View Full Version : Rooting hardwood cuttings
Richard
03-19-2008, 03:26 AM
Today I received a box of hardwood cuttings from the ARS for a joint project. My first task is to get as many rooted as possible. Here's a little pictorial:
Cuttings right out of the box, a bundle of twigs from each of the nine plants.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8749
Loading moistened soil into the 3-inch peat pots the cuttings will be rooted in. Putting a colander into a larger metal bowl to catch the water, I fill the colander with soil, pour water over it, then squeeze out the excess water. A full colander will fill up 8 peat pots with soil. The spray bottle is used regularly during the entire process to keep the cuttings from drying out too much.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8750
Here's the agricultural inspector performing his official duty ...
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8751
The cuttings have been cut in half, then trimmed up so that at least 2 nodes are in the bottom 2.5 inches that will be inserted in the soil. The ends are wetted, then dusted with Rootone, and placed in the peat pots.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8752
To avoid removing too much Rootone when pressing the cutting into the soil, I first use an extra cutting to press pre-made holes into the pots.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8753
And here they are, ready to start. Afterwards I will put the plastic dome over the tray to maintain humidity and place the whole thing on a heat mat to keep the temperature in the mid-70s F.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8754
And as I type, they are sitting next to me being serenaded by Irene Kral "Kral Space" ...
cactus6103
03-19-2008, 02:46 PM
Looks good. I rooted some ficus trees years ago just messing around. My heat was setting them on top of my old furnace and it worked! Good luck with them and keep us posted when something happens. Red
harveyc
03-21-2008, 12:56 AM
Still haven't heard word on my request, but I'll be driving there tomorrow to pick up some other things and I'm hoping they'll have my other things for me! I can't complain, though, because they have been most helpful to me and are over-worked, under-staffed, under-funded. It's a valuable resource that is unknown to most of the country.
Harvey
Richard
03-22-2008, 05:33 PM
Still haven't heard word on my request, but I'll be driving there tomorrow to pick up some other things and I'm hoping they'll have my other things for me! I can't complain, though, because they have been most helpful to me and are over-worked, under-staffed, under-funded. It's a valuable resource that is unknown to most of the country.
Harvey
For those who would like to learn more: the ARS-Davis site we have been refering to is one of several USDA Germplasm repositories located in the U.S. and abroad. Each repository specializes in certain plant groups. If you are looking for plant material from a specific plant, you can look it up at the GRIN Taxonomy site (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxgenform.pl?language=en). If instead you want to see what is at a particular repository (poorly maintained by some sites), start at the GRIN Plant Collections (http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/holdings.html) web page.
harveyc
03-22-2008, 06:12 PM
I picked up my materials yesterday, cuttings of 5 pomegranate cultivars and 3 fig cultivars, along with the pomegranate trees for my formal trial I'm working on with USDA. I started out cool this morning, acutally had light frost on part of my farm, but ended up reaching about 80F today and it was warm work to be planting my trees. My pomegranate trial is 11 cultivars, 8 trees each, and will be my first participation in such a project and I've found it very interesting so far.
I noticed yesterday at Davis that they had loquats and I did not realize they were a repository for these. I looked at some of the tags but don't remember the names, none were familar (maybe 'Tanaka' was one). I was told their collection is pretty small.
Richard
03-22-2008, 08:01 PM
Below are two photos of my fruit hardwood cuttings in their enclosure, one with the "hood" on and the other with the hood off.
Each day when the room temperature is close to the soil temperature, I remove the hood and check on the cuttings. Today I found an outbreak of white fluffy mold growing on one node of one of the fig cuttings. I wiped it off with a tissue and then sprayed it and the surrounding cuttings lightly with a fungicide. I also removed excess moisture from the inside of the hood to lower the humidity before putting it back on.
The fungicide I used was calcium polysulfate. Normally you would use 3 Tbsp per gallon -- I scaled this down to 3/4 tsp per cup, and then cut the dilution further to 1/2 tsp per cup. This works out to a 0.3% solution.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8858
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8857
chong
03-22-2008, 08:57 PM
Richard,
I've been looking into sources for scionwood cuttings for rare plants myself, and was wondering how long cuttings would remain viable en route. These cuttings you just received, where are they from and how long did they get to you from the time they were cut from the plant, do you think? And since some of the plants I would be interested in may also be propagated by rooting cuttings, I could use the cuttings to root outright, or use them for grafting. The thing I'm afraid of is that they may dry out in transit if it takes too long to get here. Some sources are in Thailand, and some are in Guam.
And since you appear to have done some "importing" (domestically) of cuttings, do you know of any sources where I can get/buy rare fruit cuttings for grafting and/or rooting? Plants like Malay apple, wax jambu, lansones, seedless sugar apple, sweet guanabana, mamey sapote, ylang-ylang, etc.
(Do you pay that inspector anything "under the table" so he/she will take it easy on you?)
Thanks for any feedback.
harveyc
03-22-2008, 09:06 PM
Chong, I can answer some of the questions but nothing about sources for the tropical things you mentioned.
