1. Control over ingredients

2. Cheaper cost

Let’s read…

Whenever you get into growing and collecting plants, it seems inevitable that at some point you also get into mixing your own potting soil. The fact is, the majority of potting mixes on the market are not made for perennial plants, let alone trees. They are made mostly for annuals for the point of lasting one growing season. Hence, the materials used in them are not very long-lasting, they start to break down and either turn into muck or slowly flush out of pot holes. This is why you’ll see your pots decreasing in soil volume after a period of time. Most fig growers need to “refresh” or “top off” their pots every couple of years or even every year because of this. In other cases, it is because of expense, it can be significantly cheaper to make your own mix. So how to do it?

Any potting mix comprised of compost, manure, composted forest products, or the like will break down rather quickly because that is what these things are meant to do. All organic matter eventually breaks down. Not to mention, ingredients such as compost use a lot of oxygen and can deprive it from plant roots. Ultimately, this can affect plant health because as it is breaking down, you are losing even more aeration, mucky material can build up around the roots, it is no longer able to hold onto nutrients or water for very long. You may see your plants having reduced fruiting or indications of root issues. You may also need to water perhaps multiple times a day in hot weather just to keep the plant from wilting.

Some have realized these downfalls with commercial potting mixes and have turned to making their own so they can have a mix that lasts for several years at the minimum. While organic matter breaks down quickly, minerals do not. Minerals are also what a plant is meant to grow in as that is their food source. Organic matter feeds the microbes, minerals and microbes feed the plants.

By using mineral-based mixes, we can minimize the need for adding potting mix every year to each pot. A certain amount of potting mix will always water out of the drainage holes. But with minerals, this matter isn’t decomposing and can be added back into the pot. Using a fabric pot will limit whatever waters out even more. This allows us to increase the amount of time our trees or perennials can stay in the same pot and potting mix which then reduces the amount of work we need to do. Something very welcome to me!

I have tried a handful of potting mixes over the years and the one that has done the best for me is based off of Gary Matsuoka’s Top Pot soil mix. He is the owner of Laguna Hills Nursery here in California and has a YouTube channel where he has recorded presentations on various topics, one of which is potting mix. He has generously shared the ratios of his potting mix in his videos which I have subsequently made for my plants.

In a short time though, I found his original ratios to not hold enough water for my plants. I am in a dry, drought area and I don’t want to water more than once a day at the height of the growing season and heat of the summer. They probably are perfect for a rainy area, but for me, I need more water retention. So that was change number 1. Change number 2 was to incorporate a small amount of coco coir into the mix. The reason is that peat alone shrinks and can become water-phobic. I found adding a small portion of coco coir helps to keep it fluffy and prevents water repelling.

This is my modified version of Gary’s Top Pot:

45% Sphagnum peat moss​

25% Pumice (or coarse perlite, to keep it lighter) (Other rock can be used instead, such as non-dyed lava rock, crushed limestone, crushed basalt, crushed granite, pea gravel, etc. Just know that other rock can be heavier than pumice.)

15% Coco coir

10% All-purpose builders' sand or coarse horticultural sand

5% Biochar

Mix it all together and you have potting mix!

This is a little heavier than your average potting mix, but I like that because the wind does not blow any pots over.

I personally can’t go higher than 10% sand because otherwise it is too heavy for my back. (It is a constant reminder I need to strengthen my core, haha. 😝) But I am able to lift this mix just fine.

This is also very easy to personalize to your own needs. If you need more moisture, increase the peat moss. If you need more drainage, increase the pumice or add chunky perlite. If you need it lighter, swap out the pumice for chunky or coarse perlite. (Not the small perlite, but the kind that look like chunky pebbles or little rocks.)

Don’t be afraid of the math, it’s calculator-friendly!

Whenever I have talked about this potting mix, I often find people are intimidated by either the math or the number of ingredients. But both are actually quite simple! Let’s deal with the math—

You just take the total amount of cubic feet of potting mix you want and times that number by the percent of each ingredient.

(1 cubic foot = 7.5 dry gallons)

Let’s say you want the equivalent of 3 bags of potting mix, usually this is around 2 cubic feet per bag, so 6 cubic feet in total. Take 6 and multiply it by the percent listed for each ingredient. That gives you how many cubic feet you will need to get of each ingredient to make your total desired amount of 6 cf.

For example:

6 X 45% = 2.7 So you will need to get 2.7 cf of peat moss

6 X 25% = 1.5 So you will need 1.5 cf of pumice

6 X 15% = 0.9 So you will need 0.9 cf of coco coir

6 X 10% = 0.6 So you will need 0.6 cf of sand

6 X 5% = 0.3 So you will need 0.3 cf of biochar

Mix the quantities all together and you now have 6 cf of potting mix or the equivalent of 3 bags.

A 5-gallon pot can hold around 12-17 quarts of soil, which is equivalent to about 0.5-0.7 cubic feet, depending on the size of the root ball going into the pot.

Let’s say you have four 5-gallon pots to fill. That is 2.8 cf of potting mix that will be needed. (4 X 0.7 = 2.8)

So you take that 2.8 and multiply it by the percentages to get the amount needed for each product so you will have enough to fill all of your pots.

Another way of looking at the percentages is to change it to parts:

6 parts peat

2.5 parts pumice

1 part sand

1/2 part biochar

The part numbers total 10 when added together. So they will give you approximately 10 dry measures of whatever recepticle you use for measuring. For example, if you use a 1 quart pitcher to scoop out your ingredients, you will end up with 10 quarts of material. Or, if you use a 3-gallon pot to measure your materials, you will have the equivalent to fill ten 3-gallon pots when everything is mixed together.

Okay, math is done! Moving on… 😅

This is not enough, you want a potting mix of gold??

Well… I hear ya. 😏 My plants are my babies too and I am reading about various things constantly that I want to try out. There are so many different mineral-based materials that can be used when making your own potting mix. So what some things we can modify to tailor it to our needs?

Play with the ratios to match your own personal needs: Note that my mix is 60% water-retaining and 40% aerating materials. This ratio can be adjusted anywhere down to 35% water retention and 65% aerating to match Gary’s original recipe. I wouldn't go lower than that. So you can change the ratios to match your climate and watering needs.

Change up the ingredients: There are so many cool things we can add to soil for nutrients, paramagnetism, CEC, etc. that all still fall under the mineral designation. Or perhaps we need to change according to what we have available locally. Not a problem! Here are some materials to play with. ↓

Water-retaining materials—

This is the only part not mineral-based. These are longer-lasting than wood products or compost.

• Sphagnum peat moss​

• Long strand coco coir

Aerating materials, no moisture retention—

• Pumice

• Coarse Perlite​, No. 3 or 4

• Volcanic rock

• Crushed Limestone (natural calcium!)

• Crushed Granite (like pebbles) (paramagnetic)

• Decomposed Granite (like sand) (paramagnetic)

• Pea Gravel

• Basalt crushed or dust, not fine, should be like pebbles or sand (paramagnetic)

Aerating materials, some moisture retention—

• Coarse Vermiculite

• Calcined Clay Pellets, such as EP Minerals Safe T Sorb

• Pelletized Zeolite, such as KMI 8x14 or 4x8 (good CEC)

• Pelletized Diatomaceous Earth, such as OptiSorb sifted​

• Biochar (paramagnetic)

• LECA (soak in water before using)

• Expanded Shale​

I am always playing around with each batch of potting mix, adding things, taking away things. (I often swap out a small portion of peat for vermiculite.) Much depends on what I have on hand or what I want to use up. I encourage you to as well! Try out some things and see what you like best.

Too much, too much, I want it more simple!

Hey, hey, sometimes we have lives to live outside of plants and just want something simpler. No problem, I got you too!

Simplified Top Pot:

55% Sphagnum peat moss​

30% Coarse Perlite, No. 3 or No. 4

15% All-purpose builders’ sand

♢ This is a good balanced mix that shouldn’t be too heavy and should work in a variety of climates. The materials are also commonly available.

There are also these simple mixes that can be used. ↓

Simple Mix 1:

1:1:1 peat : sand : perlite (or pumice)

♢ Good for areas that are rainy or those that want more aeration. This is a very aerated mix that will require a lot of watering.

Simple Mix 2:

50/50, Peat (or coco coir) / perlite (or pumice)

♢ A good balanced mix and starting point.

Simple Mix 3:

6 parts Sunshine Mix #4

1 part EP Minerals Safe T Sorb (found at auto supply stores and Tractor Supply)

♢ More water-retentive. Sunshine Mix #4 already has perlite mixed in at about 30%. Adding the calcined clay pellets makes it about 60% water retentive and 40% aerating. Make sure the clay pellets are mixed in well and not in a situation to clump together.

(This mix was recommended by a longtime fig grower with the user name AscPete on one of the fig forums. Credit goes totally to him.)

*All of the above mixes can also be used for rooting cuttings.*

Why should we add amendments?

All of the potting mixes above are essentially blank slates. Some will slowly provide nutrients over time, but they have no immediate nutrient availability for current growing needs. So we need to add them.

Some will say that peat moss has nutrients, but according to the Encyclopedia Britannica: “Peat moss typically contains less than 1 percent nitrogen, with phosphorus and potassium levels below 0.1 percent. It is primarily used to improve soil structure and water retention rather than as a significant source of nutrients.”

Peat moss is not considered a fertilizer due to its low nutrient levels. However, it is a good source of carbon, it can hold onto nutrients really well and has humic acid which helps to make nutrients more plant available.

Coco coir as it breaks down releases significant amounts of phosphorus and potassium. However, it is low in all other nutrients including calcium, nitrogen, and magnesium.

Sodium and chlorine can be quite high in coco coir and this is why it must be rinsed several times before using. Make sure any product you buy states that it has been rinsed, otherwise this is something you will need to do.

Decomposed granite or basalt both have various trace minerals, which is one reason I like to use them. Because they are a large part of my mix, I don’t need to add them separately later. Sand, however, is mostly just silica. Trees do love sand! But if sand is a primary ingredient, we will need to add the other trace minerals.

Perlite has zero nutrients, it is sterile and inert. Pumice also has very low nutrient content. Its advantage is that it has a ton of pores which store nutrients, are homes for microbes, and retains both water and air.

Biochar does not typically add nutrients, it depends on what it was made from. Usually, biochar is made from wood, but sometimes it is made from manure and that can have a lot of nutrients. I have seen biochar made from bone, and this can have both calcium and phosphorus. The majority of biochar on the market is wood-based though, and is not considered a nutrient source. Wood-based biochar needs to be charged before use, otherwise it can actually pull nutrients from the soil to hold onto them. It is charged simply by soaking it for a few hours in a nutrient solution of choice. Its primary purpose it to improve soil structure, it is long-lasting, it stores nutrients to release later, and microbes love it. It can also be paramagnetic in quality.

So here is what to add:

A mineral mix with calcium and trace elements should always be added. The mixture in this article can be used, or we can just add some oyster shell flour, some gypsum, and Azomite or glacial dust. If we used basalt, we can eliminate the Azomite. Mineral mixes can be added directly to the potting mix as we’re mixing it all together.

We should always top dress with organic matter. We don't want to mix in the organic matter into the potting mix in any great quantity because that will undo the benefit of having a mineral-based mix and it will no longer be considered that. A very, very small amount of worm castings can go into the mix, but it is best to primarily top dress with them as they will significantly decrease in volume very quickly. This is true for compost as well. Doing this mimics nature, and allows the nutrients to trickle down with each watering while preserving the soil volume in our pots.

Anytime you top dress, you usually want to mix your product into the top few inches of soil a little bit. This is because some items will clump together when water gets on them, such as calcium products, or the wind can blow them out of the pot. In other cases, we don’t want the product to dry out too much or be fully exposed to the sun because this can decrease microbial life or nutrient content, such as with worm castings or some types of compost. Because fig roots can grow close to the surface and it's harder to mix any top dressing into the first few inches, I prefer to mix these items with some extra potting mix first and then top dress with them all together.

Fertilizer should also be used throughout the growing season. You all know I am partial to ferments and fish amino acids. These are watered in or are top dressed if in a dry format, just like the above.

A mycorrhizal and bacterial product is also good to add if the peat moss does not already include it. It will help to make all of the nutrients available to your plants.

What is the best way to make a large batch of potting mix?

I have to admit, this is a tough one for me and I’m always on the lookout for good suggestions. Really you just have to buckle down and do it in my opinion.

Some suggest laying a heavy-duty tarp down on the ground and layering the materials on it. Then you use the tarp edges to pick it up and roll the materials together until sufficiently mixed. (You may find some videos on YouTube of this or of using a tarp to mix concrete, it’s the same concept.)

Others use compost tumblers or concrete mixers (without concrete powder residue in them) to mix everything together in batches.

My elderly dad, who’s still quite an active guy, just likes to dump everything out onto our concrete patio and mixes it all together with a shovel, rake, or hoe as appropriate. He won’t do otherwise!

How to store extra potting mix?

I store extra potting mix in 10-gallon plastic trash cans with lids and these have done just fine for me. Large plastic totes can also work. Same with buckets with lids.

Some use heavy-duty trash bags with ties. Just be careful to avoid fragranced ones as they can contain chemicals that are not desirable for plants.

What about using soil from my backyard?

Well, you certainly can do that if you like. Some have really great soil and you might as well use it if you have it. The main downfall to this is weight. This is why most potting mixes are based on composted wood fines or peat moss — they are so much lighter. Technically, many plants and trees in nurseries used to be grown in sand as it was cheap and readily available. It was the hefty weight that made it undesirable as nursery plants are meant to be moved and carried to gardens. Our own soil can be just as heavy.

The other caution is if your soil is very clay-based or otherwise unbalanced, it may give you more trouble than it is worth. But if you feel like giving it a try, I ain’t gonna stop you! 😉

There has to be one I can buy, right?

If you like the idea of making your own, but just feel overwhelmed by it, I totally understand. As mentioned above, Gary’s Top Pot is a great one… if you can find it. It’s mostly located in California at select nurseries.

When purchasing a mix, look for one made for trees, such as a palm or citrus mix. Sometimes a cactus or succulent mix can work as well. If they are too aerated, you can add a little bag of peat to them. These still will not have the same longevity as the above mixes, but they do usually have more mineral components in them which helps.

Stay away from mixes designed for vegetables or cannabis, such as Fox Farm. They are great mixes for the type of plants they are made for, but they are not meant for long-term growing or for trees. You may have to re-pot more often than you’d like with them.

These potting mixes are the perfect canvas to build upon. So go forth and paint them with fig tree life!

What do you think? Will you make one of these or do you have a favorite already that you make? Let me know!

Some cuttings, you can do all the wrong things and they will still somehow root and grow into a tree. The resiliency! Other cuttings, you do just a little thing off and it’s over, kaput, dead in the water. With fig cuttings, it doesn't matter until it matters. So what are some of these things that can matter? Well, I can only break it down from my personal experience, so here it goes…

Once you have cut a limb off of a tree, the breakdown process starts. It no longer has its lifeline and its cells are now starting to die off without ongoing replacement. To stop this, we need to slow this process down or we need to get it to form roots as soon as it can so it can regulate itself and have flow again. Without this, it will eventually turn into a moldy, desiccated stick.

It is important to understand that the presence of microbes is not causing the rot. Rot happens because of dying tissue, the tissue is no longer viable and then certain microbes come in to do their nature-given role of breaking down the dead tissue. So to avoid rot, we want to do things that prevent tissue damage and death and contribute to life instead.

These are common things that can cause harm to plant tissues:

• 🌡️ Temperature extremes. This can happen before the cutting has even been taken from the tree with frosts and freezes, it can happen in shipping, and it can happen in storage. Sometimes it happens under grow lights that are too hot and close, and sometimes it happens from heating mats under the cuttings. Cuttings can effectively be steamed by a heat mat that is not being regulated enough or that doesn’t have a barrier between it and the bottom of the pot. Another overlooked one is the temperature of the water used to wash cuttings, hot water is not needed. Just know that freezing the cutting will damage it, and heating the cutting too much will also damage it.

• 🧼 Washing and disinfecting cuttings. Some wash and disinfect cuttings before planting them. However, this can remove essential microbes that promote root growth. Research by Dr. James F. White and others shows that plant roots absorbing and expelling microbes is directly linked to root hair elongation and growth. These bacteria are thought to excrete hormones inside of the roots that stimulate their growth. Seeds that have been treated with antibiotics or sanitized with 50/50 bleach & water solutions do not grow well because they need the built-in microbes to function, particularly with roots. Cuttings also need microbes to initiate and grow roots.

  

  Here is a video with it explained in more depth. I linked it to start where he is directly speaking about root hair elongation at 27:18 which he talks about for about 8 minutes up to the start of the Q&A, but the entire presentation is very good and has tidbits throughout. So please feel free to start it from the beginning if you like. (I recommend changing the playback speed if it’s too slow for you, use the gear icon in the video and click on “Playback Speed” to do that.) ↓↓↓

  (There are a lot of YouTube videos with presentations by Dr. James White that contain more details on how microbes relate to plant nutrition and health. I highly recommend them and have found them fascinating! He also has a number of published papers that you can find on Research Gate.)

  Plants are filled with microbes, so to kill off fungi or bacteria with disinfectant is essentially killing off a part of the plant itself. Because molds and other microbes are ubiquitous in our environment, let alone in the soil itself that the cutting is going into, disinfecting will not prevent mold from forming on something that is decomposing. You’re eliminating the plant’s natural microbes and allowing whatever is present in the environment to settle on it, such as wild yeasts in the air, whatever is on your hands or counters, or bacteria from foods in the refrigerator if stored. The most that can be gained is removing a contaminant on the surface that doesn’t belong there which may mold and this can be done with a simple washing.

  The speed of microbial colonization on the root system is very important to create resistance to root diseases according to John Kempf. When this beneficial microbiome is not carried through on the cutting or in the rooting mix, the newly rooted plant now needs to recruit microbes from the soil to colonize the root surface and develop a healthy microbiome. This process takes time and may require the contribution of more sugar and energy through the root system from root exudates, depleting the cutting. The more sanitized the system, the more time this takes.

  [Picture a plant putting its sugars into the rooting mix through its brand new tender roots and then the proper microbes are not there to eat it and help the plant. What is going to happen to the sugary goo the roots are sitting in, especially if our rooting mix is not aerated enough?

  Sugar + little air + wild yeasts from the environment = ethanol or alcohol = root death]

  During this window, there is an opportunity for disease development in plant tissues when the root system is not immediately colonized by disease-suppressive microorganisms. Fungicide treatments amplify this susceptibility by removing beneficial microbes.

  Plants have a waxy cuticle layer that serves as a protection against environmental stressors and regulates transpiration. Some may use harsh disinfectants or detergents which damages this tissue making it more permeable. Others may scrub the cutting too harshly which can leave scratches in the surface. Even common things like bleach or hydrogen peroxide can cause a certain amount of breakdown of cellular structure and can interfere with the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients when used in excess. Bleach itself breaks down into a salt which is harmful to plant material. These also harm any exposed soil microorganisms, disrupting the important balance that stops rot.

• 🧪 Rooting hormone. Too heavy of a dosage can dehydrate or burn the plant's stems leaving it open to rot and decay. Overuse of rooting hormone can lead to excessive root growth, which can cause the plant to become unstable or even die. What the hormone is actually doing is suppressing the plant's ability to differentiate between root, stem and leaf cells. When exposed to auxin, the plant's cells essentially "forget" they're able to make a variety of different types of cells, and just start replicating root cells, which are the most basic type. Figs typically do not require rooting hormone at all. However, if you are going to use it, use a very low dilution to avoid damaging the cutting.

  It should be noted as well that some brands of rooting hormone contain fungicides or other ingredients that could disrupt the microbiome both on the cutting and in the rooting mix.

