Good Year For Figs - Fig Tree Propagation Update

We now have results from our efforts at fig propagation. If you will remember, we tried air-layering, shoving cuttings in dirt, and wrapping cuttings in damp paper towels. My co-conspirator, DK, also tried rooting twigs in water.

RESULTS:

Water - The cuttings rooted in water just fine. I am not sure what DK did with his experiment.

Dirt - The cuttings rooted in dirt "took off."  I had two pots with about 6 or 7 cuttings in each. Only a couple of cuttings failed to root. Early in the spring I transplanted the cuttings to individual pots and all 12 small trees continue to thrive. The only problem is that I didn't pay attention to which fig was which (we were working with 3 different figs, you might recall. Two are tasty large brown figs. One is a giant purple. That tree has not been producing, hence the need to try and propagate). I just used the "leftovers" after I set up the paper towel process. I am not sure if I will be able to determine which is which from the leaves, but I will make the effort to keep only a few of each variety instead of all 12 trees(!).

Here are my two containers of cuttings rooted in dirt. They are in gallon  containers so you can see they are getting crowded (because almost all grew). Fortunately the roots were not too "entwined." I lost no transplants so far.

Paper towel method - I have tried this twice - once last year and once this year. Apparently I do not pay close enough attention to the procedure. Each time my cuttings have molded. My conclusion is that it is silly to go through the hassle of cutting and misting and airing when I can just shove a cutting in the ground and get an 85% (or better) success rate.

Air-layering - DK and I decided to give this method a try. Neither of us could wait until the growing season so we layered dormant trees, first in early February and a month later in March. We were going to do a third set of layers in April, but we were getting some root growth and decided we were good.

First, I have to share that none of our three pear tree layers show any signs of roots. We aren't going to give up as the fig efforts are so good, it just may be that the harder wooded pears are just taking a little longer.

Second, OUR FIGS ARE AMAZING! The February layers are within weeks of transplanting. The "rule of thumb" is that it takes about two months and you wait until the containers are full of roots and you cannot squeeze or flex the container any longer. I tried this today and they are getting pretty tight.

It appears we are having an early year for fruit. Both of the readily bearing trees are full of figs. Even one of our layers has figs on it! The mystery purple giant has at least two figs on it! I am going to try scaring the birds with pie plates so that we may get to experience this special fig this year. Even if the birds beat us to the fruit, we should have the opportunity to SEE it. I have a photo of the fruit in years past and it is amazing.

So, go back to the earlier posts (February 8 and March 16),* if you want to see our process or watch the Youtube videos we watched.

I took photos of many of the layers and will try to identify the different ones:

Here are the two mystery figs. I looked around the tree and didn't see additional fruit, but I will look again. DK thinks this is a Bathenjani fig from Palestine. I don't know, but we hopefully get to taste one this year.

This is a February layer (not pretty, but effective!) on the mystery fig. It looks like we will get a tree (actually all three layers on this tree are growing). Roots are filling up the soda container we used.

This is another of our February layers. Again, you can see the strong root growth.

These figs are on one of the prolific trees. The figs are already quite large.

Yet another February layer with loads of roots. I think this is the branch that actually has figs on it this year. The others are bare. I am curious to see if the figs will continue to ripen if we transplant.

This is the top of the limb we are layering. It will make quite a good sized tree. You can see the fruit.

In March we used CEFCO cups on smaller limbs** to differentiate the layers. You can see that there are fewer roots. This makes sense. The trees were still dormant when we layered and these are a month behind the others.

Here is a view of another CEFCO cup layer.

A few final comments:

We are surprised and excited that things are going well, even as we are disappointed there is no growth in the pear layers.

The directions suggest regular watering. I know that DK and MK have been trying to water these things but the layers are in difficult places and hard to water. It is important to try and find upright limbs to layer, but trees don't always grow that way.  We have a number of containers that are "laying down" or are difficult to reach. Our current success in spite of these challenges tells me that this is a pretty fool-proof method. Like the guy on the video says, "This is guaranteed to work." As the weather heats up, I will need to plan regular trips each week to water.

It appears that we might have some trees to share. We will need to start making plans for our "extras."