Richard listed the GRIN site above. These materials were supplied by the USDA repository out of Davis, California as part of their mission. A phytosanitary certificate accompanies the material and all regulations are complied with, nothing under the table is needed. I suspect most material was collected sometime between December and February and then mailed by FedEx with delivery in a couple of days. I picked mine up in person. Pomegranates and figs can last much longer than that, if needed. I helped as a volunteer on a project at Davis that involved some budding of frozen pomegranate material to see if long-term storage could be done this way. The pomegranate material was "fried" and completely dead and none of those buds took but some that were frozen at higher temperatures did "okay." I don't think that would work for everygreen plants like you're talking about.
Good luck,
Harvey
chong
03-22-2008, 09:29 PM
Thanks Harvey,
I thought there may some relationship between the Inspector and Richard, because he was sniffing around, while Richard was preparing the rooting media and chamber for the cuttings. But I guess everything is on the up and up. (LOL)
So, those cuttings may be from as far back as December? They must be in dormancy then, and refrigerated? I was hoping to get an idea how long the cuttings would last if they were air shipped from Thailand, for example. What preparations would be needed to be reasonably assured of their viability for as much as a week, say? Or, even for three days? Would putting the base of the cuttings in those test tube-like vessel, that single flower stems are put in, with water, improve the chances of survival?
Thanks again.
Richard
03-22-2008, 09:48 PM
Richard,
I've been looking into sources for scionwood cuttings for rare plants myself ... Plants like Malay apple, wax jambu, lansones, seedless sugar apple, sweet guanabana, mamey sapote, ylang-ylang, etc.
Chong, all of those fruits are being grown by members of the California Rare Fruit Growers (http://www.crfg.org); like myself, Joe Real, and many other members here. I know one member who by himself is growing all of those in San Diego. You could join and start receiving their bimonthly publication with lots of sources in it, or just post on this site under "Other Plants" (one fruit at a time) and you'll start getting feedback.
To answer your second question: The cuttings I have discussed in this thread so far have come from ARS-Davis (http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/davis.html). I will also be receiving plant material from other sites this year (see GRIN Plant Collections (http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/holdings.html) and GRIN Taxonomy site (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxgenform.pl?language=en)). The mission of the entire USDA repository program is to provide plant material for R&D -- so you have to be willing to provide them with some plan of mutual interest: in my case an event log of experiences growing them, any breeding I may do, and eventually supplying any repository request for cuttings and seeds from the plants I've propagated.
Your third question about agricultural regulations: plants from the USDA repositories are shipped with a "Certificate of Quarantine Compliance". It is no cost to them (or the receiver) because they are the inspection agency. Most nurseries and individuals have to go through quite a bit of paperwork to produce a "Cert", and they either charge you for it, or don't bother to ship to areas where one is required, or just ship it and hope for the best. This has been discussed in several threads including http://www.bananas.org/f2/international-shipping-requirement-bananas-3280.html?highlight=shipping and http://www.bananas.org/f2/interstate-shipment-plant-material-3861.html .
Your fourth question about conditions of materials received: For cuttings, if they are taken at the right growth stage, cleaned and treated with a light fungicide, moisture-wrapped, sealed, and shipped "next day" FedEx or similiar early in the week then you will have great plant material. In fact for any kind of plant material, shipping "next day" delivery early in the week is great. My experiences with the quality of material from USDA so far has been good. Once you start inquiring about specific plants, we can hopefully give you feedback on our experiences with them.
Unasked question #1: Why doesn't the CRFG have a site like Bananas.org? Answer: They have dismissed the idea many times stating that most CRFG members are not interested.
Unasked question #2: Are the popular fruits of Sweet Guanabana (Annona muricata, soursop) safe to eat? Answer: no, and neither is the drug "Graviola" or the drink "Guanabana juice" made from this fruit.
harveyc
03-22-2008, 10:05 PM
Unasked question #1: Why doesn't the CRFG have a site like Bananas.org? Answer: They have dismissed the idea many times stating that most CRFG members are not interested.
Richard, are you aware that the statewide organization of CRFG chapter has a forum? It has very little participation, unfortunately. It can be found at CRFG Bulletin Board :: Index (http://www.crfg.org/phpbb/index.php?sid=82040da279f3fee5dc3d9c59a3aaeffd).
Many chapters of CRFG have Yahoo groups and I've joined two other chapters besides my local Sacramento chapter largely because they have active discussion groups that often end up being more valuable than the state group's forum, though most of the discussion is often around temperate fruits for the two NorCal chapters I belong to. I sometimes wish all the chapters would get together and just have their discussion groups as part of the state forum.
While I like forums better, it does seem that "groups" such as those hosted by Yahoo end up having more participation because many members sign up to get e-mails of all posts and this solicits their response whereas they forget to visit a forum much of the time.
Harvey
Harvey
Richard
03-22-2008, 10:25 PM
Richard, are you aware that the statewide organization of CRFG chapter has a forum?
Yes, but when I said "like Bananas.org" I meant the functionality that exists here.