• 💨 Oxygen starvation. This is one of the most common causes of cutting death. Cuttings and roots need air to survive. Air is needed for plant respiration, which is essential for growth and nutrient uptake. If the rooting medium used is too fine and dense, it can cause asphyxiation because any tiny air gaps are taken up with water engorged material which is unable to dry out fast enough to allow for air to come back. ProMix is commonly recommended for rooting cuttings by some growers. However, its purpose is for starting vegetable seeds, not cuttings. As such, it is very fine and not aerated enough for rooting cuttings. It is meant to hold more water to stimulate seed germination. So for cuttings which do not require that amount of water retention, more perlite or pumice needs to be added to create enough air pockets so that watering is not an issue. Having good air and water flow is essential to cutting health and contributes to good microbial growth as well.

  

A little disclaimer: With all of the above said, I want to be clear that I am not saying you can’t grow a cutting doing any of these things — a lot of people do. I’m sure some reading this are thinking, I do that and I don’t have any problems. I know some who disinfect the heck out of their cuttings and still get a plant out of them. And that’s okay, in fact, it is great, I’m glad you have success!

What I am saying though is that a lot of people also have problems because of doing these things. When people have rotted cuttings, usually it can be linked directly to one or more of these practices. Just because it can work in spite of doing it, that doesn't make it best practice. These can create unnecessary learning curves and require a person to adapt with workarounds, such as weighing pots and using syringes to water, when in reality it is so much simpler.

The point is to help people see it is not black and white and there are other aspects to consider especially if you have a particular growing ethos, ahem *organic and natural right here in the house*, that you want to stick with. Use the appropriate things from the start and you’re golden.

What can we do instead?

It’s simple: Use a properly aerated rooting mix and regulate moisture to ensure humidity around the cutting according to the climate of your area. That is pretty much all that is needed…

But if your punctilious nature is crying out and you would like more details to correspond to the above, well see below ↓ just for you.

1. Choose cuttings that are as lignified (hardwood) and freshly cut as possible. This helps because the cutting surface is less tender and vulnerable. The fresher a cutting is, the more vitality it should have and typically has increased chance of rooting. Have a general awareness of the weather conditions of the location you are buying from. Is it late enough in the season for dormancy there? Are they cutting this year’s growth that may not be lignified yet? Remember, cuttings start at the top of a branch with newest growth and work down to older wood. So you are likely to get young branches no matter who you buy from. In fact, the majority I see sold are semi-lignified and these can work just fine. Timing is more about dormancy for storage needs and allowing as much time as possible for lignification without cold damage, as many sellers are from back east.

2. Root them as soon as possible. ⏳ If storing in the fridge to tide them over, make sure they are put in a plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb any condensation and keep them away from the sides or any known cold spots. Make sure your refrigerator is in the normal range of 35-38°F. Below 35°F for prolonged periods can cause damage. Note that green cuttings (softwood) and semi-lignified cuttings do not store as well.

   According to Advances in Fig Research and Sustainable Production, some researchers store cuttings this way: “Cuttings are tied in bundles of approximately 50, each wrapped with a damp cloth or folded in a slightly moist sand or perlite medium to preserve their moisture content. The bundles are then placed in plastic cases and stored in cold storage (4°C [or 39°F]) at 80–85% relative humidity until planting. Under these conditions, cuttings can be stored for 1–2 months.”

3. Try not to buy cuttings when outside temperatures are more extreme. Cuttings can cook in a hot mailbox in summer 🥵 or freeze in winter. 🥶

4. If the ambient room temperature is warm enough, heat mats are not needed. If using a heat mat, make sure any temperature probes are measuring at the point of contact at the base of the pot to ensure it doesn’t get too hot. Remember, water conducts heat so wet rooting mixes may get warmer than the outside of the pot and you want that probe right in there. Place a towel or other barrier between the heat mat and the pot to help buffer the heat. Figs root best between 72-78°F, though can root fine when ambient temperatures are at 65° or above or 85° and below. It will take longer to get going below 72°, which can increase chance of desiccation or rot, and you will have more risk of rot when you’re getting over 79° with a heat mat.

5. Cleaning your cuttings is a choice, not a requirement. If choosing to clean your cuttings, gently wipe them with something soft, use cool water, and a mild soap. Recognize that microbes 🦠 are essential to plants and that disinfecting or aggressive cleaning can cause more harm than good. I personally do not clean my cuttings at all unless they have something obvious on them. Using microbial inoculants instead of disinfectants can help to produce a much larger root system while preventing root rot.

   The only time I could see where disinfectant might be useful is if you are shipping cuttings and expecting a long transit, or storing cuttings for a length of time. Both involve enclosed moist environments that could contribute to mold growth. But doing this also could impact rooting success later. Many hobbiest sellers do not disinfect their cuttings and they are received just fine in most cases. If this is used, I would choose something very mild and would not soak them in it.

   Last year, I received some cuttings that I forgot about. I opened the package over a month later and they were all moldy. However, the cuttings themselves seemed intact, the bark wasn’t slipping off and they weren’t soft yet. So I soaked them for a few days in water with a fig root ferment I had previously made. Not only did all of the mold go away, but they all rooted successfully and quickly. No disinfecting was required. This agrees with the research showing that more microbes are needed for controlling fungal issues, not less.

6. Keep in mind that figs root very well without rooting hormone. I never use it myself and have sufficient success. If you’re just really feeling a boost is needed though, try using seaweed extract which naturally promotes growth and is a root stimulant. Ferments can also be made using thicker fig tree roots that boost rooting speed. Either of these can be used at a high dilution in a pre-soak.

   ⚛️ If you must use rooting hormone because you are just a chemical fiend, fig researchers have found that the best results were observed with 2500 ppm IBA + 2500 ppm NAA or 1000 ppm IBA + 1000 ppm NAA combinations over other concentrations, according to Advances in Fig Research and Sustainable Production. Other researchers had success with 1000 ppm IBA over other concentrations as well. Success was measured by dry weight of growth within a certain period of time. Results were mixed as for whether it improved rooting performance overall.

   It seems as though liquid hormones are less risky than powdered or gel hormones based on what other growers have said. I know when I experimented with powdered hormone, I had a lot of rot. So go with liquid if this is your choice.

7. Use proper rooting mixes for tree cuttings that allow for sufficient air-water-soil composition. Researchers have found that a 1:1 combination of peat and perlite was most effective for rooting fig cuttings. (Advances in Fig Research and Sustainable Production.) It really pleased me to read this because it agrees with what I found myself independently and have recommended. (🎯 Hey hey, nothing like that feeling every once and a while for a lowly hobbiest! 🤓) Another mixture that was found successful, when comparing sand, perlite, sawdust, peat, marc, or wood chips, was a combination of 30:70 perlite:sand*. Others have really liked a 1:1:1 mix of vermiculite, perlite, and peat.

   * If using sand, please be sure to use a coarse sand appropriate for gardening. Some sands have a high salt content and must be avoided, others are too fine, such as playground sand. The most commonly available sand sold at Home Depot and Lowes that is good for this application is washed all-purpose builders sand.

   Also be sure to not firmly pack in your rooting mix, put it in loosely to remain “fluffy” and do not press it in hard around the cutting.

   

8. Some feel fungus gnats contribute to root rot and cutting losses. 🦟 Fungus gnats feed on fungus that grows on organic matter, their larvae can feed on plant roots. The best way to eliminate them for indoor growing is to eliminate organic matter from your rooting mix. This means no compost and no commercial potting mix which often contains compost or other natural fertilizers that are decomposing. These can come pre-contaminated with fungus gnat eggs from sitting outside in store yards. Focus on using a mineral-based mix instead. The three mentioned above are great for that. There is also this article here and this one here which talk about other things that can be used. I highly recommend giant Butterworts/Pinguiculas in your rooting area, a type of carnivorous plant that is easy to care for and eats fungus gnats. I have never needed to use Gnatrol or mosquito bits with the methods mentioned and do not recommend them unless absolutely needed as they may upset soil microbial balance.

9. Some find rooting outdoors ☀️ during the growing season is easier than indoors. Being outside exposed to the elements eliminates a lot of the issues experienced in an indoor environment. For example, there is usually better air flow, potting mixes can dry out faster, fungus gnats are blown away, temperatures do not need to be regulated, no heat mats, and no grow lights. There is also better microbial exposure outdoors. Just make sure to wait until it is warm enough and to keep them out of direct sun while rooting.

   

10. If rooting is just not your thing, try grafting. Many who have had issues rooting end up loving grafting as an alternative for cutting propagation.

    

It is important to understand that we can do everything right and still end up with rotted cuttings. So much more is involved than just rooting technique. Variety and nutrient stores also play a role in success. The hormones present in the cutting itself can have a bearing as well. The location on the tree from which the cutting was taken has an effect on results. If or how a seller stored the cuttings prior to shipping can make a difference. There are so many things outside of our control. So don't lose heart if you had some losses!

If you’re someone who supplies cuttings, do your best to ensure your trees have access to all of the nutrients, particularly calcium and micros. Nutrients stores of certain trace minerals can affect how quickly something germinates. Keep the biology healthy and present with mycorrhizae and other microbes so that your plants are uptaking minerals. This is important especially as we get closer to dormancy and cutting season so that these nutrients are being stored and are at the ready for new growth.

I hope this helps and provides some tips. May you have the greatest success this cutting season and I hope to hear all about your new plants!

I must admit that I haven’t always been the most diligent with nutrients for my collection of fig trees. Figs have relatively low fertilizer needs in comparison to other fruit trees and plants so you can get away with a lot — and I did. I applied things when I remembered to, which could be weekly or once a month, (or not very much at all in some years.) Mostly applications were early in the season when I was excited about things waking up, then life would take over and I would get busy with other things. I didn’t worry much about the types of nutrients and just slapped on whatever seemed good or interesting to me at the time.

Then came the Black Fig Fly (BFF). What words can express feelings over this? I had just collected hundreds of trees and then this pest comes along causing fruit drop and I can’t taste the different varieties I worked so hard to obtain and grow. So then came research for how to effectively deal with BFF. I do like my research after all. I am not going to poison myself over this bug, so only non-toxic things were considered. I created a bait that helped quite a lot for me but which also caught a lot of a lookalike fly. It was also expensive and time-consuming to tend to the traps. I used essential oil sprays with good effect, but again, the cost of regularly applied essential oils can add up. Bagging and netting are always possibilities, but I had so many trees, so again time and cost.

As I began researching more into natural farming, I saw that they had solutions and explanations for why pests happen that in many cases were backed up by research and in all cases were backed up by real-world examples of large-scale growers. Everything linked back to nutrition and plant health. So since we are talking figs here, I needed to research what fig trees need. What I found is that there are generalized ratios for fruit trees and plants… and then there are figs. 🤓 Figs are a little different from other fruit trees.

This is the article that is all about what nutrients fig trees need throughout the growing season, what deficiency looks like, and how Fig Mosaic Virus (FMV) relates to nutrition. The information in this article is taken primarily from various research papers and two publications: 1) Advances In Fig Research and Sustainable Production, and 2) The Fig Botany, Production and Uses. I also used a few other sources as noted at various points in the article.

Index to this article

• Nutrients fig trees need

• Deficiencies

• Macronutrients

• Micronutrients

• Critical Points of Influence

• Fertilizer protocols-ish

The disclaimers

We must be frank, research papers have their limitations. They can be a useful tool, but may not reflect real-life situations in your backyard. So the information presented here is just that— information. Some of it is also my opinion on said information. What you do with it is your choice. 🙂

Figs, (specifically Ficus carica in this article,) are tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions. This is one aspect that makes them so enjoyable to grow by people all over the world, they are easy. As such, you can find a variety of recommendations for what fertilizers are best and what feeding schedules to follow. You can be successful with a number of approaches and you really should use the one you feel best about. They adapt well, so someone can have a pretty lousy habit with them and still be a relatively successful grower. But we aren't the lousy ones, right my dear reader? We are going to be the ones on point to the extent within our means which is why we are here.

Historically, fig trees have been considered a crop that did not need fertilization. They are tolerant to poor soils and perform well with low available nitrogen. In fact, negative results were seen with nitrogen fertilization in certain aspects which caused it to not be a primary focus for a time. All this being so, studies on nutrition particular to figs have been lacking and didn’t really take off until after the advent of commercialized fertilizer. Also, most fig production is in the Mediterranean basin and so was not considered a high priority in research originating from other areas. This is why there are some plant-necessary nutrients with very little to no information for figs. There are holes in fig nutrition to say the least.

There have also been two main areas of fig production studied, Turkey and California. They have had very different growing practices and testing criteria for leaf nutrients. California, (including Brazil and the Mediterranean countries in Europe,) is very heavy in irrigation and fertilization and they tested the most recently developed leaves on sun-exposed non-fruiting branches. Turkey relies mostly on rainfall and orchards may or may not be fertilized, (some only fertilize every 2-3 years there.) They tested the third leaf from the shoot base, which is also typically the location of the oldest fruit on the branch. Sampling timing and position of the leaf on the shoot will greatly affect results. So when you see the leaf tissue levels of nutrients below, take them as a suggestive guideline but not as critical levels.

Like any plant, fig trees will grow best in soils with high fertility. The caveat is that they can end up focusing on vegetative growth and not fruit production in such situations. So we are not looking for the highest possible fertility, but adequate fertility for health and fruit quality.

Okay, so here we go!

Nutrients fig trees need

Let’s start with two tables that give us a baseline of nutrient values specific to figs. These are compiled from research papers on the topic. Note which nutrients are higher and lower in amount:

1. Recommended nutrient levels by researchers:

2. Levels of nutrients from several high vigor orchards:

This information gives us an idea of which minerals need to be supplied in higher amounts and it also gives us an idea of proper ratios. For example, you can see that roughly for every 4-5 parts of calcium there is 1 part of magnesium; for every 3-4 parts calcium there is 1 part potassium and so on. Did you notice that the mineral in greatest quantity in most cases is calcium, not nitrogen? Did you also notice phosphorus is very low? We don’t have to analyze this for specific measurements, but it’s to get an idea of it in our minds for what pertains to fig trees.

If you wish to be very exact and technical, you can do a sap analysis to see how your trees are measuring up, that will tell you the exact nutrients they are low/high in based on standard plant levels. This can be beneficial if you are having an ongoing problem, especially since a deficiency of one nutrient can happen along with a toxicity of another which confuses symptoms. This is another reason why I prefer the balanced nutrients in natural inputs— to avoid problems such as that on my end.

The one thing to keep in mind is that each variety and each plant can have its own nutritional issues. It doesn’t matter if all of your trees are in the same soil and on the same fertilizing regimen. Each tree and pot is its own unit and ecosystem. It’s like a family of four, two adults and two kids living in the same house and eating the same food. They are in the same exact environment and getting the same nutrition, but that doesn’t mean one of the kids couldn’t have a nutritional issue separate from the others based on their individual needs and stage of growth. It also doesn’t mean that one can’t end up with a disease independent from the other three. Likewise with our trees, we need to notice and tend to them individually.

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Deficiencies

For most plants, the best indicator of nutrients is in the leaves. It doesn’t matter if you’ve supplied everything to the soil, what matters is what that plant is actually able to uptake and utilize. Remember that excesses of certain minerals can block out other minerals and that varietal genetics have an effect on nutrient management. It is well documented that various fig varieties respond differently to nutrients. Some are better at taking up nutrients overall than others and some are better at taking up specific types of nutrients than others. We could have one or both things going on. So treat your fig trees as the individuals they are. Also remember that Eh-pH greatly affects soil nutrient availability.

We don’t necessarily need to worry about each of these aspects, we can just let the leaves tell us what is going on. It’s as simple or as complicated as we make it.

Unfortunately, there are not fig leaf pictures for micronutrient deficiencies and we have to rely on other references for those. But there is additional helpful information to determine what type of deficiency we may have.

Because some nutrients are mobile and others are less mobile, the deficiencies have a tendency to show up in certain parts of the plant. You are not going to see a deficiency of one type throughout the entire tree, only in certain parts of the tree, unless it is severe.

At the very top of the plant you are going to see boron and calcium deficiencies. In young leaves going down a little bit from the very top you will see deficiencies in copper, sulfur, iron, manganese, zinc, or molybdenum. In the older leaves at the bottom of a plant you can spot deficiencies in nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, or magnesium. So if you are seeing indications of a deficiency, note which leaves are being affected where on the plant and take it from there. Location helps to narrow it down.

Immobile Nutrients — These nutrients are not easily transferred within the plant and so symptoms of nutrient deficiency occur first on the upper, youngest leaves:

• Boron

• Calcium

• Manganese

• Sulfur

• Iron

• Copper

• Zinc

• Molybdenum

Mobile Nutrients — These nutrients can easily be moved from old tissues to young tissues within the plant. So if a new leaf has a need or deficiency, the plant will take from the older leaves to give to the new leaves. Therefore, symptoms of nutrient shortage are noticeable first on the lowest, oldest leaves:

• Magnesium

• Nitrogen

• Potassium

• Phosphorus

Nutrient deficiencies that can cause distorted growth or deformities:

• Calcium (new or young leaves)

• Boron (new or young leaves)

• Copper (young leaves first)

• Zinc (young or middle leaves first)

• Molybdenum (young leaves)

Nutrient issues that can cause necrosis (scorching) on edges or tips:

• Calcium (new or young leaves)

• Boron (new or young leaves)

• Copper (young leaves first)

• Potassium (lower/ older leaves)

• Toxicity

Nutrient deficiencies that cause whole leaf chlorosis (yellowing):

• Nitrogen (old leaves)

• Sulphur (young leaves, light veins)

• Iron (young leaves, green veins)

Nutrient deficiencies that cause interveinal or blotched chlorosis (spotted or striped yellowing) (can turn into necrosis spots in the leaf):

• Manganese (newer or young leaves)

• Zinc (young or middle leaves)

• Molybdenum (young leaves)

• Magnesium (lower/older leaves)

Here is a deficiency chart from the internet that may help to give you a visual of the above:

Do you have a case of “ugly leaf”? One of the most common deficiencies you will see in fig trees is calcium. It is the nutrient with the largest requirement but is often undersupplied by home growers. If you have a case of leaf deformity with mottled chlorosis, it’s likely to be calcium coupled with deficiencies in micronutrients, like boron and/or manganese. This plant is hungry. These deficiencies are often the first to show up in spring growth and in rooting cuttings. Remember they are shown in newer leaves which is why you are seeing them in these settings. Also, this type of new growth mainly relies on stored nutrients that need to be available in the fall before dormancy. So if this step was overlooked, it’s likely deficiencies will show in that first growth.

Conversely, because fig trees are often grown in high calcium and magnesium soils, and therefore have higher soil pH, you can end up with deficiencies in potassium, boron, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper which require a lower pH to be plant available.

Leaves are the first step, but there is one problem notable about fig trees…

They notoriously have hidden hunger symptoms which are not always visible in leaves. They are reflected in reduced shoot growth and in reduced fruit quality or yields. Other visual cues to note are cracking, sunscald, and abnormal sizes in fruit.

We joke about pictures of split figs looking like the plant in Little Shop of Horrors or something from Alien, wanting to feed on something. But apparently, it literally does need food and is a sign of hunger. So if you have “Feed me, Seymour” figs, they’re talking to you, and they need some food!

Nutrients that affect shoot length and internode spacing:

• Calcium

• Nitrogen

• Magnesium

• Zinc

• Copper

• Boron

Nutrients that affect splitting and sunscald (both in fruits and shoots):

• Calcium (Prevents splitting, excess linked to sunscald)

• Potassium (Prevents sunscald, excess linked to splitting)

• Nitrogen (excess linked to splitting)

• Boron (excess linked to splitting)

What is the fastest way to correct an active deficiency? This is through foliar spraying. As noted in the foliar spray article, the primary way plants take in nutrients is through the roots and this is ideal. However, if you have a deficiency and don’t know why, like maybe you applied a lot of calcium but yet show signs of deficiency, it could be that another nutrient is blocking it or that the soil environment is off. Another possibility is that the plant itself has problems taking up that nutrient. Going directly to the foliage will get it where it needs to be in a faster way and bypasses any soil issues. Just keep in mind that with the nutrients that aren’t very mobile, they are going to stay pretty much in the area you applied them. The phloem flow won’t move them to other parts of the plant. So make sure to spray all sides and parts of the tree when foliar spraying for deficiencies.

