What I have found that saved a few of my air layers that went into shock was liquid kelp. I had a pot blow over and broke off the air layer and another I rammed my wheel barrow into. They were large two limb layers that were just starting to put on roots. Not lignified all green. Major shock, everything was bent over the next morning. I stripped all the leaves and figs and fed them kelp. In 24 hours they both upright and survived. The roots they had were no more then maybe an inch. They should not have survived. I have also saved cuttings by adding it when I see roots turning brown. And also into my air layers to speed up root development. Kelp has growth hormones.
@@LiveLoveCanberra let me know what you think next year. I have a Godfather sapling I tried to dig up and replant in a pot. It was tiny maybe 4 in with 2 leaves. Well the roots ripped right off so all I had was a tiny tree with no way to feed itself. I stuck it in a 4 in pot and watered with kelp. After a week one leaf fall off. Thought it was a goner but it’s been 5 weeks now and it’s still alive. It hasn’t grown any leaves but the tiny trunk has gotten thicker and is lignifing at the bottom. I tap the leaf every now and then to see if it will fall off. And apical tip is still green. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed. The soil I have in is a mixture of mushroom soil, compost and perlite. Also I have found that brown roots don’t always mean it’s dying. I believe they are just older roots and at that point should be up potted.
It has been a much colder start to spring for maximum temperatures this year compared to last. Last year by this date we had 6 days above 20o and two days in August. This year our maximum has been 17.4o this month and 18.3o in August as our monthly maximum. Minimum temperatures have been warmer though. I am planning an update on my outdoor fig either today or tomorrow, depending on when I can find the time
Most looking really good Nathan 👍 What is the soil mix The plants will love the regular watering but fungal spores will probably multiply in the soil unless inert medium used
I add a beneficial fungal and bacterial supplement to the water every couple of weeks, so I kind of count on that happening. The goal being that the good spores and bacteria out-compete the bad ones. I used to use inert mediums in the past, and most ingredients are inert still, except these days I also add a living soil-mix component in place of a sterile peat.
Watch my video on daily watering vs more intermittent, I am strong believer that daily is better. I have not posted in a long time, but the actual answer here was fungus gnats!
Nathan have you ever rooted cuttings of older totally grey wood about an inch thick? If so how successful? ( your grow tents seem to do a great job). I was given some old hard grey wood cuttings which I've had to store in the fridge as been too busy of late, but not sure if they will work. Cheers
I have, but they can be harder, they can fail more easily and can take a longer time to get going. I think that a hardwood hormone you can get from Bunnings will make it easier.
@@LiveLoveCanberra I’ve got pieces of yellow sticky board stuck in almost every pot in my house. They seem to be gone. From the house. The boards are full of them.😁
My current theory is fungus gnats, even though I treated the soil, I haev recently put up some sticky traps and have caught hundreds of the little devils......
Thanks for that updated report on the fig roots Nathan, there certainly does seem a difference between the indoor and outdoor tents
What mixtures of soil had been used on these fig cuttings?
Thank u.
What I have found that saved a few of my air layers that went into shock was liquid kelp. I had a pot blow over and broke off the air layer and another I rammed my wheel barrow into. They were large two limb layers that were just starting to put on roots. Not lignified all green. Major shock, everything was bent over the next morning. I stripped all the leaves and figs and fed them kelp. In 24 hours they both upright and survived. The roots they had were no more then maybe an inch. They should not have survived. I have also saved cuttings by adding it when I see roots turning brown. And also into my air layers to speed up root development. Kelp has growth hormones.
Liquid kelp sounds interesting, I have heard similar things in the past, but I think you have just convinced me to try it
@@LiveLoveCanberra let me know what you think next year. I have a Godfather sapling I tried to dig up and replant in a pot. It was tiny maybe 4 in with 2 leaves. Well the roots ripped right off so all I had was a tiny tree with no way to feed itself. I stuck it in a 4 in pot and watered with kelp. After a week one leaf fall off. Thought it was a goner but it’s been 5 weeks now and it’s still alive. It hasn’t grown any leaves but the tiny trunk has gotten thicker and is lignifing at the bottom. I tap the leaf every now and then to see if it will fall off. And apical tip is still green. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed. The soil I have in is a mixture of mushroom soil, compost and perlite. Also I have found that brown roots don’t always mean it’s dying. I believe they are just older roots and at that point should be up potted.
Good update - thanks!
Thanks!!
G'day Nathan, how's the outdoor temperature and how did the outdoor fig experiment go.cheers greg
It has been a much colder start to spring for maximum temperatures this year compared to last. Last year by this date we had 6 days above 20o and two days in August. This year our maximum has been 17.4o this month and 18.3o in August as our monthly maximum. Minimum temperatures have been warmer though. I am planning an update on my outdoor fig either today or tomorrow, depending on when I can find the time
Most looking really good Nathan 👍
What is the soil mix
The plants will love the regular watering but fungal spores will probably multiply in the soil unless inert medium used
I add a beneficial fungal and bacterial supplement to the water every couple of weeks, so I kind of count on that happening. The goal being that the good spores and bacteria out-compete the bad ones. I used to use inert mediums in the past, and most ingredients are inert still, except these days I also add a living soil-mix component in place of a sterile peat.
Have you ever had a cutting fully root and grow a few leaves and then just stop? Ive had the same two leaves on one of my cuttings for two months.
Many and they are the most annoying of all. My current theory is fungus gnats
Your rotting them out, wet your soil one time when you plant them and put them in a bag and don’t touch them
Watch my video on daily watering vs more intermittent, I am strong believer that daily is better. I have not posted in a long time, but the actual answer here was fungus gnats!
Why are you exposing the roots to light?
Only to track progress until they move to their bigger black pots
Nathan have you ever rooted cuttings of older totally grey wood about an inch thick? If so how successful? ( your grow tents seem to do a great job). I was given some old hard grey wood cuttings which I've had to store in the fridge as been too busy of late, but not sure if they will work. Cheers
I have, but they can be harder, they can fail more easily and can take a longer time to get going. I think that a hardwood hormone you can get from Bunnings will make it easier.
Try adding liquid kelp. It has growth hormones and anti fungal properties.
@@kicknadeadcat thank you, I shall try
Hello have you tried a 30% peroxide watering ,Once or twice
I have not, does it help?
Have you ever tried a 5 minute soaking Hyrogen Peroxcide of your cuttings
I have considered it, it apparently makes a big difference
Do you have fungus gnats where you are? Here in the US they’re a problem and they larva feed on roots.
They are the absolute worst, I filmed a few videos on this, which I have not yet edited and posted, probably in a little while I will put that up
@@LiveLoveCanberra I’ve got pieces of yellow sticky board stuck in almost every pot in my house. They seem to be gone. From the house. The boards are full of them.😁
@@davehendricks4824 I tried that and caught hundreds and hundreds, but the plague was powerful
@@LiveLoveCanberra wow! How about a dusting of diatomaceous earth on the soil surface? Just bought some.
When will you part 4,or the 10 top figs Sue
Hi Sue, just up now! Sorry it took me so long!
Why do you think this happened?
My current theory is fungus gnats, even though I treated the soil, I haev recently put up some sticky traps and have caught hundreds of the little devils......
To wet