As for yahoo groups, email circulars, newsgroups, etc.: we might as well go back to using TALK on arpanet.
:)
Richard
03-22-2008, 10:27 PM
I thought there may some relationship between the Inspector and Richard, because he was sniffing around, while Richard was preparing the rooting media and chamber for the cuttings. But I guess everything is on the up and up. (LOL)
Oh now I know which inspector you are talking about -- my cat! HAHAHAHA!
harveyc
03-22-2008, 10:32 PM
Yes, but when I said "like Bananas.org" I meant the functionality that exists here.
As for yahoo groups, email circulars, newsgroups, etc.: we might as well go back to using TALK on arpanet.
:)
Richard, I very much prefer forums and Jarred has done a great job here and it's one of the best forums I participate in (probably the best, but my brain is too tired to say anything with certainty right now).
That said, I get a great deal of valuable information from several Yahoo groups I particpate in and even cloudforest. Anything that helps people share their knowledge and experiences is valuable and different people have different methods of communicating that suits them.
If the CRFG bulletin board had greater participation there maybe would be some support to expand the features. I don't think changing the format would help, I think the problem is that CRFG members are too divided with their own areas and interests.
Harvey
chong
03-22-2008, 10:44 PM
Chong, all of those fruits are being grown by members of the California Rare Fruit Growers (http://www.crfg.org); like myself, Joe Real, and many other members here. I know one member who by himself is growing all of those in San Diego. You could join and start receiving their bimonthly publication with lots of sources in it, or just post on this site under "Other Plants" (one fruit at a time) and you'll start getting feedback.
To answer your second question: The cuttings I have discussed in this thread so far have come from ARS-Davis (http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/davis.html). I will also be receiving plant material from other sites this year (see GRIN Plant Collections (http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/holdings.html) and GRIN Taxonomy site (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxgenform.pl?language=en)). The mission of the entire USDA repository program is to provide plant material for R&D -- so you have to be willing to provide them with some plan of mutual interest: in my case an event log of experiences growing them, any breeding I may do, and eventually supplying any repository request for cuttings and seeds from the plants I've propagated.
Your third question about agricultural regulations: plants from the USDA repositories are shipped with a "Certificate of Quarantine Compliance". It is no cost to them (or the receiver) because they are the inspection agency. Most nurseries and individuals have to go through quite a bit of paperwork to produce a "Cert", and they either charge you for it, or don't bother to ship to areas where one is required, or just ship it and hope for the best. This has been discussed in several threads including http://www.bananas.org/f2/international-shipping-requirement-bananas-3280.html?highlight=shipping and http://www.bananas.org/f2/interstate-shipment-plant-material-3861.html .
Your fourth question about conditions of materials received: For cuttings, if they are taken at the right growth stage, cleaned and treated with a light fungicide, moisture-wrapped, sealed, and shipped "next day" FedEx or similiar early in the week then you will have great plant material. In fact for any kind of plant material, shipping "next day" delivery early in the week is great. My experiences with the quality of material from USDA so far has been good. Once you start inquiring about specific plants, we can hopefully give you feedback on our experiences with them.
Unasked question #1: Why doesn't the CRFG have a site like Bananas.org? Answer: They have dismissed the idea many times stating that most CRFG members are not interested.
Unasked question #2: Are the popular fruits of Sweet Guanabana (Annona muricata, soursop) safe to eat? Answer: no, and neither is the drug "Graviola" or the drink "Guanabana juice" made from this fruit.
Thank you, Richard. I used to be a member of CRFG between 1975 and 1982, but dropped out because my work took me all over the country, and had no time to read them, much less implement some of the things that I was interested in. I am considering joining again, if only for the seed exchange. I used to get more seed types than I ever sent.
Second question - I understood that.
Third question - The Inspector that I was referring to was the one in the third picture of your first post! Can't you guys take a joke?
Fourth question - That's exactly the type of answer I was looking for. I understand that with plants that are in dormancy will be able to last longer than evergreens for shipping time. But what about for plants like avocado, guava, and citrus, how long will they survive for shipment? I've brought avocados here but they were potted, and of course, they were okay. But what if I were to start rootstock now, and when they are ready, get some scionwood from FL or PR? I get plants from there in 2 days via Priority Mail and they go by weight. But if I were to get scionwood only, I'd get more cuttings in a Flat Rate Box than plants, and I could even use Express Mail.
Unasked #1: They were wrong, weren't they? Besides, I know of this group called Bananas.org, anyway. Only wished that I'd known about them since 2004 when I was in DelRay Beach for 10 months, then 6 months in L.A. in '05, 9 months in MS and LA in '05-'06.
Unasked #2: Unsafe to eat?????? Whoaaa . . . that's a big surprise to me!!!!! Maybe shocking, even. They make awesome ice cream. One of the houses we lived in for 5 years, in the Philippines, had 2 Guanabana (Guyabano in the Phils.) trees. Almost like shrubs, only 6-7 ft tall, you could pick the fruits without climbing up. Over those 5 years, I probably consumed over a dozen of them babies. And they're not small, either. Is the source of info for this, available on some website? It's a very popular fruit in the Philippines and most tropical countries, especially, Central and South America. Occasionally, I even see a half-gallon drink of them at Costco.