If you have a really strong deficiency, you may wish to go directly to a specific mineral product to provide a heftier initial correction before moving to a milder plant-based input. I still recommend looking at a balanced product versus an isolate when possible. Two products new to me that I think might be useful for this are BioAg Cal-Mino and BioAg CytoPlus or TM-7.

The other thing to keep in mind is that much of the growth we see in spring is from stored nutrients from the previous season. The initial cellular growth and formation is happening on a microscopic level that we just can’t see or know about. So key nutrients may have been missing when your fig tree started silently yawning awake and future growth may not reflect corrections of certain minerals for a while. Just be patient and supply what is needed moving forward.

Excesses and Toxicities

Most nutrient excesses show as a deficiency for a different nutrient because the excess has blocked the other nutrient(s). The exception to this is salt burn from excessive use of chemical fertilizers and the leaf curling/twisting you can see in ammonium excess. If you are using chemical or mineral fertilizer, you are more likely to end up with excesses than if you use fertilizers from plant sources. Some animal based fertilizers also can cause excesses, such as with manure or bone meal. Certain varieties of fig trees may also on their own take up excesses of certain nutrients causing a blockage of another.

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Macronutrients

Listed in order of need and abundance in fig tree tissues:

• Calcium (Ca)

• Potassium (K)

• Nitrogen (N)

• Magnesium (Mg)

• Phosphorus (P)

• Sulfur (S)

〉Calcium (Ca)

In fig trees, calcium is the most abundant element in all tissues and could be considered the most important nutrient for them. Calcium significantly affects the vegetative growth and quality of fig fruits, such as shoot length, fruit dimensions, cracking, total soluble solids, acidity, fruit size, and color. Fig tissues (leaf, fruits, and wood) contain more calcium than other deciduous fruit trees. Leaf calcium concentration increases throughout the vegetation period, meaning that the tree is continuously uptaking and utilizing it.

Because the majority of growers are habituated to think of NPK as the important nutrients, calcium is often dropped or not supplied adequately to fig trees. You can frequently see signs of calcium deficiency in many pictures online, even in stock images. Because calcium deficiency causes chlorosis and deformed leaves in new growth, many growers incorrectly attribute these symptoms to FMV.

The leaf deformation seen in deficiency is due to calcium’s role in cell walls. It “is necessary for cell wall stability and extension, and cellular membrane stability. It is also a second messenger in some signaling pathways. Due to its role in cell wall stability, it is critically important in fruit development and storage life,” according to the fig books.

Cell walls of all plants have pectin in them which is made with calcium — calcium pectate. It is the glue that holds all plant cells together. It is what gives structural strength to all living things. It is essential in new cell growth and development, and it can boost plant immunity, growth, and repair. Without calcium, plants are weak, prone to disease, and attract pests.

What many may not know is that calcium can be used to drive growth in plants much like nitrogen. The difference between the two is that calcium will get you tighter internode spacing, quality wood, and gives both vegetative and reproductive growth. Nitrogen pushed growth gives you thinner wood with long, stretched internode spacing. Tighter internode spacing, (think 2 inches instead of 4,) is more desirable as it increases crop yield. So calcium gives the higher quality vegetative growth.

Research has shown that calcium nutrition significantly affects fig fruit cracking, meaning that it prevents it. It also has a bearing on cracking seen in tree trunks. The negative is that a high amount of calcium can increase sunscald and lower sugars in fig fruits. This is where we need balance with potassium. Potassium prevents the sunscald associated with high calcium and calcium prevents the fruit splitting associated with high potassium. Potassium also increases sugars which counters the lowering associated with high calcium. Balance. It’s all about the balance and proper ratios.

As noted elsewhere, different varieties can have different sensitivities with specific nutrients. Calcium and potassium are two nutrients that can have variances in uptake and reaction amongst different fig varieties. This is where it is really important to treat each tree individually if you see signs of deficiency because what is deficient in one could be excess in another if you have already been supplying appropriate nutrients to your trees. And then the deficiency in the one, if unattended to, could affect growth, fruit development, and quality in that tree.

Phosphorous and zinc can bind with calcium in soils tying it up and preventing uptake. Excess phosphorus can show as calcium deficiency, so it's important to know what we’ve applied to understand what is going on. For example, many Bloom Boost products are excessively high in phosphorus which could then cause calcium deficiency in your trees. Aluminum, heavy metals, and sodium can also interfere with uptake.

Calcium availability increases in hydrated soils so this is something to consider if we have a tendency to go dry often.

Deficiency and toxicity:

Deficiency shows as chlorosis and deformation of younger leaves at the very top of the tree or branch tip. Calcium is not phloem mobile, therefore calcium deficiencies can occur in young leaves or fruits as these tissues are partially supplied via phloem flow. The entire leaf may be light green or speckled (likely from concurrent sulfur or micro deficiencies,) and shoots and stems can be weak. New leaves may emerge with a grey or white coloration that is rolled and necrotic.

There is nothing said about calcium toxicity for figs, no doubt because figs do love it. But it is important to know that too much calcium can cause iron, magnesium, and potassium deficiency generally speaking for all plants.

How to handle calcium:

This is the graph of calcium content and usage as measured in fig leaves throughout the season:

You can see it has a rising need as the season continues. It is typical to see this pattern in plants with nutrients that are less mobile as leaf transipiration drives their flow; meaning the more leaves, the more it is pulled up through the xylem. Because calcium is often applied to soils in granular or powder form, it is important to apply it both in the fall and in the spring. These forms of calcium take time to become plant-available. If you miss the fall application, it will not be available at those critical moments in spring of cell formation for all tissues including fruit. This can especially affect any breba and first leaves.

The fig books recommend both soil and foliar feeding of calcium. Water-soluble calcium is quickly available. Any foliar feeding should cover the entire tree on all sides as calcium is not mobile in phloem and will mostly stay where absorbed. Foliar feeding is considered more of a bandaid for calcium since it will not move from where it is applied. It is best for it to come from the soil and roots when possible since it moves through the xylem flow.

Sources of calcium:

Dissolve pieces of shells, eggshells, bones, or calcium carbonate sand in food grade vinegar for water-soluble calcium. This can be diluted and foliar sprayed or soil drenched. More directions are in this article.

Mycorrhizal fungi and compost tea help to increase calcium uptake. Healthy plants can also be composted or used in JADAM liquid fertilizer (JLF) or KNF fermented plant juice (FPJ) for a quick, soluble calcium source. LABS, whole milk (preferably raw), or whey can also be a supplemental source of calcium.

Bone meal, oyster shell flour, gypsum, garden lime, and wollastonite are all granular or powder forms that can be applied to the soil multiple times in a season.

Here is an interesting one: Amino acids open calcium uptake channels in plant roots, reportedly increasing uptake by 1,000 times. EM-1, compost teas, and fish amino acids (FAA) all provide amino acids to plants and should be utilized to boost calcium applications. There is also a bulk product available by Diamond K called 7/11. It is calcium with amino acid based nitrogen. It has an NPK content of 7-0-0 and 11% calcium. It is very similar to BioAg Cal-Mino or GreenGro Green Aminos which may be more accessible and are in smaller packages. This too can be a quick fix for deficiency or used to push growth in the vegetative period.

Gypsum is the most commonly recommended calcium product because it does not raise pH and also supplies sulfur. Gypsum starts becoming available after about 30 days from application depending on climate and moisture levels. It’s availability dramatically rises after around 45 days and continues to be available for up to 90 days when it then declines. So gypsum takes 1.5 months from application to really be available and needs to be reapplied by the 90-day decline in order to ensure a continuous supply. This will matter more for potting mixes since nutrients are washed out of pots.

Lime is another source of calcium and figs are noted as loving lime. However, there are some cautions to its use. There are two types of lime generally used for gardening in powdered or pelleted form: garden lime and dolomite lime. Garden lime is ground limestone and is primarily calcium carbonate. Dolomite lime is very similar, but is made from dolomitic limestone, and is about 50% calcium carbonate and 40% magnesium carbonate. (The high amount of magnesium is not recommended unless deficient.) These both fairly quickly raise soil pH by quite a bit which then affects the availability of all other nutrients. They also take a long time to become plant-available, upwards of 6 months. You are more likely to wash this out of your pots before it ever becomes a usable source of calcium to your trees when growing in pots. So it is only recommended for in-ground trees as a calcium source and only as a pH adjuster for potted trees. An acid is recommended to make it more readily available for potted trees.

〉Potassium (K)

In generalized plant terms, potassium is the element most needed by plants after nitrogen. But here again is where we need to get specific to figs. Fig potassium levels are slightly higher than nitrogen and fig fruits are one of the highest in potassium. In the study by Brown (1994), potassium levels were noticibly different between high-vigor and low-vigor orchards, with high-vigor orchards having higher levels. Potassium nutrition does not have a lot of effect on vegetative growth, but it is noted as affecting osmotic pressure in stomata which affects cell/water balance. Deficiencies in potassium will then affect photosynthetic rates and cell expansion. A deficiency will also affect sugar transportation in the phloem.

Potassium has a lot of effect on fruit growth and quality. It has an effect on fruit size, lighter colors, softness, sugars, and moisture content. Higher potassium amounts are also associated with a larger ostiole size as fruit size increases. Potassium can reduce acidity in fruit and increases total soluble solids and sugars which can mean higher Brix.

Potassium is very effective at reducing fruit sunscald, (you will want to note this especially if you live in a hot, sunny climate.) However, high amounts of potassium can exacerbate fruit cracking, especially in soils with low available calcium. It is recommended to consider soil properties and calcium/magnesium ratios when fertilizing with potassium. Balance is absolutely your friend here for the best fruit quality along with timing. Calcium is important in the cellular formation stage, in that very first stage of fruit development. Potassium comes in after in balance with calcium.

Because fig fruit does have a high demand for potassium, you will see lower numbers of it in the leaves compared to the fruit. (See the charts below.)

In one study, they noted a fairly constant balance in fig trees between K/Ca levels through stage 2 of fruit development, but then potassium went up in relation to calcium in some varieties susceptible to cracking around stage 3. The variety did that on its own.

It’s important to point out that potassium is antagonistic to calcium and magnesium. One study found that fertilizing with potassium decreased both leaf and fruit calcium and fruit magnesium levels while increasing nitrogen levels in fig fruit. This could be one reason why both nitrogen and potassium are associated with fruit cracking. The hint here is to remember manganese which is the gatekeeper to potassium.

Some soils (or potting mixes) that contain illite (a type of clay) or vermiculite can fix potassium, meaning they make it unavailable in the short term. It is released in the long term though. So, if you have an immediate potassium need, they can hold it back from plants and if you have an overage, they will store it and continue to release it.

Deficiency and toxicity

Potassium deficiency shows as chlorosis at the edges that expands toward the center of the leaf, followed by necrosis at leaf edges. Potassium is mobile so plants will steal it from older leaves to give it to new growing leaves. This is why deficiencies of potassium show up in older leaves and not newer ones.

There isn’t a whole lot said about toxicity with potassium, just that it will block other nutrients in excess. It is important to remember manganese with potassium— it helps both with deficiencies and excesses. Manganese is basically the key to potassium, it knows when to lock the door and when to unlock the door for its use in plant tissues.

How to handle potassium:

This is the graph of potassium in fig leaves throughout the the season:

You can see in the leaf blade, it is not immediately needed in the spring but is fairly even about a month after dormancy breaks through the rest of the season. In the petiole, it comes in high and then tapers as potassium is transferred from the leaves into developing fruits and remains at a very slow decline the rest of the season.

Because potassium is so water soluble and easily absorbed by roots, slow and steady is best. Balance with other minerals is also extremely important. Personally, I would not choose an isolate with this one.

Sources of potassium:

Wood ash, compost, worm castings in particular, compost teas, FPJ, JLF, blackstrap molasses, langbeinite, greensand, kelp meal and seaweed extract are a few sources. What I love about seaweed extract and molasses is that they also contain manganese. GreenGro Nature’s Brix is another.

〉Nitrogen (N)

Nitrogen is considered a critical nutrient for amino acids in plants and it is one of the most important nutrients affecting vegetative growth. It affects shoot length, number of leaves, and yield (fruits per shoot).

Figs have lower nitrogen needs compared to other orchard crops. It is also generally desirable to have lower nitrogen rates because excess nitrogen reduces fruit quality, delays in maturity, and is associated with an increase of aflatoxin contamination.

Anything that increases the number of nodes produced per season should increase the amount of yield which is how nitrogen helps in this case. Nitrogen also helps with photosynthesis which in turn helps with sugar production.

There are different requirements for nitrogen between common and Smyrna figs. Common figs require more nitrogen than Smyrna types, and it is considered undesirable to push for excessive growth with nitrogen in Smyrna varieties. The desired amount of shoot growth in Smyrna varieties was stated to be 15-20 cm, or 6-8 inches, with 4-6 fruits per shoot. Nitrogen fertilization is only recommended when shoot growth is less than 15 cm or 6 inches. In some cases, increased nitrogen led to smaller fruits with poor color.

Common varieties have three times more nitrate than Smyrna varieties in stages 1 and 2 of fruit development. This is associated with regulation of indole-3-acetic acid oxidase, a type of auxin hormone related to vegetative growth.

High nitrogen leads to a decrease in the amount of dry matter in fresh fruit and an increase in water content. Although fresh fruit size is increased by higher water content, fruit cracking may increase in some varieties due to higher internal pressure exceeding the skin resistance. Excessive nitrogen enhanced vegetative growth at the expense of fruit yield in the Brown Turkey variety and resulted in larger but hollow fruits with elongated peduncles (stems) in the Bursa Black variety. Excesses also may result in watery or insipid flavors in fruit.

Deficiency and toxicity:

Signs of deficiency are pictured above. Even though nitrogen is considered necessary to plants, too much of a good thing can be bad. Nitrogen at levels plants cannot fully synthesize will attract pests and pathogens. Too much can also negatively affect taste of produce. Nitrogen toxicity looks like extra dark green leaves, delayed or absent fruiting, deformity of the leaves, lack of nodulation, or even burning from nitrates on plant surfaces.

How to handle nitrogen:

The uptake pattern and seasonal variation in figs should be taken into consideration. Because it can negatively affect fruit quality, it may be best to let applications taper off once fruit set has happened. Prolonged nitrogen fertilization can also prevent lignification of shoots, which is important if you live in a colder climate or have earlier first frost dates.

Nitrogen concentration in fig trees, in terms of leaf, fruit, and shoots, is highest prior to the spring growth flush and decreases during the vegetation period. A rapid decrease in nitrogen concentration takes place during two different periods: in the spring period of rapid leaf growth, and just before leaf drop in the fall. The one is because of rapid leaf growth in the spring and the other is due to nutrients moving from the leaves into 1-year-old shoots.

The current season and 1-year-old shoots are the main nitrogen source to support the initial vegetative development period of the next season. The nitrogen requirement for the spring growth flush is derived largely from this nitrogen reserve. The nitrogen reserve plays an important role in determining shoot length, and the number and size of fruits per shoot in the following season. If you do a lot of pruning each year completely removing these shoots, you will lose this nitrogen store.

The typical compost or manure applications in spring and fall for in-ground trees is ideal timing for when fig trees are utilizing and storing nutrients. We can match that for potted trees by supplying compost, worm castings, or amino acids throughout spring growth and then for a very short period right before leaf fall.

Here is a chart showing nitrogen usage and content by fig trees throughout the season:

Sources of nitrogen (or the preferred amino acids):

Compost, worm castings, fish hydrolysate, fish amino acids (FAA), manures such as rabbit, goat, or chicken (aged), JADAM liquid fertilizer (JLF), KNF fermented plant juice (FPJ), urine (aged and/or fermented), compost teas, alfalfa meal, and green manure are all quality sources of nitrogen.

Inorganic or synthetic nitrogen is not recommended by me personally because it is inefficient, polluting, and harmful to health. Only 40-50% of chemical nitrogen is used by plants and the rest is wasted. In The Fig Botany, Production and Use, they also expressed caution in using chemical nitrogen because of its inefficiency and polluting nature and only recommended use when needed. In one study, fig trees fertilized with inorganic nitrogen ended up deficient in nitrogen as opposed to another study where trees fertilized with manure maintained levels. As such, I recommend natural sources which seem to be better utilized and support soil structure and life. This is especially so since fig trees are not a nitrogen-heavy plant in comparison to others.

Excesses of all forms of nitrogen, inorganic or organic, can increase pest pressure. One reason for this is that plants use nitrogen to form amino acids, when there is too much nitrogen, there is an excess of free amino acids. Insects love free amino acids because they are very nutritious to them. You need a balance with other minerals, such as potassium, for these amino acids to be converted into less digestible and more complex forms of proteins, starches, and cellulose to keep insects away.

〉Magnesium (Mg)

Magnesium is a critical component in cellular metabolism. It is the central atom in chlorophyll, is important for some protein structures, and is required for many enzymatic reactions. Magnesium assists with photosynthesis and making leaves green. Shoot length is affected by magnesium levels.

Like calcium, magnesium leaf tissue levels steadily increase through the growing season. The concentration in fig fruit is variety dependent.

Magnesium has an antagonistic relationship with calcium and potassium. All three of these affect each other, so it is important that these are in balance and none in excess. Too much potassium can show as magnesium deficiency in general in all plants.

Deficiency and toxicity:

Magnesium deficiency shows up in bottom, older leaves. The leaves yellow from the bottom of the tree up as the plant moves magnesium to the new growth and in the leaf, the chlorosis moves outwardly from the leaf veins.

Deficiencies are typically only seen in acidic, heavily weathered soils, but deficiency can happen if there are excesses of other nutrients in the soil such as after heavy applications of calcium or potassium. Magnesium deficiency is actually fairly rare and not really documented in figs as they tend to be grown in higher pH soils. Also, magnesium is found readily in most soils.

There are no toxicities associated with magnesium since plant roots regulate its uptake from the soil.

How to handle magnesium:

This is the graph of magnesium usage in fig trees throughout the season:

If you are supplementing calcium and/or potassium with potted trees, it is good practice to supplement with some magnesium as well. Calcium should always exceed magnesium by quite a bit, usually a ratio of 7:1, calcium: magnesium, is recommended for all plants. This may not be necessary for in-ground trees unless you see signs of deficiency. (It should be noted that magnesium can have a negative effect on soils, it makes soils tight, anaerobic, and hydrophobic. In soil, you want significantly more calcium than magnesium.)

Sources of magnesium:

Epsom salts, dolomite lime, most plant JLFs or FPJs, FAA, vinegar extractions of oyster shells, cow bones, eggshells, or shrimp shells, most fermented plant extracts, compost, compost teas, animal manures, langbeinite, and greensand.

〉Phosphorus (P)

Fig trees have a lower requirement for phosphorus compared to other fruit trees. You can see this reflected in the numbers above where multiple other minerals are quite a bit higher. While phosphorus is an important nutrient, excess of it is negatively associated with fruit quality.

There isn’t a whole lot more said about phosphorus for fig trees other than the importance of mycorrhizal connections for it. It is well known that mycorrhizae makes phosphorus available to plants. The catch is that soils high in soluble phosphorus inhibit fungal growth. This means we want to give it through organic matter which does not have that effect. Certain organic matter is known to be a stable source of phosphorus while encouraging fungal relationships, so it is the desirable form to use.

