Rooting Tips: A Few General Basics
A few things I learned rooting over the years
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.