Richard
03-22-2008, 10:52 PM
Chong,
Cuttings are best when they are cut, prepared, and shipped all on the same day for next-day delivery. I wouldn't want anything else.
Annona muricata is rated "the best tasting tropical fruit" by many fruit experts. Annona muricata is also a leading cause of dementia, specifically Tau syndrome in the tropics. It contains high concentrations of annonacins which when consumed on a semi-regular basis in doses of 25 mg or more destroy neural processes in mammal brains over the course of a few to several years. Here's a frightening fact: there are people in the U.S. taking the herbal remedy Graviola at doses of 600 mg of annonacins daily.
chong
03-22-2008, 10:56 PM
Talking about CRFG, when I was member, I even tried to organize a local chapter here in WA. I got two responses, one from a man in Aberdeen, WA (probably 100 miles away), and another from Marysville, WA (40 miles away, the other way). Now, you're gonna need a lot of motivation to get 3 guys taking turns hosting meetings, etc. Back then I had 2 DC, 3 guavas, 2 Loquats, 1 Pomegranate, and a few others. Needless to say, it didn't happen.
But now, I'll be sending in my form shortly.
chong
03-22-2008, 11:11 PM
Chong,
Cuttings are best when they are cut, prepared, and shipped all on the same day for next-day delivery. I wouldn't want anything else.
Annona muricata is rated "the best tasting tropical fruit" by many fruit experts.
That is debatable. I've heard that, too. However, many, many people, from Sotheast Asia, that will tell you in no uncertain terms that "Durian" is the best tasting tropical fruit. It does not have a sour variety like the Muricata. In Asia, it is touted "the fruit that tastes like heaven, but smells like hell!" For either of them, personally, I don't think so. I think that Philippine mango, picked close to ripeness then allowed to ripen in a room is one that can beat either of them. Ripe sweet Lansones is another.
Annona muricata is also a leading cause of dementia, specifically Tau syndrome in the tropics. It contains high concentrations of annonacins which when consumed on a semi-regular basis in doses of 25 mg or more destroy neural processes in mammal brains over the course of a few to several years. Here's a frightening fact: there are people in the U.S. taking the herbal remedy Graviola at doses of 600 mg of annonacins daily.
EE-E-E-E-E-E-EKKKK! Thanks for the heads up! Maybe that's why I'm stunted and so screwed up. (Just kidding!)
chong
03-23-2008, 11:50 PM
Just to let everyone know that although I was making light of the news from Richard, regarding the risks associated with the consumption of Guanabana, I actually am taking it very seriously. Things like this I take very seriously. Like for example, before, I used to take Tylenol quite often because I could not take Aspirin due to stomach ulcers.
Well, since the early seventies, I stopped taking them after reading of 2 professional players develop liver problems because of Tylenol. I realize that that may be extreme. But I haven't taken it till now, even after some dental work several weeks ago, my dentist told me to take Tylenol for the pain when the Novocaine wore off. I asked him for Vicoden instead but he said that I shouldn't need it. So, I asked for some Tylenol from the Boeing clinic, but never took them, and preferred to endure the pain that afternoon and through the night.
So, for me, Guanabana is out. Now, I have to check on whether this applies to other annonas family plants, e.g., Sweetsop, Atemoya, Cherimoya, etc.
Richard
03-24-2008, 12:53 AM
Let's discuss the Annonacins issue in this thread --> http://www.bananas.org/f9/annonacins-4109.html
Richard
03-24-2008, 02:49 AM
Today (Sunday) an outbreak of hairy white fungus was again found in the same pot of cuttings. I removed it from the enclosure, cleaned the cuttings, and sprayed them with a Physan 20 mixture. (A half teaspoon was added to 1 cup of water to make a 0.2% solution.) The pot was set to one side for 6 hours, sprayed again, and then returned to the enclosure.
The growth buds on all of the fig cuttings have swelled to the point of showing internal green growth. The growth buds on the Diospyros lotus cuttings all doubled in size during the last 24 hours. The growth buds on the pomegranate cuttings might have swelled slightly, but nothing is really expected to happen with them for several days.
:2140:
harveyc
03-24-2008, 09:37 AM
Richard, you are using bottom heat, right? I saw some electronic control and assume that's what it is. How warm are you keeping it? Where do you put your soil probe? Or is it a timer for something else?
Thanks,
Harvey
Richard
03-24-2008, 01:01 PM
Richard, you are using bottom heat, right? I saw some electronic control and assume that's what it is. How warm are you keeping it? Where do you put your soil probe? Or is it a timer for something else?
Thanks,
Harvey
Yes, there is bottom heat supplied by a heat mat that came with the enclosure. I also purchased a $12 Taylor digital temperature probe w/ alarm from Target (in the cooking section). The probe is inserted 2 inches into the soil of a peat pot. The heat mat is plugged into a timer. In this particular room, having the heat mat alternate on and off for 70 minute periods keeps the temperature in the 75 to 85 F range. The only light they receive is ambient -- the window they are near is partially shuttered and faces north.
