Thread: Fruit, Nut, and Vine Grafting, Tree Propagation, Tree Care

Can't tell you how many cuttings I have lost doing rooting that way. Too much humidity here and I water too much. I'm going with the Fig Pop method this go around. The absolute best results I have had so far is rooting in sand outside. Other than that they rot. Since most of my trees will set a Breba crop I will only prune the tips or extra full trunks. I like a 3 Trunk Fig Tree, One grew out with 10 trunks, one 8 trunks, numerous with 6 trunks. Those are the ones I will be rooting this winter. Our upstairs is much warmer than downstairs in winter. We use a set of propane Logs to heat the house since its so open. Being 26ft to the center of the Vault in the main loft most of the heat rises so the plan is to pack them in the totes and place upstairs. Thank you for posting as others not living on the Gulf Coast will have much better conditions to root figs in than us. They can make use of the videos.

Yeah I could see how those conditions would make it challenging. Wasn’t sure you were aware of this method. I do like the fig pop method as well. Keep us updated on how it goes for you. Hopefully you’ll be selling those cuttings soon!

This morning while waiting on parts to arrive I did a bit of Air Layering. Here is a step by step process. Air Layering can only be done when the bark is slipping or sap is flowing. If the bark won't freely peel off the tree is not growing enough to air layer.



The Pear limb is out of focus but clear in the rest of the shots. This Pear has zero grit, is so juicy when you bite into it sweet juice runs out of your mouth and down your chin. This is the absolute best table Pear ever. So I want more. Behind this tree is the 6 layer variety Pear, where I get my source wood.



The first step is to take a sanitized knife (I use rubbing alcohol) to cut two rings around the limb a couple of inches apart. Split the bark cut to cut and peel away the bark. Afterwards using the edge of your blade perpendicular to the limb scrape any and all hints of remaining green tint on the limb so it does not grow back. You are now ready for growing medium.



I use a sterile seed starter for rooting because you do not want any fertilizer in your growing medium. I buy these clams from Amazon just for this purpose. Any tree can be cloned in this manner. You pack the damp medium in the two halves leaving just slightly over full.



You place the Air Laver Ball over the cut area and do not trust the little latches, tie wrap it closed. there is two little tangs on one end, these go down towards trunk to hold the Ball in place. In about 30 days you can cut the tie wraps to see if you have enough roots. If you do simply cut the limb below the ball and plant your new tree.

What I did today



Standard Plum tree rootstock. I'm layering a few more Plum rootstocks to plant this winter for grafting in the spring. I air layered a rootstock sucker on a very expensive tree to grow this. Now I have all the rootstocks I want for propagating more trees.



The Pear I used in the example above



This is a Australian Sundowner Apple tree that when I received it there was damage to the trunk. I thought I could get it to heal but no, its dying so I want to keep the tree so I will do numerous air layers in the next month a few days apart so I have limbs ready to cut off in stages.

Really cool. This thread is amazing, inspiring and informative.

Do you use any type of rooting hormone?

Great work

Originally Posted by SuperDave336

Do you use any type of rooting hormone?

I do at times, I use Clonex and it works very well.

Just a quick post on how to keep Squirrels and Coons out of your trees. Not only do they rob and waste Fruit & Pecans but they break limbs allowing disease to enter.



This tree trunk is wrapped with 20in wide Aluminum Flashing from Lowes. I cut the wrap a few inches oversize to get a few years out of one purchase. When installing make sure you put it high enough that squirrels can't jump it to climb the tree. Coons can't get purchase to cross it either. I just use Hurricane Clip screws to fasten. They are usually around the Simpson Hardware displays in the big box stores.