NOTES:

*http://walkinthepark-padimus.blogspot.com/2015/02/adventures-in-gardening-air-layering.html (this is the one with the goods)
http://walkinthepark-padimus.blogspot.com/2015/03/air-layering-of-magic-fig-trees.html (this is the one with the photos of the fruit trees blooming, some bees, a spider, and one air-layer in a CEFCO cup - to differentiate the March from the February layers)

Walking in the rain...*

It was not our intent to walk in the cold, blowing rain, but the mist started as we were on the way to the wildlife area and we refused to turn around.

The prairie is lush and green. Wildflowers take turns dominating. Now the Prairie Bishop's-Weed blankets many areas. Thistles and yucca are blooming. The Texas Prairie Stars continue to bloom and disguise other yellow flowers in the fields. Prickly poppies are blooming - their plants line one of the trails and I was glad for thick jeans today.

The speargrass is thick all across the entire area.

But today was a day for the bugs. Perhaps the weird cool weather (in the 50s this morning) slowed them down. I was able to get many images as they were not moving away from the crazy woman with the cell phone (I loaned the camera for a few days and so borrowed DH's phone.**)

So, the walk took the normal route. We headed across the meadows towards the creek. We would find and lose the trails as the grasses are thick now. DH walked ahead and dogs wandered between us. We did skip the bluebonnet clearing in the woods today. We had started to get wet (from ankles to above the knees) because the rain transferred from plants to people as we pushed our way through the lushness.

The creek still ran muddy from recent rains. It is sometimes hard to believe how green everything is. The "dead and dry" look of winter was all a sham. This almost insane growth was hiding - waiting for a little rain and warm weather.

We can tell other people are coming out to the area as we found new broken (and unbroken) clay pigeons from skeet shooting were evident near the entrance. But once one is fifty feet from the gate, much of the human trash is covered, for now.

We will keep coming back as long as we can manage the trails and this explosive growth. I hope we can see the succession of wildflowers through fall.

 Insects and flowers and dogs and such (these photos are unedited and not enhanced. Sorry, I will be cropping some and may add a few later):

DH struggled a bit with the pups. Here you see some of the trash where folks shoot targets near the entrance.

Most of the yuccas were moving toward full bloom.

Spittle bugs are still everywhere. I don't know what this plant is, but will continue to watch it.

Finally, a fire wheel (gaillardia) blooming among the Prairie Bishop's-Weed.

See how green and lush.

A few bluebonnets are scattered among the grass and other flowers.

What's this?

Red, white and blue

I am not convinced we were on a path here.

It looks like a wedding.

Swaths of Prairie Bishop's-Weed.

First thistle I saw blooming.

Indian paintbrushes hiding amid the grass.

I bent over to grab this purple flower (I mentioned this a walk or two ago as resembling Irish Bells) and saw this dragonfly sheltering from the rain.***

Add caption

Verbena among the speargrass.

Prickly poppies about to bloom.

Bugs in the poppy bloom.

Another poppy showing speargrass all around (I am not lying - speargrass was everywhere).

The creek - beautiful green banks, but muddy waters (downstream). If you look closely you can see the rain drops causing ripples on the water's surface.

Upstream. Look at the woods on the other side of the creek - positively Hudson River School look.****

Scruffy jumped right in.

Paddy took off down the path, but we called her back.

Thorny brambles.

I don't know these beetles. They were not only in the poppies.

How many wildflowers do you see?

Punk thistle just starting to bloom.

Thistle bloom.

Another beetle.

True bugs.

DH made this path.

Crow-poison

More little purple flowers.

Texas Prairie Star

We're coming, Mother.

He looks like he's laughing at me.

Beautiful mix of flowers.

Ladybugs are still present on the prairie.

Tiny little flower.

I have now clue. I am calling it DYF (little yellow composite).

This is about to bloom, but I wasn't sure what it is.

I kept trying to get a clear photo of the blooms, but I ended up loving this photo of the thorns against the clouds.

DH and Scruffy heading to the entrance.

Silver-leaved nightshade (my favorite toxic flower as I know it in all stages!)

Maybe not as striking as a field of bluebonnets, but still lovely.

This milkweed by the path is fully blooming now.

More true bugs, I do believe.

The plums are bigger - now the size of the end of my little finger.

This is the first yucca fully blooming.

One of 4 I picked up.

NOTES:

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBBys5TLxCI (Walking in the Rain with the Ronettes).
**It is a good camera, but downloading is long and mindless work.
***The quality of the photos from this phone was amazing. I am almost won over.
****http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River_School

OK, this is a fake. He was in our yard, but I wanted to save him somewhere. We saw him as we loaded the car.