Today's inspection revealed another tiny outbreak of white hairy fungus on the top of a different cutting which I cleaned and then treated with Physan 20 (an 0.2% solution). The growth buds on nearly all the cuttings are swelling. On a few of the ficus and lotus cuttings, some of the buds have started to sprout.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8868
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8869
Richard
03-25-2008, 05:44 PM
Today, whole leafs have opened out on most of the Diospyros lotus cuttings. Several leafs are also half open on the Ficus “Panache” and “Black Fig I” cuttings. One of the Punica “Golden Globe” cuttings and one of the Punica “White Flower” cuttings are putting out green growth at the nodes about 1/16 inch long and half as wide.
A half-cup of water was recovered from the enclosure hood and poured into the Black Fig I peat pots which were beginning to show signs of dryness.
One-third teaspoon of alfalfa meal was distributed in each of the 18 peat pots.
A small amount of hairy fungus developed overnight again on the Brown Turkey cuttings. It was again treated with Physan 20, but a stronger 1% solution (2.5 teaspoons to 1 cup water in hand-held sprayer).
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8886 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8886)
Taylor
03-25-2008, 07:32 PM
Lookin' good Richard. Keep it up.
harveyc
03-26-2008, 12:29 AM
Richard, just a FYI in case you didn't know, punica usually produce leaves much sooner than roots.
I cooked mine when I tried last year and this year will try rooting them in a shady outdoor area.
Richard
03-28-2008, 12:00 AM
Day 10. (3/27) The hairy fungus present yesterday was clearly dead everywhere today except on the 3 Brown Fig cuttings that have been having trouble all along. The peat pot containing these cuttings was permanently removed from the rooting enclosure and placed in an open-air environment.
Yesterday's 1% Physan treatment caused noticeable damage on sprouted leafs. Leaf edges have been browned on the Fig cuttings, and leaf drop occurred on several Diospyros lotus cuttings. New undamaged sprouts were also found on these plants. No damage was seen on the Punica cuttings.
Richard
03-31-2008, 02:19 PM
I became tired of adjusting the timer on my heat mat during the spring temperature transitions, so I splurged and bought a thermostat at my local hydroponics store. I found the same product online here: Flora Hydroponics | Hobby (http://www.florahydroponics.com/product.aspx?id=1006)
I also purchased a second propagation tray and cover to enclose my growing collection of cuttings and seedlings!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8984 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8984)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8983 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8983)
harveyc
04-03-2008, 01:39 AM
Richard, has the mold problem ceased?
I just potted up my cuttings tonight. I think I'm going to get an electronic leaf control for a misting system next week because I'm going to get too busy to watch these real closely. I've been toying with the idea of getting one for some time and I think I'm tired of putting it off.
Harvey
Richard
04-03-2008, 11:59 AM
The mold problem ceased with the removal of the one pot of Brown Fig cuttings. I have it elsewhere in the open air and they still develop mold every 24 hours, even when sprayed daily with 0.5% solution of Physan! The remaining cuttings are putting out new growth and have stopped dropping leafs. Of course, it will be many weeks before enough roots have developed for planting. I will wait until roots are vigorously exiting the pots.
Richard
04-08-2008, 11:44 AM
The hardwood cuttings are progressing nicely. I have spot-treated tiny amounts of mold only a few times in the last week. Also, the moisture level is very stable: I have added 1 tsp of water per pot only once in the last 4 days. Here are some photos I took this morning while the cover was briefly removed. In the first picture you see figs in the front, then Carissa spinarum and pomegranates, and finally Diospyros lotus.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9097&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9097)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9098 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9098)
Richard
04-11-2008, 11:02 AM
Roots are now emerging from the fig cuttings!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9133 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9133)
harveyc
04-11-2008, 12:09 PM
Whoohoo! Looking good. I'm installing my misting system today since that will make it much easier for me while I'm away for 5 days next week.
What fig cultivars do you have there?
Richard
04-11-2008, 11:24 PM
The figs are:
Black Fig I
California Brown (aka Turkey)
Panache
Osborne Prolific
The Black Fig will be trained as a regular fruit tree, esp. since it's best fruit is borne on 2-year or older wood. The others are best on 1st year wood. Further, I don't really have room to grow them as a regular tree. Instead, I am going to train them next to my property line using the Japanese commercial system for white and brown figs, as shown here:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9136 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9136)
harveyc
04-11-2008, 11:34 PM
Richard, do you have enough heat for Panache? Jon ("Pitangadiego") barely gets his to ripen, as I recall. Maybe you're warmer where you're at, though. I've got it, and Osborne Prolific and Black Madeira, as well as a couple of others of Ken Love's favorites. Are those photos from Ken? He just returned from another trip to Japan.