For most plants, phosphorus is essential for reproductive aspects. It helps with root development and early flower formation. In generalized plant terms, it is said a single foliar application of phosphorus and manganese can switch a plant stuck in vegetative mode over to reproduction.

Each plant type has different needs for phosphorus and so application is based on that. Figs have a lower requirement, so it isn’t one we need to pump a lot of into the system. No Bloom Boost is needed here which is often excessively high in soluble phosphorus and can block the very necessary calcium.

Deficiency and toxicity:

Phosphorus deficiency in figs is observed with a deep green coloration in the leaves, followed by patchy chlorosis which begins in the center lobe, and then evolves into necrotic spots as shown below. For many plants, deficiency can slow growth and show purple or red coloration on leaf edges and stems. So plants can look stunted and purplish red which may or may not show in fig trees.

With phosphorus toxicity, plants develop chlorosis, the leaf tips appear burned, roots die back, and other essential nutrients (Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe) become deficient which can confuse a visual inspection of what is affecting the plant.

How to handle phosphorus:

This is the graph that shows phosphorus amounts and usage by fig trees over the season:

You can see that it really tapers down in tissues over the season and is mostly utilized at the start until it stabilizes to a very low amount.

Because phosphorus is best supplied through arbuscular mycorrhizal relationships, encouraging fungal growth is important. You can inoculate your potting mixes with certain species. You can also dip the roots into a mycorrhizal solution before planting in-ground or in pots. In one very controlled lab study on fig trees, G. caledonium, G. margarita, G. intraradices and G. clarium mycorrhizae species were considered more effective than others used in the same study. The least effective was a cocktail mix of all species used in the study.

Leaf mold soil from local old-growth forests of deciduous trees can also be a very effective inoculation for mycorrhizae. It is especially beneficial because these microorganisms are compatible with your environment and climate, whereas controlled isolated species are compatible with lab environments and may or may not last in your area. Small amounts of leaf mold soil can be used in composts, compost teas, JLF, JADAM microbial solution, worm bins, fish amino acids (FAA), in wood chip mulch, as well as other applications.

Wood based mulch is also helpful for encouraging mycorrhizal growth in the soil underneath. Just be careful not to have mulch up against the trunk of your trees.

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus, also makes phosphorus readily available.

Phosphorus is easily soluble and therefore easily leached from soils. Having a steady, slow-release supply in organic matter is therefore more desirable compared to liquid applications. The good news is that the types of organic matter that supply other important nutrients also supply sufficient amounts of phosphorus, so it is not something we have to isolate out to provide for fig trees. Fig trees have a very low need for phosphorus and it is not needed in great abundance. Reiterating no Bloom Boost, it does more harm than good.

Sources of phosphorus:

Manures (especially bird), worm castings, urine, bone meal, vinegar extraction of bones, bat guano, JLF and FPJ also often contain certain amounts of it, FAA and vinegar extractions of the fish remnants also contain a good amount of it.

〉Sulfur or Sulphur (S)

… Okay, and that’s a wrap!

No, but seriously, there is nothing really said about sulfur in the fig books. It seems that sulfur deficiencies in figs have never been investigated. Only Moreno (1998) suggested critical values for leaf sulfur of 0.17%, which is consistent with other plant values. This is not to say it is not necessary for figs, just that there doesn't appear to be any research specifically on it.

So this is some generalized information on sulfur from Matt Powers' book Regenerative Soil:

“Sulfur is required by plants for their cell structure, amino acids, photosynthesis, and respiration… Sulfur contributes to flower formation, lipid production, and plant aroma, and it, along with zinc, triggers flowering… a sulfur deficiency is a protein deficiency… Sulfur is a critical component of the plant immune system… Once a pathogen attack is detected, the plant develops a Sulfur-Induced Resistance (SIR) response… it is in shorter supply in soils that are lacking in organic matter and proper soil biology… If your plants are facing fungal pathogens, raising sulfur levels in the soil and in the plants themselves may be exactly what’s needed by providing what’s missing.“

Deficiency and toxicity:

Sulfur deficiency looks a lot like nitrogen deficiency except that it shows as yellowing in young leaves higher up on the plant, the location is different. (Nitrogen deficiency shows in older leaves at the bottom.) Veins are also often pale green in sulfur deficiency. (If you have green veins, think iron instead.) Toxicity is relatively rare but can happen when overly applied. In toxicity, plant leaves will appear burned like from salted winds.

Sources of sulfur:

Sulfur is found in most proteins and in sulfates. It is present in FAA, JLF, FPJ, vinegar extractions, epsom salts, gypsum, organic matter, and langbeinite.

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Micronutrients or Trace Elements

Listed in order of need and abundance in fig tree tissues according to the few that have been studied:

• Iron (Fe)

• Boron (B)

• Manganese (Mn)

• Zinc (Zn)

• Copper (Cu)

Note that there is very little information for figs specifically as regards micronutrients. You can see that molybdenum, silicon, selenium, and others are missing from the above list. They just have not been studied for figs according to the books, it does not mean they are not needed. In one analysis of a fig FPJ, all micros were present and silicon showed as the highest micronutrient. (It should be noted that isolated applications of silica can negatively affect fruit taste and so should only be applied earlier in the season if used and not close to ripening.)

Micronutrients are critical in the function of plant disease protection. According to Chuck Shembre, “Micronutrients play a crucial role in enhancing plant immunity and protecting against diseases. They are often the missing link in plant nutrition and are not well understood in most fertility programs. If the soil biology is poor, then most micronutrients are low in the plant.“

It should be noted that the uptake of many micronutrients is greatly affected by and enhanced with mycorrhizal fungi. In one study about mycorrhizae and figs, it had a bearing on zinc, iron, copper, and manganese availability, (also phosphorus, but we’re talking micros here.) The other micros were not analyzed in this study. Getting biology going in your soils is essential for nutrient uptake.

〉Iron (Fe)

Iron is involved in redox reactions and protein synthesis and is directly involved in photosynthesis. Even though iron deficiency is often shown in plants growing in high pH soils, it is rarely documented for figs, which may be because of fig trees’ tolerance to soils with higher pH and carbonates.

Iron levels in fig leaves either remain steady throughout the season or decline. Iron levels are not associated with vigor.

Excess manganese can lead to iron deficiency generally speaking for all plants since the two minerals work together in balance.

Deficiency and toxicity

Deficiency shows on young leaves as interveinal chlorosis while veins remain green. So it looks very similar to sulfur deficiency, but the difference is the green veins.

Typically toxicity occurs in acidic soils below 5.5 pH and under ideal conditions, plants with sufficient iron levels turn off uptake to keep iron levels within proper ranges.

Sources of iron:

Iron is already widely available in most soils, it just is not always readily accessible. Biological life and chelators help to make it accessible. It is also present in blood meal, bone meal, FAA, and all FPJs. Greensand is another source.

〉Boron (B)

Boron is immobile in fig trees as Ficus carica does not transport photosynthates as sorbitol. (Sorbitol facilitates boron phloem transportation generally speaking in plants.) Boron plays a role in cell wall pectins, cell metabolism, membrane integrity, flower production and pollen tube growth. It is extremely synergistic with calcium and helps move calcium into the very tips of plants. You can often see calcium and boron deficiencies together for this reason. Sometimes calcium deficiency isn’t lack of calcium but lack of boron to help push it to the outer edges of leaves.

Figs are one of the most sensitive crops to boron toxicity, but they are also a boron accumulator, meaning they like boron. Excess boron is negatively associated with fig fruit cracking especially if calcium is low. From other resources, it is stated that boron toxicity really only happens if there is not enough calcium in the soil. This makes sense as they do work together and harmonize in purpose in a plant.

Boron adsorbs to clays. So its availability for uptake is higher in sandy soils, and deficiencies are also most often seen in sandy soils due to the lack of clay to hold it.

Deficiency and toxicity:

Toxicity is more documented with figs than deficiency, meaning that deficiency doesn’t seem to have been studied. Toxicity has been so because some soils in fig orchards contained excessive amounts of boron leading to symptoms of toxicity. Excess levels of boron will accumulate in the leaves. In toxicity, you will see leaf edge scorch, defoliation, dieback, a decrease in fruit set, cracking, and hollow fruits in figs. Boron toxicity in many plants can resemble calcium deficiency and it is said that it is difficult to have toxicity if there is sufficiently available calcium.

Boron deficiency can have a telltale cupped shape in leaves:

It should be mentioned that fig leaves in general will cup upwards to regulate leaf transpiration. Please do not confuse that with boron deficiency. Also frost damage can cause some leaf edge distortion. In boron deficiency, it’s almost like there’s an invisible string along the leaf edge that has been pulled taut, cupping edges unnaturally. Leaf tips often have a burnt edge look as well.

Even though boron deficiency has not been studied in figs, it seems to be the second most common deficiency seen in newer leaves and newly rooted cuttings. It, like calcium, is a major cause of ugly leaf and symptoms of deficiency are often confused with FMV by growers. Both calcium and boron deficiency are very similar to each other and affect the same leaves. This is no doubt because, like calcium, boron affects pectin in cells. So when symptoms are present, calcium is only assumed to be the primary deficiency because that mineral is needed in greater quantity. However, many fig leaves reflect boron deficiency as well. So in a case of ugly leaf, calcium, boron, and manganese should be supplemented depending on what has already been applied. Boron deficiency also can cause slowed or stunted growth.

Boron deficiency is in the top most, newer leaves like calcium and leaves can be distorted like with calcium. In deficiency, leaves are often wrinkled and puckered (bumpy). Leaves can be thickened or brittle as well. Sometimes you will see new leaves emerging looking dry or having crunchy edges. A reddish cast may be noticed initially on new leaves. Chlorosis can also be seen at leaf edges.

↑ The pictures immediately above and below show boron deficiency in other plants and are very similar to how fig leaves look to me with boron deficiency. ↓

Boron deficiency leaves plants open to disease, pests, and pathogens because of the breakdown in cell wall integrity. High rainfall areas often have deficiencies because boron is easily leached away. If toxicity happens, there should always be a source for the toxicity that you can trace back to, such as applied isolated minerals, ant baits with boric acid, contaminated soils, composts, or irrigation water.

Sources of boron:

Kelp is rich in boron. Soil organic matter is essential for regulating boron. Both deficiency and toxicity, especially in sandy soils, can be treated with compost, biochar, and kelp. All vinegar extractions and FPJs contain boron. BioAg Boro-Mino and borax are other sources as isolates.

〉Manganese (Mn)

“Manganese is a cofactor for many enzymes, and a component of superoxide dismutase, an essential enzyme that detoxifies free radical oxygen. It is also involved with cellular metabolism and involved in root extension. Manganese can be toxic to plants at low soil pH due to its increased availability. Its availability is reduced under high soil pH conditions with large concentrations of carbonates,” according to the fig books. The latter may be why many figs can shows signs of deficiency in young leaves and rooting cuttings.

Leaf manganese has been positively correlated with fruit fructose, glucose and total sugar in figs. This especially makes sense because of its high involvement with photosynthesis and its regulation of potassium.

Leaf manganese levels in figs spike at the beginning of the season and are also higher at the end of the season, while tapering off in the middle. Figs may be sensitive to manganese toxicity in low pH soils where manganese can become excessively available. Excess manganese can lower vigor in such cases.

Deficiency and toxicity:

Manganese deficiency shows as leaf chlorosis in young leaves higher up on the tree or branch. Leaves can have a checkered or mottled appearance from chlorosis with light and dark patches and frequently seem to grow away from the problem. Key word is “seem”, it often moves to hidden hunger in figs if not addressed. There are no specific manganese deficiency photos for figs. However, manganese deficiency often goes along with calcium deficiency and boron deficiency. So photos of both often reflect manganese deficiency as well. The photo below, which I have shared in other places, is likely a deficiency of all three:

Whenever you are seeing chlorosis throughout the whole leaf with indicators of calcium and/or boron deficiency, it is a good bet manganese is deficient too. Notice they do not have the darker veins associated with iron deficiency.

Sources of manganese:

Manganese is antagonistic to other elements (such as copper, calcium, and iron) and can cause soil deficiencies if added as a soil amendment. It is also very easy for manganese to get locked up in soil. Foliar sprays of reduced or chelated forms of it are considered the ideal method to deal with deficiency. As such, soluble kelp is probably the best option, especially as it also contains boron. The soluble kelp is less likely to cause any toxicities with either element. (Keep in mind kelp is also a source of potassium along with other micronutrients.)

☞ A note about Fig Mosaic Virus (FMV):

There are many who would attribute the symptoms in the above photo to FMV. However, I have yet to see a research study where deficiencies are checked for in connection to FMV symptoms. They definitely were never ruled out or even examined as a causal factor. I have seen more than one research paper on FMV though where the so-called virus was found both in healthy trees and symptomatic trees. There was also a study in which 85 different samples from trees with symptoms attributed to FMV did not have FMV at all and the researchers then assumed that they had nutrient deficiencies. It’s noted that the symptoms were exactly the same. Many longtime fig growers state that trees with FMV symptoms “grow out of it” once proper nutrition is supplied. This indicates that FMV is truly nutrient deficiency.

Being that micronutrients have not been studied in figs, this seems a likely place to start as deficiencies in multiple micros cause deformation and mottled chlorosis. Fig mites, which are thought to be a vector of FMV transmission, would also only bother very nutrient-deficient trees according to the Brix scale of sugar digestibility for insects. Before you say your trees are healthy though, remember fig trees have a reputation for hidden hunger, even amongst the researchers. Insects and any FMV symptoms are visible nutrient deficiencies and are your fig trees crying for help. 🥺 (Poor fig trees, they’re so hungry. 😭)

Even though plant health and nutrition have a significant bearing on susceptibility to disease, it is worth mentioning this from Marschner’s Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants: “In order to differentiate the symptoms of nutritional disorders from these other symptoms, it is important to bear in mind that nutritional disorders always have a typical symmetric pattern: leaves of the same or similar position (physiological age) on a plant show nearly identical patterns of symptoms, and there is a marked gradation in the severity of the symptoms from old to young leaves. In contrast, symptoms induced by the presence of diseases and pests are nonsymmetric or randomly positioned in individual plants as well as within a field, particularly at an advanced phase of infections.”

〉Zinc (Zn)

Zinc is an enzyme catalyst used by a wide range of enzymes in plants. It is also involved with protein synthesis, DNA transcription, cell reproduction, chlorophyll synthesis, ethylene production, superoxide dismutase production, and the plant hormones, auxin and gibberellin. Zinc is critical to many defense mechanisms and water management within the plant. It also has a bearing on leaf size and width.

Zinc is very necessary but also one of the most deficient minerals in soil. Without zinc, growth can be stunted and fruit yields can be lower. Plant immunity is also lower.

Its availability is restricted at high pH and in soils high in carbonates or with large amounts of available phosphorus. Zinc uptake in figs decreases under water stress. Mycorrhizae is very important for zinc availability to plants. Leaf zinc concentrations decrease as the season progresses.

There is only one tiny study on zinc in figs. That study showed zinc significantly improved the fruit sugar content and improved yield. Fruit fructose content increased by 64.5% and 58.5% respectively over the control, the first being a certain amount applied to soil and the latter a lighter amount foliar sprayed. Texture and fruit coloration were negatively affected by the higher zinc applications in this study however, so moderate amounts are recommended.

Deficiency and toxicity:

Soils high in calcium carbonate can cause zinc deficiency. Also soils low in organic matter, alkaline, high phosphorus, or irrigation water high in bicarbonates can cause deficiency. These are similar to the conditions fig trees typically grow in so it is something to watch out for. Stunted trees with tight internode spacing may be a hidden hunger symptom for zinc, especially since zinc helps with growth hormones.

Zinc deficiency is in young to middle-aged leaves starting with yellow and then bleached midribs. Zinc deficiency can look like other deficiencies. In fact, it looks very similar to magnesium deficiency to me. The main difference is that zinc is likely to be in younger leaves first and the interveinal chlorosis appears more bleached to me whereas with magnesium it appears more yellow, but this is certainly not definite.

As stated above, zinc deficiency can happen in soils high in bicarbonate, so if you have been supplying a lot of calcium and magnesium but are having these symptoms, a zinc deficiency is something to consider. Zinc deficiency can also cause leaf distortions in some crops.

Zinc toxicity shows as darker than usual leaves.

There are no pictures of fig leaves with zinc deficiency. So here is a handy dandy image from the internet:

Sources of zinc:

Again we have a winner with kelp. Compost, manure, and plants grown in soils with sufficient zinc are also sources. Zinc can be high in vinegar extractions of dandelion as well. Fermented fish (FAA) and vinegar extractions of the remnants can also be a good source.

Soil pH needs to be below 7.5 for zinc to be available.

〉Copper (Cu)

Copper has not been examined closely in fig nutrition research. Leaf copper concentrations decrease as the season progresses, and that is about it for applicable information here from the fig books and papers.

According to generalized plant information from Regenerative Soil, copper is vital to photosynthesis, redox reactions, protein electron transfer, cell wall and xylem integrity, plant defense, lignin synthesis, and more. He also states: “It’s what makes plants flexible and fruit skin elastic, so it prevents cracking in times of heat stress or unexpected rainfall… Too much is toxic and not enough has serious consequences.”

Deficiency and toxicity:

Deficiency can be caused by an excess of zinc, nitrogen, or phosphorus and shows as chlorosis, dark spots, and necrotic spots on young leaf tips. Some plants show curled, twisted, or cupped leaves depending on plant species. Usually, leaves wilt and eventually drop. This affects young leaves or recently mature leaves. In some cases, deficiency causes die back of stems and twigs leading to activation of lower buds causing excessive branching. Plants can be stunted with short internodes, leaves are usually small, and may have more issue with wilting as copper helps with respiration. Deficiency can also happen in soils high in pH, with high organic matter (mucky soils), in potting mixes high in peat, or in sandy soils. The most frequent deficiencies are due to excess phosphorus.

Toxicity usually only shows when copper fungicides or pesticides have been applied, with sewage sludge, or with contaminated irrigation water. Copper has a role that complements iron and so in toxicity becomes antagonistic to it and causes iron deficiency.

Copper is noted for for its antifungal and antibacterial properties. In some ways, copper deficiency reminds me of leaf rust. In rarer cases, deficiency causes lesions in the bark and produces gummy substances, which reminds me of bacterial canker. It’s ironic since since copper is noted for helping with both of these issues and deficiency does increase susceptibility to disease.

Sources of copper:

Kelp! Of course, it’s kelp like so many of the micros, and it will provide soluble forms of copper. BioAg TM-7 or CytoPlus are also sources. Ironically, the FPJ that reported the highest amount of copper was fig FPJ.

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Critical points of influence

Have you heard of “Critical Points of Influence” before? There are certain key times of influence in fruit trees for when they are storing nutrients and when those nutrients affect important times of growth. John Kempf has talked about this on his YouTube channel and I felt certain aspects worthwhile to share here translated in my best way to figs.

Bud Initiation: Late Summer/Fall 🍁

(Roughly October/November depending on your climate.)

It may seem odd to start with the end of a season, but actually everything in the following season starts with fall loaded nutrients. Vegetative and fruiting buds form on fig trees during late summer and fall. Nutrients at this time are going to affect the quality and number of buds as well as the stored energy in them. These nutrients may also affect breba quality. It is a critical point of influence in the 2-3 weeks before the tree is getting ready to go into dormancy, as leaves are getting ready to fall (senescence,) because nutrients are being stored by the tree that will be used for intial growth in spring. These nutrients are utilized by the plant before we ever become aware of activity, so it isn’t something we can catch in early spring. We want to ensure an abundance is at the ready to influence this growth.

This means in fall we want to foliar spray or otherwise ensure nutrients are ready and available for the plant to uptake and store so that we can load these buds. This is also the time when we can supply nutrients that help with freeze protection. Urea is recommended for non-organic growers because of its salt content which helps to prevent freeze. For organic growers, urine or sea salt sprays could be possible alternatives. Sugar is also known to help with freeze protection, so having high Brix plants is very helpful for preventing cold damage. A limited application of amino acids can also be applied at this time for plant storage.

