It wouldn't enhance rooting success of leafless cuttings unless you HAPPENED to take a cutting after leaf abscission but before it received adequate chilling - an unlikely scenario, though it (refrigeration) WOULD be a useful tool for establishing a favorable timetable for those that don't want to deal with plants indoors and still have potential frost issues to work around in spring.

Al

Thanks Al
Sal

giants 2007,

Have a fridge in the basement,
Just happen to go downstairs last night to check on my cuttings.
I have each type in a large ziploc bag with moist/damp paper towel and they are ALL as good as they were the day I put them in the fridge and that's been at least two months now.

Concidering what I've read in the past. I am confident they ( most ) will root.

Hope you find this helpful.

Rafed

Thanks Rafed and Merry Christmas to you and your family and all other fig nuts. May no one find coal in their stocking
Sal

Sal,

There is no significant benefit to keeping your cuttings in the refrigerator before your rooting them. Since you live in such a warm (nice) climate and you have the tree in your yard.......why not air layer them. The baggie or plastic bottle over the nodes on a branch should work almost year round for you.

Dan
Specializing in the LSU bred figs.......

IMHO - Other than for the satisfaction of being able to say you did it, I don't know why anyone would go to the extra trouble to air-layer carica. About the only plant I've rooted from cuttings that was easier than figs (and their sibling, mulberry) is willow. Air-layering just seems to me to be a considerable waste of effort, unless someone has had consistent problems keeping cuttings viable and needed to turn to air-layers as a last resort. You can easily prepare and stick 2 dozen cuttings in the time it takes to prep a single air-layer properly.

Al

Al,

For an amateur like myself I have air layered four plants with success.

I have a Peters Honey in a 15gl. pot but it has one of it's branches growing sideways. As I trimmed the tree in the fall I noticed the branch its' self would make a nice tree. So for that reason I left that one branch alone for air layering in the Spring.

FYI, The branch its self is branching out and could make approx. 15 or 20 cuttings.
If I were to be selling that would be a different story.
But I just like to give them away from time to time.

Rafed

Good point, Rafed - the method does work well for retaining a favored branch structure. In bonsai, we often layer large branches to come up with almost instant (in tree time, anyway) bonsai. ;o)

Al

Sal,

.........see....you now have mutliple propagation options and agreement that refrigeration is not beneficial. That's what nice about the fig forum.

Dan
Geaux Tigers...

Al,

Where do you live in Michigan?

I live in Sterling Heights.
If you live near by maybe we can meet and see each others garden in the Summer and see who earns the BRAGGING RIGHTS ( LOL LOL ).

Rafed

Air layering does have the advantage of propagating a new bud sport that appears on a particular branch. I'm anxiously awaiting Gene's results next year on his layering of a possible sport of some black fig (don't recall which cultivar...Sal's? MVS?). I seem to recall that the observed improvement may be increased productivity of that particular cultivar.

Dan
Cajun fig hunter........

Sal - please notice that I indicated that in most cases, refrigeration wouldn't be a help, but I was also careful enough not to make a sweeping statement because there IS the isolated circumstance under which it COULD be helpful, as noted.

What I said about cuttings vs air-layering is still true, though I admit to being remiss in not considering that air-layering was a very useful tool in preserving a branch with desirable form - (Thanks, Rafed).

Rafed - I live north of you, in Bay City. I'd be glad to share a tour of the gardens and my trees with you if you get up this way.

Al

Sal's questions were.........(1) "would it be beneficial to put cuttings in fridge for 2-3 weeks before trying to root?" and (2) "would like to know if this might help with my success rate?"

And my answers were ......."There is no significant benefit to keeping your cuttings in the refrigerator before your rooting them." and you have "agreement that refrigeration is not beneficial". Funny how some feel the need to take this out of context. It is not sweeping at all.....just very specific answers to the questions that were asked. Cuttings will degrade over time and do benefit from cold storage if you have to store them for a long period of time before you root them......I didn't get that that was what information Sal was seeking.....my bad again.

Sal have fun propagating your new trees. I read all your posts and know that your trees are all young. I'm waiting to see the fruit of your unknown one day.

Dan
Geaux Tigers........

Dan here are some pics of Blk unknown original tree came from Sicily Mt Etna area Linguaglossa. Linguaglossa (Sicilian: Linguarossa) is a town and comune in the Province of Catania in Sicily, located on the northern side of Mount Etna
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg1206061028776.html?10
Sal

Al,
Your on! I'll bring my fishing gear.

Sal,
Your question wasn't silly.
I'd rather ask a dumb and get an answer, Rather than not ask the question and may never know.

Try using both methods if you can and see what works for you.

Good luck

Rafed

Sal,

Yes, I now recall seeing those pictures.....very nice indeed. That picture depicts one of the advantages of your long growing climate. I will be watching your posts after your trees come into their normal fruiting cycle......especially those that fruit three times a year for you. In my studies I am paying much closer attention to those types and the ones that produce good tasting figs late in the season.

Despite all the cold, sleet, and rain I have been having in my yard. I have a few very stubborn (maybe like their NJ papa) GM #11 figs still clinging tightly to the branch and turning color.....they look like they want to ripen and if they do I will be shocked. That cultivar needs closer study next year.

Dan
Not too far from Houma, La.

Thanks to all, here it is Dec 24 my trees are in pots and I'm about to go out and pick 3 different varieties as soon as my parents get here. Blk U/K, Conadria and Improved Celeste not many maybe 8-10 all told. The trees are starting to drop leaves and the quality of figs has diminished The I/C will be the first I'll taste of that tree received in July as a small rooted plant. Can't wait till next year
Sal

........and here in my yard I thought figs at Thanksgiving was nice. But, figs at Christmas is even nicer!! Enjoy your figs.

Dan

2 Conadria the best of all still not as good as earlier in season 5 blk U/K lacked the sweetness but still had flavor
3 I/C to late in season so not much taste of anything but can't complain this time of year. MERRY CHRISTMAS again to all. Mom said they were all good of course, her favorite Conadria which I patiently let stay on tree this past week
Sal

Dan I found the GM #11 on Jon's variety page What does the GM stand for and have you tasted any of this fruit? Is this JR's dark Sicilian or another source? I haven't seen any pics posted of this variety am I missing some thing?
Sal

Thanks Little John one day I'll have a fig named after me too.
Sal

Sal,

Yes, GM #11 is one of George's unknown black figs. It is similar to Sal's and tastes pretty good. It's rather prolific and for some reason the birds in my yard seem to leave it alone. The light freeze that we had a few nights ago caused the last remaining fig to drop.

Sal I thought that you already had several other Sal's figs named after you.........

Dan