Richard
04-12-2008, 12:02 AM
We will see how the Panache does at my location. Jon is about 4.5 miles inland from the harbor at 450 ft elevation, whereas I am 8 miles inland from the ocean at ~575 ft elevation. I have just enough heat to produce a summer crop of seedless Flame grapes.
Those photos are from the 11/2007 Fruit Gardener.
harveyc
04-12-2008, 01:04 AM
Ken wrote one of the fig articles in that issue so those are most likely his photos. The cover shot was his though they rotated it (but not the key index inside) when they published it. In case you're interested and haven't visited it yet, here is Ken's fig page http://www.hawaiifruit.net/index-figs.html
Good luck with your Panache! It can be a great tasting fig and very cool looking.
Richard
04-12-2008, 10:10 AM
Thanks for the link to Ken's fig page. I only knew of him through his photos published over the years in the Fruit Gardener. That November cover photo has proven to be a very useful aid when teaching my home orchard culture mini-course. Although I don't understand why Ron Couch rotated the photo for the cover -- it was nearly square to begin with!
Richard
04-18-2008, 02:27 AM
This evening (4/17/08) I repotted about 1/2 of my rooted Fig cuttings. I left the others for a later date in case something goes wrong with this batch. The root development was as follows:
Panache - tremendous amount
Black Fig I - heavy
Osborne Prolific - medium
California Brown Turkey - few roots, each about 1 inch long.
For repotting, I like working with a dry soil mix. It is easier to control. After the soil is added, I wet it with room temperature water that has 1 drop of kelp extract per gallon added to balance the pH and impurities in the water.
Shown in the photos below is the repotting of 3 Black Fig rootings and then all of the repotted figs in a cloche. Note that one of the Black Fig cuttings has a small fruit developing! Also in the cloche are my Escallonia rootings and some pepper plants I'm germinating from seed. This work was carried out under the auspices of the local agricultural inspection authority.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9219 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9220&ppuser=9219)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9223 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9221&ppuser=9223)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9221 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9222&ppuser=9221)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9220 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9133&ppuser=9220)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9222 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9219&ppuser=9222)
mskitty38583
04-18-2008, 07:24 AM
love the kitty richard. i have a question for you. my mom has a brown turkey fig( least thats what i think it is), she has it potted up and in her sunroom. it seems like in the fall when she brings it inside before it gets cold out, it starts going dormit. is this normal? i know nothing about figs, and shes complaining that its not getting bigger. it gets leaves on it every spring, but its like 3 feet tall. is there something shes not doing or is this fig just a small type of tree? thanks for your help in advance.
damaclese
04-18-2008, 07:38 AM
love the kitty richard. i have a question for you. my mom has a brown turkey fig( least thats what i think it is), she has it potted up and in her sunroom. it seems like in the fall when she brings it inside before it gets cold out, it starts going dormit. is this normal? i know nothing about figs, and shes complaining that its not getting bigger. it gets leaves on it every spring, but its like 3 feet tall. is there something shes not doing or is this fig just a small type of tree? thanks for your help in advance.
MSKitty it is normal for figs to go dorment in the winter its better for them i habe two figs and am an avid grower of them they seem to do beter with a piriod of dormance. let them go dormet and only water ones a month
damaclese
04-18-2008, 07:40 AM
if any one is interested this is a link to one of my fravrit fig Groups Fig Interest Group (http://www.nafex.org/figs.htm)
Propagating Figs
Figs are easy to propagate as they root very easily. There are several ways to propagate them. The most common method is to root leafless cuttings taken in late winter or early spring. Here's how to do it:
Take cuttings which are 3 to 6 inches long and pencil to finger thick. The best cuttings will have some of last year's wood on them.
If the weather is still unsettled and likely to frost, store the cuttings in a sealed ziplock in the produce bin in your refrigerator. If the weather is warm and likely to stay warm, pot your cuttings in sand or a good-quality potting mix.
Using 4" deep plastic pots, pack a half sheet of newspaper tightly into the bottom of the pot. Put a little mix in the bottom, stand 1 to 4 cuttings upright in each pot and fill the pot with the mix.
Water the pots thoroughly and stand them in a very bright, BUT NOT SUNNY place. It should be warm--70+° F. If you can't keep air temperature above 70°, provide bottom heat to bring the soil up to 70° F. Cover the pot with an empty 2 or 3 liter softdrink bottle with the bottom cut out. [Leave the lid on.]
Don't water the cuttings again until they are very dry. Test for dryness occasionally by lifting the pot. If the pot is very light, water it by setting it in a pan of water and letting it soak. When you see vigorous growth, it is time to harden off the new plants. Remove the bottle cap and see how they do. If okay, remove the bottle after a few days. Keep an eye on them and reinstall the bottle if the plants wilt.