A fall dose of soil applied microbes, such as EM-1 or JMS, will help to break down any organic matter, such as leaf matter or granular nutrients, throughout dormancy and will help to neutralize any “pathogens”.

These are the necessary nutrients that will have an influence on bud count, quality, and size, cell division quality, and leaf size the next season:

• Calcium

• Manganese

• Boron

• Zinc

• Copper

→ Foliar spray water-soluble calcium and seaweed; or do a fall application of soil-applied granular calcium and kelp. This is also a time you might want to give a limited application of amino acids, such as fish amino acids (FAA) or fish hydrolysate.

Alternative: If you prefer purchased mineral products, use gypsum and consider BioAg TM-7 or CytoPlus. Fox Farm Bushdoctor Boomerang also has many of these nutrients.

Vegetative: Bud Break Through Early Summer 🌱

(This happens in mid-March through to May/June in my location.)

When a fig tree wakes up from dormancy, it is going to put on a lot of vegetative growth. It is also going to form fruiting buds for the current year. As such, many of the nutrients needed now are the same as the previous point of influence. This is especially so if you pruned off the wood with nutrient stores over winter. This is the primary period where nitrogen is needed and its use will taper off here as well. Excess nitrogen is known to poorly affect fruit quality, so keep this in mind for any breba crops which are forming during this period. Let nitrogen taper off and don’t use excessive amounts. Calcium is our main driver for quality growth and we want to get it into the system as quickly as possible and maintain it throughout the season.

Now is a good time to help “wake up” soils with microbial inputs, especially focusing on mycorrhizal fungi. We also want to give them a food source with some compost and/or wood mulch. These microbes will help to break down any soil-applied granular nutrients and make them plant-available. We can also do a couple of foliar sprays of microbes to help wake up the phyllosphere (fungi and bacteria in the plant canopy.) EM-1, JMS, or LABS can be good for this.

These are the nutrients that will have an influence on bud count, quality, and size, cell division quality, and leaf size:

• Calcium

• Manganese

• Boron

• Zinc

• Copper

• Nitrogen

→ Foliar spray water-soluble calcium and some early spring applications of seaweed. Fall/winter soil-applied granular calcium and kelp is going to have the most benefit here at the start but another application should be made early for later spring growth. This is also the time to regularly supply fish amino acids (FAA) or fish hydrolysate as a nitrogen source. Grass/weed JLF can also be used at this time.

Alternative: If you prefer purchased mineral products, use gypsum and consider a few applications of Fox Farm Bushdoctor Boomerang or Microbe Brew along with or before changing to a purchased fish hydrolysate. BioAg Cal-Mino or GreenGro Green Aminos are really good at this time too as an alternative to gypsum and other nitrogen products.

Cell Division: Phase I Into Phase II of Fruit Growth 🌸

(For main crop, this generally occurs around mid-May through June in my area, also known as fruit set.)

Phase I of fig fruit growth happens just prior to when you see ostiole scales on a tiny fruit bud form and goes up to its initial size where it pauses in growth for stage II. This is the initial rapid growth stage of fruit when cells are forming and dividing quickly. (Stage III is when it resumes growth and gets ready for ripening.) This period in figs can last for several weeks and has significant influence on the final quality of the fruit. We want to limit or really control potassium in this period because it affects how much calcium can be used for cellular quality. This is also the signal to begin tapering off nitrogen.

These are the critical nutrients for cell division and quality:

• Manganese

• Calcium

• Boron

→ Foliar spray or soil drench with vinegar-extracted oyster shells, vinegar-extracted fish bone remnants from FAA, or vinegar-extracted crab shells.

Alternative: If you prefer purchased mineral products, consider something like BioAg Cal-Mino and TM-7.

*Be mindful that all of the above contain a certain amount of nitrogen.

Fruit Fill: Phase II and Phase III of Fig Fruit Growth 🍏⇢🍎

(Typically occurs for main crop from mid-June through October in my climate.)

Kempf’s fruit fill period overlaps with Phase II, but is especially picked up in Phase III.

Phase II of fig fruit growth shows no visible changes with the fruit remaining the same size, color, and firmness as the end of Phase I. There are things going on the inside though. Phase II is building dry matter with total pectin, cell firmness, and acidity, which makes calcium important. Phase III of fig growth starts with a rapid change in growth, color development, and pulp softening, which makes potassium important.

In the fruit fill stage, we can influence the quantity of sugars in the fruit and the quantity of sugar produced in the leaves from photosynthesis. Potassium is directly linked to the amount of carbohydrates and the amount of sugar in a fruit, so this becomes an essential element at this time. We want to maintain a balance of calcium and potassium throughout this period. Copper helps with skin elasticity which helps to prevent splitting.

Critical nutrients needed for fruit fill:

• Potassium

• Calcium

• Manganese

• Zinc

• Boron

• Copper

→ Foliar spray or soil drench with fig fruit FPJ or continue using water-soluble calcium and seaweed. Alternatively, gypsum, langbeinite, and kelp/seaweed can be used instead and should be applied before needed if using granular.

Alternative: If you prefer purchased mineral products, consider using a water-soluble Cal/Mag product along with BioAg CytoPlus. GreenGro Nature’s Brix can also be used to boost potassium.

Ripening: End of Phase III of Fig Growth, Managing Ripening 🍃

This is the very end of Phase III of fig fruit growth, as we are getting close to the ripening point. At this point, we can influence color, aroma, flavor, and other quality characteristics. In Kempf’s points of influence, this also relates to end-of-season harvest. Numbers 1 and 2 listed below are for the end of the season; 3 is for ripening at any time.

1. We can influence senescence (dormancy/leaf fall) to a degree in some plants by the micronutrients applied. I haven’t tried this myself in figs, but felt it was worth mentioning in case any would like to try it as I know timing can be important for those growing in colder climates. Boron speeds up the rate sugar is moved into the fruit. So if we have a crop we want to speed up the harvest of, apply a strong foliar application of boron (within plant limits, not toxic levels) and it will move the sugars quickly from the leaves into the fruit or grain. This is something to do as a last harvest as the season is ending and can reportedly be used to trigger dormancy. This only works with the plant’s natural rhythms to speed up what it is already getting ready to do, meaning you can’t trigger dormancy in a fig tree if we’re still in the middle of summer. This only speeds up plant processes that are occurring naturally.

2. The exact opposite is done with cobalt which limits the production of ethylene. Cobalt delays senescence and keeps a plant greener longer and it can keep fruit on the plant for a longer period of time. Generous applications of cobalt slows down maturity.

3. Nitrate can really interfere with proper fruit ripening and maturity. Magnesium, sulfur, and molybdenum are mentioned to control nitrate during the ripening stage to aid with fruit quality.

The key nutrients to manage for ripening are:

• Boron, higher end foliar application (to speed up ripening)

• Cobalt, higher end foliar application (to delay ripening)

• Magnesium

• Sulfur

• Molybdenum

→ These nutrients are a bit more specific in purpose and are used as needed. Continue nutrients from the fruit fill period above if not wishing to influence ripening time. Langbeinite is good for magnesium and sulfur and is a nice addition as we get to the ripening stage, (it also contains potassium which is still beneficial at this stage.) Seaweeds can have a high level of cobalt, so we may want to stop using seaweed at this time to avoid potentially delaying ripening. It’s iffy to say if it is high enough to cause that issue, but something to keep in mind if you are experiencing problems.

Timing of granulars:

When do you apply granulars to your soils and potting mixes? Do you give them enough time to be broken down or do you apply them at the moment the nutrients are needed? 😀 (Well, better late than never, I suppose.) It’s important to understand that any soil-applied granulars need time to break down to become plant-available. Some take about a month to start becoming available, others can take a year or more, such as eggshells or seashells. Gypsum takes 45 days to really be available and lime, while quickly raising pH, can take about 6 months to be plant-available. While figs do really like lime, be mindful that the higher soil pH it causes can limit the availability of other minerals that need a lower pH. So it is better to apply it in the fall if using it for calcium where the pH effects can start to drop off by mid-spring.

Microbial life and soil acidity have a bearing on how fast these break down as well, and in fact, most soil applied materials are for the point of charging microbes with them to then feed the plants. So if you are wishing to influence a certain period of growth, you need to time applications of granulars at least 1-3 months before those nutrients are needed by the plant. (This does not include compost or worm castings which often have water-soluble nutrients stored and will release them according to moisture.)

You can do things with granular minerals to make them available faster if you missed an application window. Acids will alter them and make the minerals water-soluble. So using vinegar or citric acid can be useful if we need minerals now. I wrote about using vinegar here and Justin Wahler wrote about citric acid here. Remember too that amino acids, such as in FAA, and fulvic/humic acid are good chelators of minerals and can help make them more readily available.

Water-soluble nutrients are typically available immediately and can be foliar sprayed or root drenched.

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Fertilizer protocols-ish

Were you overwhelmed by the mineral breakdown above? (Maybe bored? I may have put myself to sleep at times, Lol! That is what happens when you use research papers as the basis for an article.) Breaking down each mineral can make it seem complicated, but really it’s not. It’s more about having an understanding of which nutrients to prioritize for figs, particularly calcium. Also, many inputs overlap among the nutrients so choosing ones with the most overlap is helpful.

So now that we’ve talked about all of these minerals, you may be feeling pretty pumped to load up the nutrients in your trees. But it is very worthy to mention the need to prevent excessive nutrient loading in plant and soil. Doing so can create antagonistic responses that end up weakening plant immunity. After all, we are aiming for healthy, nutritionally balanced trees, grown in healthy soil with proper nutrition, with much of it obtained from biology, aren't we? Such a tree can better defend itself and give its best produce.

I suppose you may be hoping for some sort of fertilizer chart and schedule from me. Certainly, well-timed applications are very useful and important. However, there are so many viable options to choose from that to limit it seems unfair. I would rather you apply nutrients according to your circumstances and what you are directly observing in your trees. I’m more about facilitating than dictating. I know some are scared away when they see schedules and lists; others seriously need them. I seriously like my time and freedom and to play mad scientist with my own fertilization practices. 😜 So, how to best help you?

K.I.S.S. 😘

Keep it simple, seriously. Do you remember that in Turkey some commercial orchards only fertilize every 2-3 years? 😀 Well, potted trees are a little different, they need regular nutrients since they don’t have access to an entire soil system. But there is no need to stress or order a bunch of different products. You understand the nutrients involved now, just choose the inputs that interest you or that are easy to obtain. Choose what fits you and your trees best.

The below recommendations are just some simple basics.

🌳 The ultimate one and done fertilizer for fig trees is figs and and leaf litter. That is following nature’s way of returning things to the plant. You’ll notice we were using the values in leaves and fruits to determine necessary nutrients. These already have everything in the right ratios, no guesswork is involved, and can be used throughout the season.

Fig fruits can be used to make fermented plant juice (FPJ) or JADAM liquid fertilizer (JLF.) FPJ smells decent and is in small batches with high dilution; JLF is stinky but good for bulk fertilizer and has lower dilution rates. Take any excess figs, figs that dropped, were bothered by insects or birds, late season fruits that won’t ripen in time, or those brebas you don’t really like and make FPJ or JLF with them. FPJ is also great for rooting cuttings.

Leaf litter is great for mulch and can be broken down if needed with a lawn mower and then applied.

🌳 If you are a fan of Osmocote or slow release fertilizers, consider using one of these instead:

• Down To Earth Tree & Shrub (also has mycorrhizal fungi)

• Down To Earth Fruit Tree

• Down To Earth Palm Tree

• Espoma Organic Tomato Tone

• Espoma Organic Palm Tone

• Espoma Organic Citrus Tone

• Dr. Earth Exotic Blend Palm, Tropical, and Hibiscus (also has mycorrhizal fungi)

The above granulars are more suited to fig tree ratios than others. They should be applied spring and fall at the least. However, it is best to apply them a few more times throughout the season if they are your only fertilizer. They do all contain a certain amount of calcium, so you may be able to decrease other applications of it. One of these could stand in for the worm castings or compost mentioned elsewhere if desired.

I am loathe to recommend a Miracle-Gro product. 😑 But if that is all you will use, I recommend only this one: Miracle-Gro Performance Organics Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules.

🌳 For in-ground trees, an application of calcium (based on your soil) followed by compost (or worm castings or manure*) in the drip line and then topped with wood chips every spring and fall is typically all that is needed. (Keep these away from the trunk.) Green mulch can also be used as an alternative to or along with compost and woodchips.

Most in-grounds will develop relationships with microbes in the soil and will have access to many more nutrients than potted trees do. It is more about building up soil health for in-grounds. JADAM microbial solution (JMS) or EM-1 can be helpful to jumpstart this. Regular applications of compost tea or JLF can be very good for this as well. Any other nutrients are applied more as needed to correct visible issues in the trees or because of known soil deficiencies.

You can step it up by adding: Foliar sprays of vinegar extracts and/or FPJs.

*There is a caution with manure: many manures are now contaminated with herbicide residues from the feed given to animals. These can negatively affect your gardens and plants. They are persistent and may take years to get out of the soil. Please be very careful when using manure, especially from horses or cattle or anything that is fed hay, grasses, or grains. It is good practice to test out any manure by using it to sprout beans & seeing how they grow before applying it to your yard. Most manures should be aged before applying to plants.

🌳 For potted trees, nutrients can wash out of the pots because they do not have a large soil battery to hold onto them. Also, the root structure is much smaller and tightly contained so they are not able to reach out to different areas looking for nutrients. Potting mixes themselves are also often very deficient in minerals, unlike soil which is mostly mineral. So we want to ensure a regular supply of plant-available minerals to make up for the lack of soil interaction. This means it can be preferable to have them in forms already broken down and usable.

▹ BASIC SCHEDULE FOR POTTED TREES:

Bud break: Apply calcium of choice, seaweed, and FAA (or fish hydrolysate)

Spring: Calcium and FAA (or fish hydrolysate)

Late Spring/Early Summer for fruit set: Calcium & BioAg TM-7

After fruit set (once they hit about grape size & pause) through ripening: Calcium, seaweed, and langbeinite (humic acid can be added as a chelator if desired.)

☆ STEP IT UP BY ADDING:

Bud break: Top pots with worm castings or compost, and mulch* of choice; or just use Kellogg All Natural Garden Soil as mulch. Basalt or other rock dusts can be added now as well.

Foliar spray or apply to soil as desired: Vinegar extracts, FPJs or JLFs, compost teas, and/or microbial inputs (EM-1, LABS, JMS, etc.)

*Keep any mulches or compost/worm castings away from the trunk of the tree.

The maximum frequency of application for the homemade liquid inputs mentioned above is about once a week, the minimum is about every three weeks, always diluted. Otherwise, follow the directions on the bottle or package if using a commercial product.

🌳 Additions for extra credit:

• Add a mycorrhizal product at the start of the growing season, especially if potted.

• Compost tea is great for many things, for in-ground or potted!

• Blackstrap molasses is a nice addition for micros, potassium, and to increase Brix, especially with any calcium foliar sprays during stage 2 & 3 of fruit growth. It can be a swap for seaweed at times and will help feed microbes in the soil.

• Add basalt sand/dust to pots periodically for micronutrients and to increase Brix.

• Use JADAM Microbial Solution (JMS), diluted raw whole milk, LABS, or EM-1 at the start of the season to boost the microbes and whenever there is a pest or disease type issue. It is also handy to apply it whenever adding organic matter or mineral content to help break it down.

There are so many options, right?! It seemed complicated to list them all but criminal to not let you know what’s available. The good news is that this allows you to find what is accessible in your area and price point. Let your time and ability be your guide.

For myself, I have a tendency to rotate things as opposed to sticking to one thing. I apply what seems intuitively right at the time. And with rotation, I feel it gives more opportunity for anything missing to be picked up somewhere in there. I always have a microbe input, JLF, FAA, and vinegar extractions on hand and usually some seaweed product. Sometimes I will add in new products that catch my eye. This year it is BioAg Cal-Mino and CytoPlus that I am trying out. I do a lot out of curiosity, and so if I listed everything I do, it would seriously make it seem much more complicated than it is in reality. 😆

I am focusing A LOT on foliar sprays this season as part of my attempts to deal with BFF. Last year brought some personal complications and I neglected my trees as a result. So this year I am starting with a nutritional deficit for which I’m trying to make up. I rotate the most with foliar sprays, whereas what goes into my fertigation unit remains fairly constant with FAA and JLF. I probably will always foliar spray with soluble kelp though, I think that will be a regular after going through those micronutrients.

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Conclusion

We are at the end friend. Do you feel it helped at all in understanding fig specific nutrients? I really hope it did, that’s the goal here!

Because of a little pest, I was finally impelled to go beyond my initial research of the plant I was trying to grow, and I can’t be more appreciative for that. Through figs, I have grown in entirely unexpected ways. Now I hope for yours and mine to grow infinitely better. They should after all of this reading you’ve done here— now go outside and get to tending your figs!

Happy fig eating this summer to all the readers here!

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▪️I take my rooted cuttings outside once low temps are consistently over 40-45° and any danger of frost has passed. I use my outside trees as a marker as well, if they are waking up and leafing out, it’s usually a good sign weather has become conducive to growing.

Usually, spring sunlight is not as intense, and I place them in filtered light or part shade without much need for acclimation when done early. The hotter and more intense the sunlight, the better to place them in shade first and gradually increase sunlight exposure. Watch your weather, the time of day, & watch how they do in the first hour. If they show signs of wilting, keep them in the shade or bring them back indoors.

(I generally do not give full sunlight exposure until I have them in 5 gallons, as sunlight here can be too intense for the smaller rooting systems. Frequent watering can help to compensate for that, but I just find it easier to wait for the larger pot so that I’m not constantly watering or having to move them back & forth.)

▪️I wait until the cutting is nearly rootbound before the first up-pot. You do not want to up-pot before then for the first time and it is not something I rush. Check to see if roots are poking out the bottom of the pot, or very gently, slightly push the plant from the bottom up to elevate it out of the pot a bit and check root growth.

»» Do not completely remove it from the pot before checking for sufficient root growth to ensure the root mass & rooting mix will hold together and not fall apart if removed.

A rooted cutting can actually be kept in a tree pot for years if needed. This is not recommended though if you do want to try the figs at some point. The tree will stay small and may produce a few figs, but they will not be the best quality.

I up-pot from 4x9 treepots directly into 5-7 gallons using my regular potting mix. If I have extras or backups of a variety, I generally keep them indefinitely in treepots, or I up-pot to 3 gallons.

These are my favorite pots to up-pot to: RootMaker 7-gallon tall. (Not an affiliate link.)

This was the 8th and final in a series on Rooting Tips. I hope you enjoyed this series and that it helped you out in your rooting setups!

»» Have any favorite tips of your own? Comment below or in the chat!

👾 Fig bud mites can be a cause of round mottling spots on leaves that can resemble FMD or nutrient deficiency. These are typically more of a cosmetic issue than anything in my opinion. The main concern with them is that they are reported to transmit FMV (Fig Mosaic Virus) from one plant to another, however, I have different feelings on the impact of FMV and so do not feel them to be any major threat.

Injury from fig mite sucking can cause bronzing or russeting, and circular chlorosis type spots on leaves. They can be seen with a minimum magnification of a 20X hand lens to verify their presence. Once the cutting seems fairly rooted & growing, mites can be treated with sulfur, neem oil, or other treatments if desired. Be careful of light exposure after treatment. Sulfur and neem oil should not be used together, and at least two weeks should pass before using the other. Be careful to use a weaker concentration on new plants as the treatment can cause burning on baby plants, another reason why I usually wait.

