharon, lavender, rosemary, and honeysuckle take root with this method. I'm always giving away starts. I have not had success rooting apples, pears, cherries, ginkgo biloba, or chopsticks, with this method. It's low cost and low maintenance, and fun to see just what has grown. It probably helps to have a moist loamy soil and a location out of the sun, such as the North side of the house or fence, or in the shade.

I like the baggie method because you get to see the roots grow, but I have not done weill with it. In fact, I've done the baggie method several times, but each time I lost track and killed my cuttings. I have better luck with starting them in well-draining potting soil or a perlite-peat moss combination, or just in the yard.

Good luck, don't give up! The first success is the greatest excitement!

Daniel

Thank's guys, I have the same problem.

I have had the best luck just placing the cuttings in a small container of potting soil and keeping them in a warm area of the garage (near the furnace) or in the house and just waiting. Eventually they root fine this way but it takes a little patience and the will to avoid picking the pot up and moving it around. I've used the bag method with some really good success but it seems the more I've disturbed the cuttings, from bag-to-cup-to-pot etc., the worse they did!

ficus wrote "A couple weeks ago lost many that were growing inside the house to the fungus gnats."
I know their larvae feed on organic material in the soil as well as on roots. But since there is so much organic material available in the soil that there will be minimum damage to the roots, I thought fungus gnats were just more of a nuisance than the killer of plants.
I have fungus gnats and also I am losing rooted and shooted plants (making me really sad) so will it not be better just to keep the plants in Perlite/Vermiculite mix until repotting just before taking out after frost free dates?
I remember a post by Gorgi or someone else in a fig forum asking how long can the plants be kept in Perlite/Vermiculite mix and the answer was pretty long (~ 3 moths or so). If that is true, one can use just perlite-vermiculite until frost free dates. With Perlite only, we may get the fat roots so much appreciated but there is no danger of over-watering if there are sufficient drain holes, there should not be any fungus gnats and plants will always be happy thereafter if there is good light, humidity and temperature (& periodically dilluted fertilizer).
Where did I go wrong?

Also, I read a number of old posts on fungus gnats and most posts discussing fungus gnats were also mentioning Schultz potting mix. What could be the relationship and why (sterilization?)?

I've stuck forsythia in the ground and had it root. I have redtwig dogwood cuttings rooting in a box outside. Since most of our frost is gone now, I plan to stick the rest of my fig cuttings out there. I put three more in the basement to see if the humidity dome was my problem. I wasn't keeping the leaves moist and the plant just died. Seems to make the most sense.

Thanks everyone. I can't wait to get some fresh figs, even if I have to travel back to the tree these cuttings came from.