After a few days, it will be time to pot up the new plants. Don't do this just because you see leaves growing. Sometimes there will be 4 or 5 leaves and few if any roots. Wait until you see vigorous growth. Apply fertilizer.
mskitty38583
04-18-2008, 07:40 AM
hey thanks! i appriciate the info. i wasnt sure but i told my mom id find out. she had it planted outside for 2 yrs and got mad when it died back. then brought it in the house. so thank you again.
mskitty38583
04-18-2008, 07:42 AM
i dint know that figs are part of the ficus family....wow thats cool, ill have to bookmark that page. thanks for the site. thats great. i love fig newtons.its not a cookie...its fruit and cake.
damaclese
04-18-2008, 06:59 PM
i dint know that figs are part of the ficus family....wow thats cool, ill have to bookmark that page. thanks for the site. thats great. i love fig newtons.its not a cookie...its fruit and cake.
mskitty u always make me laff besides bananas figs are my most favorite fruit i love to take them fresh from the garden cut them in to quarters and rap them with pasuto or parma ham makes a really nice snack or good for partys
mskitty38583
04-18-2008, 09:32 PM
to be honest...i have never eaten a fresh off the tree fig. i did watch bobby flay on the food network make some kind of stewed fig southwesten thing the other day. boy oh boy did it look yummy. made my mouth water. btw im glad i can make someone laugh, my cats just walk away anymore.and my dogs think im nanas. lol.
Richard
04-19-2008, 01:16 AM
Across the street from where I spent my grade school years in Redlands, CA there was a large fig tree which bore dark purple skinned fruits. It had been planted alongside an orange grove around 1910, so it was probably a "Mission" fig. I really didn't care for the fresh fruit that much, and today my attitude hasn't really changed. But about 20 years ago I tried a fresh light-skinned fig and my interest really peaked! Since then I have been very adventurous in trying different varieties and sorting out the ones I really like. Be aware that the taste of some figs varies with the climate they grow in -- for example the Panache fruit grown in southern CA is liked by most people but when grown in the southern U.S. is reportedly putrid.
Here's the figs I've tried and liked:
Brunswick
California (Improved) Brown Turkey
Flanders
Janice-Kadota
Kadota
King
Osborn Prolific
Panache
A fig I would like to try:
Excel
damaclese
04-19-2008, 07:29 AM
to be honest...i have never eaten a fresh off the tree fig. i did watch bobby flay on the food network make some kind of stewed fig southwestern thing the other day. boy oh boy did it look yummy. made my mouth water. BTW I'm glad i can make someone laugh, my cats just walk away anymore.and my dogs think I'm nanas. lol. dogs have a notoriously nihilistic sens of hummer dear and as for cats well need i say more we poor humans will just have to support each other and leave the animals to entertain them selves:doggyandnaner:
damaclese
04-19-2008, 07:42 AM
i was just like that Richard and I'm in complete agreement some figs just aren't Worth it but there are a few that really have Grata flavor
my favorite are:
Black jack good all around fig cooks well
Italian honey fig vary sweet and extra good for fresh eating
Kadota but out of the three not the best to dry
brown Turkey which is basically a hybrid of missing but with a much better cold tolerance
I'm still trying to lurn about others its not a fruit that has a big commercial fallowing do to its poor shipping quality's but the Hobbeists have done allot in the last 100 years to breed new trees Rich i have to hand it to you You seem to have one hell of allot of gardening experience i feel humbled talking fig with u :2181:
modenacart
04-19-2008, 08:50 AM
Jon has tons of fig types. He is at figs4fun home (http://www.webebananas.com)
Richard
04-19-2008, 12:33 PM
Pauly, you should not feel humbled about talking figs or any other plant with me! I am relatively new at growing most crops and plants. I might appear knowledgeable only because I write a lot of notes, plus read and collect lots of expert publications [an old habit from a career as an applied researcher].
Modenacart is right on target recommending Jon (member name pitangadiego (http://www.bananas.org/member-pitangadiego.html)). It has been his encouragment that got me started with rooting hardwood cuttings and growing bananas here in San Diego. The main portal to his endeavors is at
Encanto Farms Nursery (http://encantofarms.com/)
Richard
05-02-2008, 01:08 AM
My fig and pomegranate cuttings are doing fine, but the Diospyros lotus cuttings have been declining in health. I repotted one of the pots with 3 cuttings this evening -- and was surprised to find no roots on the wood. So I dutifully put more rooting hormone on the cuttings and finished repotting them. Hopefully they will improve!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9417
Dean W.
05-02-2008, 11:42 AM
Good luck w/ your cuttings, Richard.:paracaidi:nanaruns:
damaclese
05-02-2008, 06:14 PM
Pauly, you should not feel humbled about talking figs or any other plant with me! I am relatively new at growing most crops and plants. I might appear knowledgeable only because I write a lot of notes, plus read and collect lots of expert publications [an old habit from a career as an applied researcher].