I only treat if the damage seems severe & isn’t going away on its own. Generally, the healthier the plant, the less insect issue. It’s very interesting to look into Dr. Thomas Dykstra and his research on brix being an indicator in plants for certain types of insect issues. So, I try to boost health over resorting to pesticides, even natural ones, when possible.

👾 Spider mites can cause a sticky web formation on leaves, brown streaking, and eventually the leaves die & fall off. They also will spread to other trees so it is best to take care of them right away so as not to stall growth. I treat with neem oil or enzymatic soaps, such as Tweetmint. Avoid light exposure after spraying for 12 hours give or take. They are generally not an issue once outdoors.

👾 Fungus gnats— See below section for prevention. It is best to take care of the problem when small because they can quickly overtake your rooting setup. Mosquito bits, Gnatrol, or neem meal water have been effective treatments. Generally not an issue once outdoors.

👾 Ants will sometimes want to infest pots lower to the floor if you have an ant issue. I use Terro borax baits on a plant stake with good effectiveness for this. Diatomaceous earth powder can also be used as a physical barrier.

How I Control Fungus Gnats

1. I do not use organic matter in my rooting mix. This alone cuts down on the bulk of the problem. I also use as “fresh” of peat or coco coir as possible, meaning I try to get newer bags and not bags that have been sitting in a yard for a length of time.

2. I have a few carnivorous plants in my rooting setup. I prefer Pinguiculas, aka Butterworts. They are easy to get online and easy to take care of.

3. Little bug zappers can also be placed in your rooting setup.​

​

OPTIONAL: Some also will use a fan to create a breeze over their rooting setup. This makes it more challenging for fungus gnats to fly over the area. Just be careful it does not lower the temperature too much.​

With the above steps, I have never needed to use any pesticides, mosquito bits, or Gnatrol even with hundreds of cuttings rooting at once.

Fungus gnats are drawn to decomposing organic matter and are part of the cycle for promoting the fungus that breaks it down and that they eat. So, keeping things aerated, and not using the organic materials they can consume is your best bet. Using LABS (Lactic Acid Bacteria Serum) can also help to keep things aerobic and fight the fungus that draws them.

This was the 7th in a series on Indoor Rooting Tips, check out No. 8, the last one in this series, posted on the website here.

»» Have any favorite tips of your own? Comment below or in the chat!

Figs taste like Fig Newtons of course— said no fig collector ever! Figs are surprisingly complex in their flavor profile and can offer a unique eating experience that is hard to classify. If you’ve only had the mediocre fig offerings from a grocery store then you are in for a surprise!

“But wait, aren’t there only two types of figs, light and dark?” you ask. Au contraire, my dear reader! There are hundreds of cultivars, if not thousands, and many flavors to be had in figs, everything from cotton candy sugar to caramelly dates to ripe musky melons to jammy strawberries & cherries to berry punches… Well, you get the picture, they’re all in there.

As a fig eater, it’s the flavor that brings joy. Flavor cannot be underrated, as it is what delights the taste buds and makes our cells sing & dance. It is what determines the choice for what I grow.

Don’t get me wrong, a fig tastes like a fig, just like wine tastes like wine. But as with wine, there are variations with figs that bring a variety of flavors to the table. Certain fig bloggers and sellers seem to have their own version of fig flavor groups, including this writer here as you will find. So what are they and why do they matter? Join me on this quest to unravel the enigma that is the taste of figs!

Why do flavor groupings matter?

Describing the flavor of figs has been a long-debated subject in the Fig-o-sphere, sometimes even quite heated. Many sellers have been accused of overhyping taste with flowery descriptions to get higher prices. Opinions run high amongst collectors for how to accurately describe taste — some can taste flavor notes & nuances and others can’t. To those who can’t, these descriptions can seem ridiculous. And to those who can, the disgruntled can seem unreasonable.

It is true, a lot of it is highly subjective. One person’s “bubble gum” is another person's “sugar with something extra” they can’t quite place. I don't know about you, but I like more description than just “sweet” though when picking out a variety to grow.

As a collector, flavor is an important component for distinguishing varieties and describing them to others. Flavor comparisons are the only way to describe something to someone who can’t taste it. You may not have tasted an Adriatic fig, but if you’ve ever had a spoonful of strawberry jam, you have a good idea of what to expect.

Having flavor groupings can help the grower better choose varieties so that they don’t have too much overlap in taste. While there is variety in flavor, those of the same taste profile can start to blend together and become hard to tell apart unless eaten side by side. Too much monotony in flavor can make the experience less enjoyable in my opinion. Choosing a few varieties from each flavor group can bring a more diverse collection and help it not go overboard.

What can affect flavor?

Ripeness plays a huge role in the overall flavor quality. Most unripe figs can have a sort of bitter or plain cucumber-type taste to them. As the fig ripens though, this can transform into a mild, underlying grassy, earthy, herbal type hint or into a ripe melon presence in the flavor that is very pleasant to discerning palates. The key is to have a properly ripened fig for the flavors and sugars to develop.

The skin can also affect flavor. This is where you can get certain notes of bitterness, tannic spices, earthiness, but also sweetness or even coconuty-ness. Some prefer to peel the skin, but most often it is eaten with the pulp and contributes to the overall flavor.

Environmental factors can affect flavor and fruit characteristics, such as water, sunlight or lack thereof, etc. Excessive rain or overwatering can cause fig fruits to overswell with water thereby diluting the sugars and flavor leading to a bland-tasting fig. Too much heat and sunlight can cause early softening before it has fully ripened, which can also lead to spoilage and fermentation-type flavors. Ripening in colder weather can make for a less sweet fig or for more bitterness to come out in the skin.

Other factors of terroir — the soil makeup, soil amendments & fertilizers, and surrounding plants — have a bearing on flavor. Some people will find well-established fig trees in their area, usually Hardy Chicago or Celeste, and feel that they are a new variant because those figs have flavor nuances unique to the local terroir in which they’ve been grown. They aren't new variants, it is just the effect the local land can have on flavor.

Plant health and age also affect flavor. Healthier plants tend to have higher Brix levels which leads to sweeter fruit. Disease or pests can negatively impact flavor as well and cause spoilage. First fruits are notorious for not tasting as good as fruits from mature trees.

Caprification or pollination of figs has a strong impact on flavor. Caprification can turn a light berry-tasting fig into a more intense berry fig. It also adds a certain acidity or brightness to the flavor making it more complex. Occasionally, caprification has a negative effect on flavor as sometimes pollen is contaminated with yeasts, fungi, or bacteria which can lead to off-flavors or spoiling.

Flavor group disclaimers

There is a definite overlap between categories and some categories are combined into one. The catch is trying to get a flavor grouping that accurately holds and makes room for these flavors without being so complicated that no one can remember it. Let’s be real, no one wants to consult a list of 31+ flavor possibilities when classifying their fig collection.

Many are influenced by nuances or flavor hints that are present in varieties. However, these are not predominate flavors, they are not always present, and detection of them can vary depending on the person tasting it or the growing conditions. A nuance, though noted and appreciated, is not a category. So the flavor groupings listed in this article are based on the prevailing main flavor alone as a broader categorization for simplicity.

Oftentimes, the skin color with the pulp color can be an indication of the type of flavor. For example, a fig with yellow pulp will not taste like a berry fig, and often an intensely red-fleshed fig will have a berry flavor… It also can be said color is not a reliable indicator of flavor.

Color differences in figs are not as variable as are the flavors if you look at close-up photos of fig pulp. Skin and pulp color together can give an idea of the expected taste but is not 100% reliable and so should not be the sole guideline of flavors. There will always be outlier varieties that don’t fit the expectation. Not to mention growing conditions causing certain types of color variation in some varieties.

Some flavor categories are used by others that actually represent a fig family more than the flavor itself. For example, Adriatic Berry is often used for light-skinned intense berry-tasting figs. But Adriatics usually have their own unique flavor nuances themselves. So to name an entire flavor category that includes varieties other than Adriatic family figs, which don’t have those specific flavors, seems inaccurate to me. I eliminate this as a flavor category name to allow for the varieties that don’t fit within the Adriatic family. Same with Bordeaux.

The final disclaimer, these are fresh figs. A fig is a fig. It’s a fresh fruit and it tastes like a fresh fruit. So even though comparisons are made to other common fruits, syrups, or candies, they are not those things. They do not taste exactly like those things nor have the same depth of flavor as the real deal. If you’re craving caramel— eat an actual caramel. A fig described with caramel flavors will never be close to that. The comparisons are to give an idea on flavor profiles alone to aid in describing how one fig variety is different from another since you cannot see it or taste it yourself.

So then, what are figs like?

The flavor that is often described as “fig” is a resinous type of flavor evocative of dates, persimmons, or raisins. Many people have eaten dried figs, and it’s this dried, cooked fruit flavor many associate as “fig” taste. But this flavor only lightly covers a small number of varieties and it is not really present in the same way in fresh figs. Figs are sweet fruits and have low acidity. Most figs taste like jam of other fruits to me, though some are more lighter and refreshing. Let’s break it down.

🥒 AROMA

The predominant scent in most figs is an herby, grassy, fresh cucumber-type aroma. This is the top note or the first scent you will experience with a fresh fig when you cut it open and smell it. It smells “fresh” like cucumber water.

👅 MOUTHFEEL

The skin can greatly affect mouthfeel with some skins being soft and tender, others being tough and coarse. Some varieties have a slight fuzziness from fine hairs present on the skin.

The pulp is always tender & squishy. It can be loose and juicy with syrup, sometimes but rarely stringy, thicker and jammy, or more dense, pasty, & sticky. The pastiness comes from starches present in the pulp and summertime heat will bring out the sugars in this.

Some varieties have more seeds than others. Cultivars with few seeds are more jelly like with a smooth consistency. The seedier figs add a little more crunch and texture and are like seeds in berry jams. Seeds can also impart a slightly nutty taste. Caprification makes seeds fertile and enhances them giving figs more crunch.

🥸 FLAVOR NUANCES & HINTS

The majority of figs will have a strong, dominant main taste, as indicated by the flavor categories. Accompanying these main flavors are base note nuances, often from the skin or inner wall that can be described as grassy, herbal, cucumber, earthy, resinous, chemical, bitter, spicy, sweet, or coconut. Sometimes these are noticed but often they do not stand out as much as the main flavor.

Noticed or not, these can lend a balance to the overall taste and enhance the main flavor. Some varieties have stronger base notes than others. Adriatic and Mount Etna family figs often have consistent base notes that make them recognizable as their type even if the main flavor varies a little.

Figs can also have other nuances giving complexity to the overall flavor. Oftentimes brightness is noted and can be described as acidic tasting flavors, such as passion fruit, pineapple, nectarine, or citrus. Sometimes tropical hints are noted. Other times the flavor can be elusive and hard to pinpoint to something specific. But the complexity makes a delicious-tasting fig.

💪 DOMINANT PULP FLAVORS

To make it as basic and oversimplified as possible, the most primary and dominant pulp flavors are Sugar, Fruity, and Berry. All figs will fall into one of these three. And I would say strawberry jam and ripe muskmelon are the most commonly encountered flavors. Done!

For your average grower, you can probably stop here and go do something fertilizery or something…

…You’re not the average grower though, are you? 😉 Same here, friend, let’s continue.

🍭 Sugar represents those flavors that go from white sugar and grassy sugar cane to sugar browning type resinous flavors associated with vanilla, nuts, syrups, and dates. These are very mild flavors most often associated with brown fruits with creamy flesh or brown dried fruits with caramelized sugars.

Figs in this class can be very refreshing and are a nice change from berry figs. At its worst, these can be plain & insipid, perhaps like watery oatmeal with a weird aftertaste — again, growing conditions at play here. But, often these have pleasant, mild flavors that offer a nice balance to the other categories. Not always much flavor, but refreshing.

🍉 Fruity are those flavors that taste like melon, most often a ripe muskmelon. This also includes varieties with the fruity flavors of stone fruits and other tree fruits like peaches, nectarines, apricots, apples, and plums. Occasionally, tropical notes are detected, such as banana, pineapple, or mango. Figs in this group are medium in flavor intensity and are associated with yellow or orange-fleshed fruits.

🍓 Berry is the largest classification in my opinion and is the most intense flavor category associated with red and purple-fleshed fruits. Strawberry is probably the most common flavor and is present in many varieties, with mixed berry as a close 2nd. Raspberry is also a definite flavor that is experienced. Black or red cherry, blueberry, and purple grape are also often mentioned by growers.

Some varieties in this category have a terrific complexity that is reminiscent of childhood red or berry fruit punch drinks— juicy and refreshing with flavor intensity but hard to break out the specific fruits being tasted.

Another way of looking at it is by flavor intensity and these categories could also be respectively listed as:

• Mild

• Medium

• Intense

They also could be listed by the representative fruit color flavors of:

• Brown fruits

• Yellow-orange fruits

• Red-purple fruits

The flavor groupings I use

🍭 SUGAR 🥥🍪

— Agave Sugar: These are flavors reminiscent of agave syrup. They can be described as sweet and slightly earthy. It is a very mellow taste that is not overpowering and is often compared to a neutral honey with subtle hints of vanilla and caramel. Very mild with fruity or floral undertones. This is your most basic type of flavor and may be like sugar cane, white sugar, plain cotton candy, or fresh yellow dates. These figs can be very refreshing.

— Date Sugar: These are flavors likened to date sugar or date syrup and have a stronger, deeper sugar browning taste than the Agave category. These are fruity, deep sugar flavors, with nuances that go to caramelly dates or may hit into dried, cooked fruits with their browned sugars. Sometimes fresher, lighter notes of jujube or fresh date are present. Occasionally spice or bitter browned notes are detected.

🍉🍌🍍 FRUITY 🥭🍏🍑

— Honey Melon: This is a flavor that tastes of a rich, ripe muskmelon. These can get tropical or berry flavor hints but the dominant taste is melon. The richness and color of these figs often cause them to be described as honey figs. But the actual flavor is not honey at all which is why I am not using it alone here. It is not a honey fig, it is a melon fig. (“Honey” is used here to indicate the richness of nectar-type flavor, not to indicate color or literal flavor.)

— Peach Fruit-Berry: These are varieties that have a taste of stone fruits like peaches, nectarines, apricots, or plums. Some of these varieties also get a bit of berry flavor, but the berry is usually milder with stone fruit or other miscellaneous fruity flavor being the dominant taste. These are not deep enough to be a true berry fig. Caprification may turn some of these varieties into a stronger berry-tasting fig.

🍓🫐 BERRY 🍒🍇

— Honey Berry: These are varieties that have a less intense berry flavor than others in the Berry grouping. It is as if you smooshed a sugar or melon fig together with an intense berry fig and this is the combined result. They are like a mild-tasting sugar-dipped strawberry. Some may have a slight melon taste, others less so. They can be richer tasting, nectary, and a fruity berry, with light berries being the dominant taste. Caprification may turn some of these into a more intense Red Berry fig.

— Red Berry: This encompasses those flavors of sweet, intensely flavored, red fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, fruit punch, etc. Red fruits are often associated with sweetness and tanginess.

Strawberry jam is a standout flavor in this group, others in here also evoke thoughts of jam. They allow for that citrus brightness coming through from the lemon juice added in jam making as well as the flavor depth of jam.

Red fruit punch is red jam + something extra. It’s a taste that is elusive & hard to define but has a sweet and tangy complexity that tastes of red fruits. This is my favorite flavor and is often more refreshing than the jammier Adriatics to me. 😍

— Dark Berry: This includes flavors of dark fruits such as black mulberries, blueberries, black cherries, black raspberries, blackberries, and purple grapes. This category represents those deep berry essences of dark berry jams. This also includes dark berry punches that taste of mixed berries with undefinable complexity.

—Tart Berry: This represents those special figs that especially have that sweet-tart taste. This is not your cloyingly sweet berry jam or punch. They are often specific, definable tart berries but with sufficient sweetness that they are enjoyable to eat fresh. This includes red mulberry, sour cherry, tart raspberry, cranberry, and possibly pomegranate. This could be considered a subcategory of one of the other Berry groups, and it’s not broken out on the flavor wheel. But enough varieties have a more tart taste that I decided to make it its own category so that I could note them in my variety library.

So that's it! Just eight categories. (At this time. 😏) They are subject to change and refinement as I taste more figs. After all the quest continues! (Cue music? No? Okay.)

Fig Flavor Wheel

This is version 127, slight exaggeration though it feels like it 😮‍💨, of my flavor wheel for figs. It is more comprehensive than the above list and gives a few representative varieties. Colors are an approximation and not exact. Cultivars next to each other do not necessarily taste exactly the same. The skin nuances of “spice, resin, and bitter” are picked up in some cultivars but not all. The degree of all skin notes varies by variety and are usually pretty mild. Hopefully, it gives a mental picture of how the flavor categories work and is handy to your fig journey!

Whelp, we’re at the end ☺️

Do you know what a fig tastes like now?? I hope so!

Defining fig flavors is not easy! There are other common lists out there and you may notice I did not use the same exact categories as they do. That is because after much reflection, I didn't think they captured the flavors with the accuracy I was looking for. I don’t think there is anything that can be perfectly accurate for every variety, but this gets the job done for me and I hope it helps you as well. As always, I recommend you to use whichever resonates the most with you. Definitely a lot of respect goes to those who started the journey of flavors before me!

Did I mention that I really dislike the flavor of cooked figs? 😝 Ironies!

»» We made it to the end, friend. Do you have thoughts on flavor profiles and tastes? Share a comment!

🟩 Early fertilization and nutrition is typically recommended to help a rooting cutting become established & hardened faster.

🟩 I am careful about using organic fertilizers indoors because they are meant to increase microbial activity. By the nature of them, they are natural materials meant to feed soil microbes. Nutrients are released into the soil as microbes break them down. This is a great thing for soil health in outdoor circumstances. It may not be the most desirable thing when indoors and trying to keep any pest pressure down or when you have an inert rooting medium not ready to breakdown natural materials.

Sometimes the organic fertilizers can gunk up your rooting medium which then needs to be broken down and processed. Nature does this through decomposition, anaerobic bacteria and molds start building, and this can negatively impact the cutting sitting in that. This can also lead to unpleasant odors building up in the house.

That said, I am a big proponent of organic growing and soil health. I do like to lay a good foundation for my trees to grow as naturally as possible. Using chemical fertilizers can be like giving your trees steroids, the growth isn’t as healthy as it appears, it can create dependency, increases pest pressure as chemical nitrogen can attract pests, and they can kill good microbes in the soil. There are other reasons as well to avoid chemical fertilizers.

I will use organic fertilizers and ferments no question for outdoor rooting plants. I am more choosy for what I will use indoors. Generally, I have found that worm casting tea, seaweed extract, and aloe can be used fairly well as long as they are properly diluted. EM 1, LABS, and certain other gentle ferments can be used from time to time as needed, but I don’t like to use them with frequency indoors. Any tea or ferments should be well strained with something like muslin to ensure no insect eggs are present. I do not use any compost or manures indoors ever, not even for tea.

🟩 A quick infusion can be made with worm castings by taking a small handful and putting it in muslin, a fine cheesecloth, or a nut milk bag and dunking it in your water a few times until it becomes cloudy. Use this infused water for watering. The same bundle can be used a few times in a row to infuse subsequent containers of water. Don’t let it sit in the water. This is just a few quick dunks and perhaps a little gentle kneading like a tea bag.

This can also be done with leaf mold soil if you are into JADAM and have some quality soil handy.

🟩 Indoor rooting is the only time I consider using chemical fertilizer. AscPete on the old Ourfigs forum recommends a dilute nutrient / fertilizer solution of 1/2 tsp Miracle-Gro All Purpose to 1 gallon of water with 1/4 tsp Epsom Salt, to start. Gradually increase the MG as the plant grows up to no more than 2 tsp / gallon of water. I’m including this as an option for those who do not wish to use organic matter at this time.

Any water soluble fertilizer with complete macro and micro nutrients can be used as well. Just be sure to follow the houseplant dosage, starting at 1/4 to 1/2 the dose.

🟩 Foliar feeding can also be done, but it can bring on rust when used indoors if applied too frequently.

🟩 It is not uncommon to see signs resembling FMV (Fig Mosaic Virus) infection in a newly rooted cutting and is not something to fear. Why am I writing about a “disease” in the fertilizing section? That is because FMV is most often a nutritional issue, sometimes varietal if it is a “weak” variety.

This is because the newly rooted cutting has not regulated its ability to handle nutrients yet which can cause mottling and misshapen leaves. It also has limited stores of nutrition based on what was left in the mother tree at the time the cutting was taken, which can be low if dormant, and the rooting medium itself is not nutrient rich. Regular feeding can help alleviate any symptoms similar to FMV infection as the plant grows out of it as it becomes more regulated & stronger.

These are my random tips on fertilizing. Hope they help to give a nutritious start to your hungry baby trees!

This was the 6th in a series on Rooting Tips, check out No. 7 posted on the website here.

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LIGHTING TIPS

☀️ I am not a lighting expert, so can’t help as much in this aspect. But I know that LED shop lights work great for indoor rooting. 5000k is good for warmth and the more lumens, the better. Keep the lights close to your plants, but leave room for the growth that will happen.

☀️ Do not rely on window lighting for your cuttings— it typically is not sufficient and is likely to cause leggy growth. Windows, unless very well insulated, also can have too much temperature fluctuation and are not good for the rooting period. So it is not recommended to place your rooting cuttings on the window sill. Sunlight through a window has fried plants and nighttime coldness can stall a cutting & prevent successful rooting. It’s a case of knowing your house.

☀️ 98% of cuttings will leaf out before they root. (That’s a random number I made up based on how it seems to work out. 🤓) This is not a bad thing. The leaves can become a source of energy for the cutting. And one type of growth seems to stimulate the other type of growth.

☀️ I do not worry about keeping my unrooted cuttings in darkness. I have not found that to improve success rates, in fact, I found the opposite to be true. Sometimes it seems as though the cutting burns out on root growth and then has nothing left for leaves to grow. Other times it seems as if the cutting just rots in the darkness. Getting the cutting activated and growing is the priority, not roots or leaves coming first. Put it in an environment to simulate what it would receive outside, which is not pure darkness.

WATERING TIPS

💧 Water or moisture is also important for rooting success. Moisture is what will stimulate root formation on your cutting. So, it is important that your rooting mix is not too dry. It should remain damp, but not soaking wet. Remember, we want a balance of both air and moisture.

💧You can easily tell if a pot needs water by feeling the weight of it. A watered pot is much heavier and a pot needing water is much lighter. The difference should be perceptible. If you cannot feel a difference, then it probably does not need water yet.

However, if you struggle to feel a difference regardless, then get the starting weight of your pot right before you bag it, write it down somewhere, such as on your pot. Weigh your pots before watering to see how much the weight has changed. Add water to bring it back to weight.

Whether the pot is bagged and how rooted a cutting is will determine how often to water. For an unbagged pot, it is good to check for water about once a week starting out. Very aerated mixes will need water sooner, less aerated mixes will need water less frequently.

Let the plant use what is there before watering again, and make sure something is there for the plant to use.

(Unrooted cuttings should be able to go weeks between waterings when the pot is bagged unless you are using an extremely aerated mix.)

💧After about 8 weeks from initial rooting, (not potting,) the young plant should start to stabilize and become less sensitive to watering issues. After about the 3 month mark, I’m usually able to water more like my other plants without as much worry of overwatering. (This is just an average, the amount of individual growth & development affects this.)

This was the 5th in a series on Rooting Tips, keep an eye out for the next one coming soon. 👀

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POTS & CONTAINERS TIPS

🪴 It is very common for many new to rooting to root their cuttings in plastic party cups. They’re cheap, easy to obtain, and don’t require any investment in something you may not use again. The pros are understandable! However, I do not recommend rooting in cups. It can be done, but often has problems at the up-potting stage because they frequently require up-potting before the cutting has stabilized. They also are short and so limit how much of the cutting you can bury. The more nodes you have buried, the more area you have for roots to develop, which can lead to a stronger plant.

As an alternative, I recommend quart deli containers, 2 liter soda/water bottles, or 1 gallon nursery containers over cups if treepots are not available. These allow plenty of time for the cutting to grow sufficiently and to stabilize before requiring an up-pot. Be sure to make an adequate amount of drainage holes in the bottom before using. Soldering irons can be great for this or carefully heating a large nail grasped by pliers can work as well. A drill bit can also be used, and can go through several stacked together at once, but these also can cause the containers to split if not careful.

🪴 I prefer to root in treepots because they are tall enough to bury the bulk of the cutting while easily keeping the bottom of the cutting out of the perched water table, which is a location rot can happen if the cutting is too low in the pot.

🪴 I also prefer treepots because you do not need to tease out or score the roots before up-potting even when very rootbound. If rooting in a normal pot, gently tease the roots out at the bottom when up-potting for the first time so that they grow out and not continue to circle in the same pattern which will affect growth.

🪴 You will know your cutting has rooted in an opaque container based on the amount of top growth. An unrooted cutting can have a little leaf growth, but it will be minor in comparison to a rooted cutting and will start to fail if the cutting has not rooted. So if it is actively growing, it has rooted.

Resources:

My favorite treepots: Stuewe & Sons 4x9.5 Mini Treepot
Mini-Treepots™ & Trays Kit - TRAY6 WITH TP49 KIT - Stuewe & Sons
Also available here: https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/products/treepots

ROOTING MIX TIPS

🪨 Compost, manure, worm castings are good for plants, right? Yes, for plants. I do not use any organic matter in my rooting mixes though. Organic matter wants to break down, that is how it works and how it feeds your plants. By its nature, it encourages bacterial & fungal growth in potting mix, which is fantastic for the outdoors and for a growing plant. But this composting action also encourages anaerobic bacteria to develop in your rooting medium which can cause your cutting to rot. It can be very water retentive as well, which can be smothering to new roots. Organic matter can also harbor insect eggs and seems to bring on fungus gnats in indoor rooting setups. I save the organic matter for later after rooting has been successful and once outdoors.

🪨 If you are into pH, 5.0 to 6.5 has been recommended as being better for rooting mixes. It is not something I typically worry about myself, but both peat and coco coir mixes typically happen to fall nicely into this range. This range reportedly helps to prevent mold growth. But be aware that other ingredients can raise pH such as perlite and certain mineral components.

🪨 Aeration in rooting mixes is very important for rooting success and to prevent rot. There can be a fine balance between having too much aeration and not enough depending on how you grow and your climate. If you are someone who tends to overwater or you live in a very humid environment, the more aeration the better.

Aerating materials allow you to have more water present without worry. The less aerating materials you have in your mix, the more you need to worry about how much water you are using because water fills in the few air gaps available in a fine mix. I prefer medium sized aerating materials for a rooting mix, larger sizes for potting mix. Smaller sized particles are not suitable for cuttings and are for seed starting instead. Aeration is your friend for rooting and growing and is a must for root health.

More detail on rooting mix formulation linked here.

This was the 4th in a series on Rooting Tips, keep an eye out for the next one coming soon. 👀

»» Have any favorite tips of your own? Comment below or in the chat!

🌱 The direct plant/pot method is what I recommend for those newer to rooting and seems to have the least amount of issues for the majority of people. This is essentially just sticking the cutting into a pot with basic potting mix or directly into the ground to root.

Here is a link to my preferred variation on the direct plant method, Treepot Pops: How I Root Cuttings Indoors

🌱 A very popular method of rooting is called Fig Pops. The term was coined by Ben B. Seattle on YouTube and is a method he popularized for rooting a lot of cuttings at once for fig sales, though this has been used by many growers in the past as well. It basically is like the direct plant method, but instead of using a pot, you use a large plastic bag.

I do not recommend Fig Pops for first time rooters as it involves some know-how for handling and watering them. It can be a simple method for those who have good technique. But, it is not my favorite method personally and often fails at the up-potting stage for those new to rooting.

The plastic bag is more challenging to deal with because the sides are soft and squishy it does not protect new, tender roots very well and it doesn’t hold the cutting in place as well as a pot. Rubber bands are needed to help secure the cutting in place, but because everything is stretchy and has give, things can move easily when grabbing a fig pop.

I still remember as a newbie trying this method, accidentally grabbing a fig pop wrong that was falling down and feeling the roots just rip right off all down the length of the cutting. This is one reason why I prefer pots, they stand upright on their own, you can grab them without worrying about ripping roots, and you can leave a rooted cutting in them for a long time until you are ready to up-pot it.

Fig pops were intially used as a cheap, quick, bulk method of rooting. The pops were able to “stand up” because there were many of them placed into a bin together, so they held each other up. If only doing a few, they will either need other props to hold them upright, or they will need to lay on their sides.

Make sure you hold fig pops properly, don’t pick them up by the cutting itself. Use a toothpick to poke holes all over the bag and stick them for a quick moment in water for watering them. Roots can stick to the bag when you go to up-pot them. Giving them a little water can help lubricate the sides so they come out easier. Only up-pot when fully rootbound.

🌱 Water rooting is another method used by some. It seems to be a case where you either love it or hate it. It can be a slower method of rooting and can require some work with regular water changes. Care needs to be taken with potting them as well, using wetter mediums at first and delicately placing the mix around the roots. I have found it to work best on non-dormant cuttings and may be a good method for green-new growth cuttings.

I prefer to have the bottoms of the cuttings barely touching the water, while keeping the rest of the cutting in a humid environment. But others will submerge the entire bottoms or even the majority of the cutting in water. Others will use hydroponic type situations, or bubblers to help keep cuttings healthy while being in the water. This is not a favorite rooting method for me, but it can definitely have a place in certain situations.

🌱 Climate can have a bearing on the method you choose. For example, the amount of natural humidity in your environment affects how much you need to worry about moisture control and cutting desiccation. Someone in the humid south may have problems with things like Parafilm causing rot, whereas someone in a drier climate may lose cuttings to desiccation if they do not use Parafilm, or something else to control moisture loss. Other places are in between and you will need to see what works best for you.

This also can affect rooting mix choices as well. Something very aerated like bark, gritty mixes, or coarse grain diatomaeous earth can work great in humid conditions but can be hard to keep hydrated enough in dry climates. You may choose to avoid things like bark for this reason and/or bag your pots to maintain sufficient moisture to stimulate rooting. I often see mixes heavy in bark recommended in growing locations from the Pacific Northwest, like Washington state. This fits well for their rainy climate, but does not translate well to a dry, high desert climate like mine where the mix dries out too quickly to initiate rooting.

🌱 I do not recommend humidity bins for rooting fig cuttings. They tend to trap in too much moisture and do not allow enough air flow. This encourages a lot of issue with mold for me. Also, there is quite a bit of acclimation needed when transferring out of the bin. I feel they are more hassle than they are worth.

🌱 My environment requires something for moisture retention in a cutting for it to root before desiccation, or drying out, of the cutting starts. Parafilm or BuddyTape can be used for this by tightly wrapping and stretching the material as you wrap over any part of the cutting that is exposed to air. Do not put it below the soil line because water can wick up underneath the wrap.

I have found though that Parafilm/BuddyTape can require a lot of maintenance when used indoors for preventing mold or rot from developing on the cutting underneath it. I lost a few cuttings in the beginning from top down rot that started under the wrap. And some cuttings after that required monitoring for signs of rot starting, then gently prying off the wrap in those areas and treating with hydrogen peroxide.

So, I now prefer to minimize how much of the cutting is exposed at the top, to bury the majority of it, and to seal cut ends with something less permeable, such as paint or pruning sealer. I have had fewer issues with this method and it is a set it and forget it type setup. (See picture above.)

🌱 Some cuttings can be stubborn to get going for rooting. 8 months was the longest it took one cutting to root for me. If after 8-12 weeks you are not seeing any signs of growth, you can very gently remove it from the rooting mix to check for rot if you desire to. Remove carefully in case roots have started to form, you don’t want to rip them off. If there are no roots and there is no rot, sometimes making a fresh cut at the bottom and soaking in water for a time can help to stimulate it. Trying a prerooting method can also be helpful. Or, this is where you might want to bring out the liquid rooting hormone.

It should be noted that some cuttings are just duds and won’t root through no fault of anyone. Grafting can be considered as an alternative if the cutting is still healthy as well.

This was the 3rd in a series on Rooting Tips, check out No. 4 on the website here.

»» Have any favorite tips of your own? Comment below or in the chat!

☀️ Mother tree health and cutting quality can significantly impact your success at rooting. Things like method used to clean cuttings, storage, weather conditions the cutting was subjected to, etc. can all affect if a cutting will root or not. Usually, the fresher the cutting, the better the success. That said, fig cuttings are very easy to root generally and so even seemingly poorer quality cuttings can root just fine in the end. Don’t despair & don’t stress over this aspect, but be choosy with your sources. Keep in mind that you are dealing with natural materials and so cuttings can vary in quality & looks even from the best of sellers.

☀️ You will hear the term “lignified” when buying cuttings. Lignin comes from Latin lignum and means wood. It is what makes wood woody. Lignin is what gives wood its rigidity by adding strength & stiffness to plant cell walls. It also waterproofs the cell wall, which helps with the upward transportation of water in the xylem tissues. Lignan has antifungal properties as well and does not rot easily.

A lignified cutting has hardened on its outer tissues and started to form the bark. So, it has gone from green, tender tissue to hardened, brown tissue.

☀️ If you need to store your cuttings for a while before rooting, make sure to buy dormant & lignified (hardwood) cuttings. Non-dormant and semi-lignified (semi-hardwood) cuttings are okay if you can root them right away, do not store these. Non-dormant cuttings root the best as they are fully hydrated & activated for growth. Green, unlignified cuttings (softwood) are the most challenging to root, but can be successful for some. These need to be rooted immediately. Managing humidity is most important with green cuttings.

*Note that even lignified cuttings can have a greenish underneath color, especially when wet, this is not what we are referring to when we say “green” cuttings. A green cutting refers to new growth that has not fully hardened yet and is bright green all over, with little to no brown hazing at all. They are very tender and can even be floppy or wilty at the tips when removed from the tree.

☀️ You can often tell if a cutting was dormant when taken from the mother tree by whether there are leaf remnants on the cutting. Leaves fall off completely when going dormant. Also note the time of year for your area and the area you are buying from, especially in the fall. Colder areas can have dormancy as soon as November, but warmer areas may not have dormancy until late December or January.

☀️ Be mindful of leaf and fig stem remnants left on cuttings. This happens when the leaves and fruit did not fall off on their own, but were either cut or broken off. (Usually, this is because the tree was not yet dormant in the case of leaf stems.) They can leave a little piece behind that will eventually fall off. You do not want to store or wrap cuttings with these left on because they can cause rotting in those areas.

☀️ Apical bud cuttings can be more stubborn to root, as the hormones for root growth are often lower down in the branch. Cuttings where the current season’s wood (1 year old wood) joins last season’s wood (2 year old wood) has the greatest potential for root development. The base of the stem at this junction contains a large number of dormant buds that supply hormones required for developing roots. However, most growers will take cuttings from upper current season wood for the sake of their own tree and growing preferences. This is to be expected, and the majority will root even though higher than ideal.

Apical bud cuttings have the advantage of growing from the tip and forming a straight trunk right from the start, which some find desirable. There are mixed feelings on whether apical buds should be wrapped in parafilm or waxed. It’s best to experiment and see what your preference is for this.

I personally prefer cuttings below the apical bud area as I find they root easier for me. It seems to be a love/hate thing for most people. Some prefer to save apical bud pieces for grafting, and they do work well in that application.

☀️ Make sure your cuttings are not shipped in the heat of summer because they can die, especially if they sit in a hot mailbox. Only cuttings taken late fall or winter are usually dormant, depending on where they are coming from.

☀️ I typically do not sanitize my cuttings before rooting them and do not recommend it.

Whenever we are growing something, it is always in a microbial rich environment. The soil, the roots, the plants themselves—everything— are surrounded in microbes. It is what keeps all things on earth alive, for a fact, without microbes we would be dead. It is impossible to grow things in a sterile, let alone sanitized, environment. Nature will not allow it.

It isn’t opportunistic “bad” microbes causing rot. It is dead tissue that is decomposing that brings in the appropriate microbes to break down what has died to return it to the earth so to speak. So no amount of sanitizing will prevent a dead or dying cutting from rotting. Only dead tissue either on or in a cutting will cause rot.

As such, it does not make sense to me to go to lengths to sanitize a cutting with a harsh chemical when as soon as you take it out of that solution and stick it in potting mix you are going to re-surround it with other microbes. It is an exercise in futility and in the process may have weakened protective tissues.

In attempts to thoroughly sanitize, some have killed cuttings by using water that is too hot in their cleaning process. You can put micro scratches into your cuttings depending on what you use to clean, such as brushes, this can cause tissue death in those areas which can bring on rotting. Antimicrobial solutions themselves can be harsh on plant tissues leading to a certain amount of cellular death.

Because microbial balance is very important in keeping things healthy, I prefer not to remove nature’s microbes on healthy cuttings since they are essential to life & growing. I did experiment with sanitizing cuttings in the beginning. I did not find it to decrease rotting issues in comparison to not sanitizing them. So to me, it is a wasted step that invites a need for future interventions.

The only time I clean a cutting is if it is clearly dirty, or if it has some mold on it. I only use cool water, a wet paper towel to wipe with, and diluted hydrogen peroxide or colloidal silver if necessary. Soap can affect pH and outer protective barriers, so I try not to use it.

☀️ Hydration is one of the most overlooked aspects of rooting success. Hydrated cuttings root faster, which is one reason why non-dormant cuttings can be more successful at rooting. Because they have sap flow, they are hydrated.

Cuttings drying out is one cause of rooting failure, both in the rooting mix and the top part of the cutting exposed to air. Rooting mix should remain damp, but not wet. Burying the majority of the cutting helps to keep it hydrated. Using lower pH mediums like peat and coco coir, without organic matter added in, can help to prevent any mold formation on the buried part of the cutting.

Any part not buried and exposed to air should have something to help keep it from drying out & molding. This can be with a permeable grafting tape, wax, glue, pruning sealer, semigloss paint, a plastic bag or cup placed over the top, or something else used to control humidity. If you are in a humid environment, this naturally helps to prevent dry out, and something like grafting tape may be undesirable by keeping in too much moisture. However, this can be essential in a drier climate to have success.

☀️ If using candle wax or other hard wax to seal your cuttings, melt it and cool it to below 140°F to prevent damage to your cutting. Cheese wax is another type that can be used. Apparently, toilet bowl seal wax can also be used, which remains soft in a closed container, but I have not tried this personally myself yet. Apply it with a small brush or with a gloved finger. It can be messy but is reportedly successful.

☀️ Pre-soaking cuttings helps to rehydrate them and to activate all of the layers in the cutting for rooting. It can help to speed up vascular flow and the formation of rooting initials. This is a very helpful step for dormant cuttings and any that have been stored.

☀️ You can pre-root cuttings by leaving the bottoms in water, by putting the entire cutting in a plastic ziploc bag with a damp paper towel, or by putting in a bin fully covered by a lower pH inert medium such as damp but fluffy 100% coco coir or sphagnum peat moss, some prefer long fiber moss for this. This is done until lenticel cellular debris develops or roots start to form and can help with callusing and hardening of the cutting. Just note that these root intials are very tender and can be easily pulled off, so you need to be very gentle when placing them in rooting mix.

Some swear by pre-rooting, others hate it. I use pre-rooting when I intend to root soon, but don’t have time to fully process my cuttings for rooting right away and don’t want to store them in the fridge. This can hold cuttings for about a month give or take. Make sure to gently remove any fibers sticking to the cuttings before potting them.