Modenacart is right on target recommending Jon (member name pitangadiego (http://www.bananas.org/member-pitangadiego.html)). It has been his encouragement that got me started with rooting hardwood cuttings and growing bananas here in San Diego. The main portal to his endeavors is at
Encanto Farms Nursery (http://encantofarms.com/)
thanks Richard i do love fig's and roses to bananas as well iv been gardening since i was 5 years old started when my moms boss gave her two American beauty rose that he had hybridized and didn't have room for more i took care of those rose until we moved i was 25 wish i had taken them with me o well i have many roses which do outstanding here in the Mohave desert (no black spot) the figs iv had only for a year or so and the bananas are new for me but so far my Williams is doing grate its putting a leaf on a week they do grow fast wow! i also am an avid reader and the INTERNET has yielded a plethora of information its amazing what u can find out. that is how i found Bananas.org just looking for banana plants. i feel like you all are family to me already in just a short time every ones been so helpful and since no one in my house hold is in to gardening its nice to have people to talk dirt to heheh (no pun intended)not that i would let any one in to my gardens (sacred ground):2623:
Richard
05-20-2008, 06:47 PM
Today I took time out to inventory and feed the cuttings, still in the 4-inch peat pots. We have:
1 Carissa spinarum (woohoo!)
1 male and 1 female Diospyros lotus still struggling along
4 Golden Globe pomegranates
3 White Flower pomegranates
4 Black Fig I figs
6 Osborn Prolific figs
3 Panache figs
2 California Brown Turkey figs
They all received:
1 gram Urea-derived Nitrogen, 46-0-0.
0.1 gram K-Mg-S, 0-0-22 (22% Potash, 10% Mg, 22% Sulfur).
1 gram GroPower Pure & Natural 3-3-3 for minor elements and soil conditioning.
:0496:
harveyc
05-20-2008, 09:38 PM
Richard, I'm jealous. I failed in my attempts to root figs and poms in pots :(
I tried too hard I think! I've had no trouble rooting figs just in the ground before, but the repository sent material very late this year.
Lodewijkp
05-21-2008, 09:18 AM
is it possible to put them in my livingroom and let the figs root there?
or wil the air be too dry ?
i got alot of plants in my room and the temps are constantly 25/30 C
gr.
Richard
05-21-2008, 01:03 PM
is it possible to put them in my livingroom and let the figs root there?
or wil the air be too dry ?
i got alot of plants in my room and the temps are constantly 25/30 C
gr.
The root zone needs to be 25 to 30 C -- usually accomplished with heating pad, and the light should be dim to promote root growth, usually a north-facing window. Use a rooting paste or powder with at least two rooting hormones in it. Choose stems about 10 to 15 cm long that have close internode spacing at the bottom end -- 1 cm would be ideal but difficult to find on some plants. Remove the growth tip and bottom half of the leafs, cut the remaining leafs on the stem in half.
Lodewijkp
05-21-2008, 03:12 PM
What is the minimum and maximum length of a stem cutting for rooting ?
Do i need to cut all the leaves of or let a few on top intact ?
i planted cuttings :fatsia, aucuba, solanum , nerium oleander, lonicera
i did cut the lower leaves off, leaving two on top- like some books say, but won't the plant wil dry out from the wounds. And what if you don't cut any leaves or the grow tip ?
how much water do softwood cuttings need ? and how many times watered ?
i cut below the node, the stem cutting has about 4 nodes in total wil this be a problem ?
Im new at rooting cuttings, for years i only propagated from seeds to keep the genetic diversity.
another question - did anyone ever applied rooting hormones to a eucalyptus tree ,so yes what are the effects ?
thanks
gr.
Richard
05-21-2008, 11:40 PM
Wow, that's a lot of questions! The book "Plant Propagation" ed. by Alan Toogood would be a good investment for you!
What is the minimum and maximum length of a stem cutting for rooting ?
Depends on the plant. 20 centimeters is a good length for rooting in a 5 inch pot, but I have rooted shorter lengths with stems that had 2 nodes per centimeter.
Do i need to cut all the leaves of or let a few on top intact ?
For deciduous plants, take the cutting a few weeks before leafs begin to bud out. For evergreen plants, use a semi-hardwood cutting and remove the growth tip plus all the leafs in the lower-half of the cutting.
i planted cuttings :fatsia, aucuba, solanum , nerium oleander, lonicera
Keep the light at low levels to encourage root growth.
i did cut the lower leaves off, leaving two on top- like some books say, but won't the plant wil dry out from the wounds. And what if you don't cut any leaves or the grow tip ?
If you don't cut the growth tip, then the turgid cells will send most of the nutrients to the top, when actually the nutrients are needed in the lower half.
how much water do softwood cuttings need ? and how many times watered ?
The soil must not be dry, and it also cannot be soggy. It must be in-between. For best results place a vented plastic hood over the top to retain moisture.
i cut below the node, the stem cutting has about 4 nodes in total wil this be a problem ?
At least 2 of them should be below the soil line.
another question - did anyone ever applied rooting hormones to a eucalyptus tree ,so yes what are the effects ?
There are many plants called eucalyptus, some are not in the biological Genus Eucalyptus. The true varieties propagate easily and vigorously from seeds but do not like their roots disturbed. Start each seed in a large peat pot so that the young plant and now-decaying pot can be directly transplanted into a large pot or the ground.
Abnshrek
04-19-2013, 10:39 AM
I'm fixing to do some Lucca Olive Cuttings.. Wish me Luck.. :^)
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