Pre-Rooting Examples:

☀️ I do not score or wound my cuttings. When I tried it, I did not find it to increase success. Scoring/ wounding is recommended for difficult to root hardwood cuttings. The “wounding” should only be done deep enough to expose the light green cambium layer under the bark and not deeper than that. This is typically done on the bottom 1-inch of a cutting on one side and can help to remove a physical barrier that may be in the way of roots forming.

However, fig cuttings are not generally considered difficult to root, so this can be an unnecessary step that creates a vulnerable area. In most pictures I have seen where this was done, the roots formed around & away from the wounded area or above it, never directly where it was wounded. Some really swear by this though, so follow your own instincts. It may be more useful on older wood cuttings.

☀️ I have tried so-called natural rooting hormones: aloe vera, seaweed extract, fermented willow bark extract, saliva, honey, sugar, cinnamon, etc. I did not notice any difference in rooting with these and so I don’t bother with them anymore. But hey, they are fun to experiment with and it certainly doesn’t hurt to try them yourself!

☀️ I also do not recommend using rooting hormone in general. I have found it to cause more death after initial rooting than without it. However, it can be useful to try if you’ve had a hard time rooting a particular variety. Only use liquid hormone, do not use powders or gels which generally cause more issue with rot.

Okay, so those are my random tips on cuttings. I hope they help in your rooting adventures!

This was the 2nd in a series on Rooting Tips, keep an eye out for the next one coming soon. 👀

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I started rooting fig cuttings in 2020. Everything was shut down, social life was on pause, and I needed a hobby, so why not? I scoured the internet, read gardening forum posts and watched YouTube videos on everyone’s “guaranteed-to-root” method. I quickly had close to 100 cuttings rooting that winter. What I found the hard way though was that not all methods are truly “guaranteed”. A lot depends on your environment and the way you grow for what will work best for you.

After experimenting with different approaches, I concluded that the tried and true direct plant method that goes back to the beginning of time for rooting is best for most. Why try to reinvent the wheel as they say, right? The other trick that helps to maintain proper moisture levels to stimulate rooting is to bag the pot. This method seems to work in the majority of environments, is simple, and low maintenance. So, I am happy to share it with you today. Happy growing! 😊

Treepot Pops (Bagged Direct Plant Method)

SHORT VERSION:

Stick prepared cutting in a pot with moistened rooting mix, and bag the pot until rooted. Keep in an ambiently warm area, preferably in the 70-80°F range.

That’s it!

Contents

» Click on a section to skip ahead if you like.

Supplies Needed

Cutting Prep

Pot Prep

Potting Your Cuttings

After A Few Weeks

Supplies Needed

• Oil based paint pen

• Pruning shears

• Semigloss interior paint. (I use a sample can, but any old paint laying around works, semigloss or gloss is preferred over satin or flat to repel water.)

• Rooting mix:

  • 60/40 Coco coir & perlite, or

  • 50/50 Peat & perlite, or

  • Equal parts peat, pumice/ perlite, & coarse vermiculite for a grittier mix.

• 4 x 9 Treepots, or equivalent

• Plastic bags or produce bags from grocery store

• Tray to set pots in and for bottom watering

• Fertilizer: water soluble fertilizer with complete macro and micro nutrients; worm casting tea, or seaweed fertilizer. (I limit organics at this stage for indoor growing; do not use fish emulsion.)

Cutting Prep

1. Clean cuttings if necessary. (I just use a bowl of cool water and a wet paper towel to wipe them down..)

2. Trim tops and bottoms of cuttings, unless an apical bud cutting, then just trim the bottom. Try to leave a minimum of 1/4” above and below nodes. I usually leave up to 1/2” on the bottom, the top can be a little longer if desired.
   

3. Cut to the desired length and node count. I prefer 4-5” long cuttings. Short or single-node cuttings can also root well.
   

4. Write the name of the variety onto the cutting using an oil-based paint pen. Let the paint dry, usually takes less than an hour.
   

5. Soak cuttings in room temperature water overnight or 4-8 hours. A longer soak could be necessary for drier cuttings or ones that were stored for a long time.
   

6. Take cuttings out of water and let the tops dry off. You can place a damp towel over the lower half if they appear to be drying out too much. I usually wait a couple of hours before the next step.
   

7. Seal dry, cut tops with semi-gloss interior paint. Let the paint dry. (Other things can be used instead of paint such as wood glue, grafting/pruning sealer, or wax.) I often leave the cuttings in a glass with a little water at the bottom while the paint dries and until I pot them to keep them hydrated.

Pot Prep

1. Label your pots with your paint pen to match your cuttings. Add your cutting source & the date if you like so you can track your rooting time. Alternatively, write it on a label to stick in or on your pot. Painter’s tape can also be used as a temporary pot label, just be aware that moisture can affect it.
   

2. Fill treepots to the top with the rooting mixture. Keep it light and fluffy, do not push it down into the pot.
   

3. Water the rooting mix in the pot with a hose using a rain wand until run off. Do this a few times if your mix started dry. (Don’t use water straight from the hose, because it will come out in a gush and will push down the rooting mix compacting it more than we want.) Top off your pots with more rooting mix if needed & water again. Let drain.
   
   »» Alternative: If you prefer to not use a hose, you can pre-moisten your mix before filling your pots. A good starting reference is about 5 parts mix to 1 part water. Start with less water, you can always add more as needed. Moisten it just to the point of it holding & clumping together when squeezed in your hand. Water should not squeeze out of it other than a few minor drips. Make sure to fluff it up to reaerate it, lightly add it to the pot to keep it fluffy and to not compact it in.
   

4. Using a tool, make a hole in the rooting mix for your cutting. Keep the bottom of the hole at least 2-3” or higher from the bottom of the pot. Note that I make a hole larger than I need to fit the cutting. Do not push your cutting into the rooting mix instead of making a hole!

Potting Your Cuttings

1. Put the cutting into the hole you made, leave just one node out, and squish the mix at the top around the cutting to hold it in place. Note that I only squish the very top just around the cutting itself and I do not press the mix around the entire length of the cutting or all over the top. We want to keep our rooting mix fluffy and aerated in the pot and do not want to compact it down.
   

2. Thoroughly water in the cutting with the rain wand to run off*. Let drain completely. (I wait about 30 minutes or so, until the pot stops dripping from the bottom, before going to the next step.)
   *You can skip this step if you pre-moistened your mix before putting it in the pot.
   

3. A. FOR A SINGLE POT AND CUTTING:
   Place the prepared pot into a plastic produce bag. Tie the bag around the top of the cutting or use a rubber band to close the bag around the top of the cutting. I try to leave a little gap between the cutting and the bag. (You may need to leave out more than one node to have enough room to tie the bag with this method. Make sure your rooting mix is high enough in the pot.)
   
   B. FOR A BULK AMOUNT OF CUTTINGS:
   Use a large white kitchen trash bag with drawstrings to place multiple pots inside. Place the bag in your tray (or your tray in your bag depending on size) and set the prepared pots inside. Close the bag at the top with the drawstrings. It should not close tight but should leave about a 2” hole or larger at the top for air circulation. You will use this hole to control the humidity. Make sure the bag is not resting on the cuttings, but puff it out away from them.
   

4. Leave the cuttings alone for about 4-6 weeks in a warm room, 72-78°F is ideal. If you see signs of growth, you can open the plastic bags to allow room for growing stems if needed. Any not showing signs of growth should remain bagged & tied.

After A Few Weeks

1. After about 4-6 weeks, the rooting mix will need some water added.
   Don’t let the rooting mix dry out completely at any point. Start adding water to the pots after the initial 4 weeks. Feel the pot to check the weight first before adding any water, it should be noticeably lighter than when it was first bagged.
   
   Just a little is needed in the beginning, about 1/8-1/4 cup around the edge of the pot. There should not be much runoff in the bottom of the bag, a tiny bit is okay, but drain it out if there is a larger quantity. You don’t want your pot to sit in water in the bag.
   
   Rebag the pot if there are little to no signs of growth and wait another couple of weeks. If you see significant growth has started, you will want to check for water about once a week from here on out. You can start pulling down the bag or remove it completely depending on the amount of growth.
   
   The bag is used to maintain consistent moisture to initiate rooting, so do not remove the bag completely until you are sure it has rooted.
   

2. I use LED shop lights as grow lights and I turn them on once I see leaf growth. I leave them on about 12-14 hours a day.
   

3. Once they start leafing out well and it is clear the cutting has roots, I remove the plastic bags completely and start bottom watering in my tray. I also start regular weak fertilization at this point about every other watering. You can use worm casting tea, seaweed extract, or a conventional chemical fertilizer at half of the houseplant dose. EM 1, LABS, fermented willow bark extract, or aloe vera can also be used to a limited degree diluted.

Now you should have a rooted and growing baby fig tree! 👏🎉

So that is it in a nutshell, I hope this method works as well for you as it does for me!

»» Please be sure to check out my rooting tips series to answer FAQs and also check out my post on Rooting Mixes.

🪴 Have you tried this and it worked for you? Let me know in the comments below!

Or

Have a different favorite rooting method? Let’s talk about it in the chat!

I technically have moved on from grafting tape when rooting as it’s not my favorite in that application. However, I still love it for grafting and the same principles apply when prepping your scions for that.

Hope it helps!

It all starts with the rooting mix to facilitate healthy growth. Rooting mixes are the growing medium used to propagate fig cuttings in pots. It can mean success or failure for your cuttings to grow into healthy plants. Excess water is often blamed for cuttings rotting, but really it isn’t the water at all— It is the lack of oxygen that causes tissue death.

Yard soil does not always work the best for this, and standard potting mixes at your local garden center often don’t cut it either for indoor rooting. Why not? Read on to find out…

What’s Wrong With Potting Mix At My Local Store?

Premade & bagged potting mixes often do not have a proper ratio of materials and can be too moisture-retaining. This is definitely so with seed starting mixes. Other mixes contain organic matter which attracts fungus gnats in a large way, especially since many of these bags have been sitting outside in a yard and become a haven for insects laying their eggs.

Our goal is to create a recipe for success which does not include a bug infestation in our house or a bunch of rotted cuttings. Save the bagged mixes for growing outdoors and read on for materials to use in your own rooting mix, which can be used both indoors or outdoors. So how do we get started? There are a few things to understand first, starting with👇.

Balancing Aeration and Moisture

Having a good balance between aeration and moisture is important for rooting success. Air pockets keep roots healthy and moisture stimulates rooting. Note that even natural soil has a balance between air, water, and particulate. This is why plants like it, nature designed it that way.

Often growers propagate in a heavy or a fine mix that retains a lot of water, think seed starting mixes or straight ProMix. This can lack sufficient oxygen though which inhibits rooting. Water loss can also be slower during winter or in humid climates, which can prolong a reduced oxygen environment, leading to suffocation and tissue death.

Using a medium with a higher amount of perlite or other aerating materials helps to keep cuttings alive and keeps roots healthy because they create pockets of air within the fine material. It’s also easier to work with as you don’t have to worry as much about having precise & measured watering.

Why Does Particle Size Matter?

​Particle size needs to be talked about. When a tree is planted in-ground, water is able to drain down and away from plant roots. But in a container, water is only pulled to the bottom of the pot where it may or may not find a drainage hole to escape.

And then there is capillary action— this is the same force that pulls liquid slightly up a straw as it sits in your beverage cup. The skinnier the straw the higher the liquid is pulled. Likewise, water gets pulled upward into the pores of the potting mix, it is particularly held in tiny pores. When everything is small and fine, they pull up and hold a lot of water. Any air pockets are filled and the plant material eventually suffocates because the water can’t evaporate fast enough. This is what brings on rot.

This isn’t just with the moisture retaining component. Size also applies with the aerating materials when mixed in with them. The finer the aerating material used, the smaller the air pockets and more water is typically retained with these. Larger particles create larger air pockets so less water is retained. Larger particles throughout the mix also lower the saturated zone in a container. Finer particles raise it.

Can you root successfully in a finer mix like ProMix BX? Yes, of course you can and many have. I’ve even heard of people rooting in 100% peat or coco coir, with no aerating materials at all. But this comes with the caveat that you usually then need to be extremely careful with watering. We’re talking weighing pots on scales, using syringes, being extremely precise & careful so your cutting doesn’t die. It’s just a lot of fuss for something that should be simple. Why risk it and make it harder than it needs to be?

So what size to use? Medium particle size is probably the best to aim for when rooting cuttings. Small, fine particles are best suited to seed starting and are not for cuttings. Too large of particles may not hold enough water to stimulate rooting. Sometimes a combination of fine & coarser materials is necessary due to availability and are typically used together to balance a mix out.

Standard Mixes​

A good starting ratio is 50/50 of peat to aerating materials or 60/40 coco coir to aerating materials, and should work in most environments. (Coco coir holds less water than peat, so a lower ratio of aerating materials can be used with it for a standard mix. Premade coco coir & perlite mixes are often in the 70/30 ratio, but can vary.)

Gritty Mixes ​

The above ratio can change as much as up to about 10-20% peat or coco coir to 80-90% aerating materials to make a very gritty & aerating mix. It is recommended to keep perlite to about 40% or less in such a mix and to use other aerating components that can retain some water. This is so the mix does not dry out too quickly as cuttings require consistent moisture to initiate rooting. I personally would keep perlite down to 15% or less.

Why use a gritty mix to root? A gritty mix can be fantastic for very humid environments, if you like to water frequently, even every day, or if you have a cutting that you are worried will rot.

One of the main detractors of using a very high ratio gritty mix is that the particles do not clump or hold together on their own. So, one needs to be very careful at up-potting that there is a significant amount of roots to hold everything together when the plant is removed from the pot. Even then, particles will fall out from the root area. This is problematic if the roots are too tender because they can be torn off the cutting. So, it is typically recommended to be very rootbound before the first up-pot using these.

I generally recommend these high ratio gritty mixes for specialty situations because they can be higher maintenance, especially if you’re in a dry climate. They require frequent watering to maintain proper moisture to induce rooting, but can be very successful. Perfect for those who tend to love their cuttings a lot and overwater.

Make Your Own Custom Mixes​

Moisture Retaining Materials:

• Coco coir​, long-strand and fine

• Sphagnum peat moss​

Aerating materials, no moisture retention:

• Coarse Perlite​

• Pumice, my favorite over perlite!​

• Coarse Sand suitable for gardening, such as washed all-purpose builders sand​

• Crushed Granite ​

• Expanded Shale​

Aerating materials, some moisture retention:

(These have some moisture absorption & nutrient retaining ability. However, this is limited & not significant enough to put them in the moisture retention category. Their properties remain highly aerating in general.)

• Coarse Vermiculite

• Calcined Clay Pellets, such as EP Minerals Safe T Sorb

• Pelletized Zeolite, such as KMI 8x14 or 4x8

• Pelletized Diatomaceous Earth, such as OptiSorb sifted​

• Biochar

• Chunky Coco Coir**​ (soak in water before using)

• LECA (soak in water before using)

** Starts off aerating with some absorption but will break down over time becoming only moisture retaining. Watch your particle size in relation to your container size.​

Ratios:

Choose one ingredient from each of the three categories above to make a good balanced gritty mix ratio of 1:1:1.

It can be as simple or complicated as you like. You can customize further by changing your ratios or adding in more ingredients.

Standard ratios for rooting mixes are anywhere from 70/30 to 50/50, moisture-retaining / aerating.​ Heavier gritty ratios can go to 20/80.

It is super easy to create your own custom mix to suit your needs and ingredient availability. Just choose your ingredients and your desired ratio based on the properties you would like it to have, and get to mixing!

Save Time With A Premade Medium Turned Into Gritty Mix​

It can save some time to get a premade growing medium that already has some of the ingredients we want as a part of our mix. Premade combinations of coco coir & perlite or peat & perlite can often easily be found at garden centers. All we need to do is add other the components we are interested in using.

Sunshine Mix #4, ProMix HP or BX, or a premade coco coir & perlite mix can be used for a gritty mix. This can be about a 1:1, 1:2 or 1:3 ratio when using these, depending on how gritty you want it.

Example, 1 part Sunshine Mix #4 to 1-3 parts other aerating materials. Because these already have perlite, another moisture-absorbing aerating choice may be better, such as vermiculite or calcined clay.

Peat Amounts By Ratio Of Added Material

Sunshine Mix #4 has 70% Peat, 30% Perlite.

»» Add in other material at 1:1 ratio, ends with 35% Peat

»» Add in other material at 1:2 ratio, ends with 23% Peat

PRO-MIX BX has 75-85% Peat, 20-25% Perlite.

»» Add in other material at 1:2 ratio, end with 25-28% Peat

PRO-MIX HP has 65-75% Peat, 25-35% Perlite.

»» Add in other material at 1:1 ratio, ends with 33-38% Peat

​This is handy for knowing how much moisture retaining portion you have in your gritty mix.

Should You Add Compost Or Manure?

I do not use organic material in my rooting mixes, such as compost or manures, as they encourage anaerobic bacterial growth to break down the organic matter, and can have insect eggs. This is not the environment we want for rooting. I save the organics for after rooting, once they are outside.

I do not recommend using wood-based materials in rooting or potting mix as they are meant to break down and do not have a long life. I strongly feel that you do not want decomposing matter as the base around roots.

You’ve reached the end friend and these are my favorite rooting mixes 👇​

My favorite mix is 65/35 coco coir & perlite when buying premade. I like using pumice instead of perlite when making my own mix and usually do about a 50/50 peat to pumice mix. Another favorite is 1 part peat, 1 part pumice, 1 part coarse vermiculite.

You are officially a rooting mix master for reading this article! Wow and amaze your friends with your growing and rooting prowess by making your own mixes. 🙌🤝👊 Oh yeah 😎

»» Do you have a rooting mix that is your go-to that you love? Let me know in the chat!

Some basic dos and don’ts…

Do: Have Backups

🌱 Buy a few trees if just starting out so that you are not over eager with your rooting cuttings and can try some figs the coming season. This will help with patience, which is essential for growing anything well.

Don’t: Use Rooting Hormone

🌱 I do not use and I do not recommend rooting hormone. It seems to encourage rot and it seems to encourage accelerated growth that then dies out before the cutting can take and stabilize. Fig cuttings root really well on their own and do not usually require hormone. I would only try it as a last resort on varieties that have been stubborn to root for you. Only use liquid/watery ones, do not use powder or gel types which commonly cause rot.

Don’t: Use Heat Mats

🌱 I do not use and do not recommend heat mats if they can be avoided. Heat mats are notorious for overheating which can kill tender, new roots or the bottom portion of your cutting. They also can dry out your rooting mix from the bottom up, which means you are unable to know that the inside of your pot is dry because the top still appears moist. Condensation from the heat is not necessarily an indication that your rooting mix is still damp, but is an indication that moisture has left it.

The heat can also encourage the breakdown of material and bacterial development in wet rooting mixes which then causes your cutting to rot. I would only recommend the use of a heat mat if ambient room temperatures cannot be kept at 70°F or above. However, I personally use a portable room heater near my cuttings instead. 72-78°F is ideal for rooting. Higher temps can encourage bacterial growth & rotting, lower temps stall growth and development, which can lead to rotting if too young & not hardened yet.

Don’t: Rely On Success Rates

🌱 A lot of people like to give basis to a suggested rooting method by self-reported success rates. These are highly subjective though and very click-baity if on social media. There is no one rooting method that can guarantee 100% success. There are many factors that affect success rate, so someone else’s success rate should not be the determining factor for what you choose. The amount & variety of cuttings someone has rooted, cutting quality, environment, rooting mix, up-potting, individual behaviors not spelled out all have a bearing on success rates. So experiment and see which rooting method works best for you with your own individual circumstances.

This is the first post in a series on Rooting Tips. Be sure to subscribe to see the others!