Sunday 23 March 2014

Ground Layering Fig Trees - Part 2

Back in July last year I did a post on ground layering fig trees and today I dug them up to see how they did.
 The first one came up with good roots growing where it had been in the soil, so I was optimistic about the others.
 However that optimism was misplaced as the rest had either a tiny bit of root on or none at all. Only a 40% success rate with just two showing roots out of a possible five.
In future I think I'll stick with taking cuttings from fig trees as they worked well in the past (see my two other posts here and here) and it's less work as once the cuttings have taken they're already in the pot so no need to handle them twice.
Ground layering works well with some plants (like hazel or blackberries) so I'll use this method with other things and I might give air layering a try later in the year as another method of propagation. What methods of propagating trees and bushes does everyone else use and do you all experiment with new methods?

7 comments:

  1. That is good to know, If you do enough of them 40 percent is fine. I am still trying to get rooted ones to grow in our cold winters.

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    1. Yeah I'd still go fro the cuttings though it seems so much easier! I struggle with growing figs so I'm making a real effort now!

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  2. I do layering usually. it's the only method I am always successful at! I often stick prunings into pots and do very well with this. It tends to be less successful when I try too hard and get the soil just as it should be etc. I've always wanted to have a go at grafting.. have you done this?
    Gill

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    1. I love grafting (I've been doing it today - blog post on Tuesday about it). You should really give it a try as it's much easier than you think and if it goes wrong it's not the end of the world. I wish I started grafting things ten years ago but I was always put off because I thought it was difficult.

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  3. I have bought fig trees from wilkinsons, you know they look like a stick wrapped in a bin bag. I have bought probably 6 and only one has ever grown even slightly. I daren't take it out of the green house

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    1. I had some cuttings take last year but they've not grown much. I do struggle with growing figs, maybe its that I try too hard! I've got big plans to plant all along the side of dads barn with them if I can get enoguh cuttings to take!

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  4. I've been meaning to research propagating elder bushes. I would love to have an entire hedge of them so there'd be enough berries for both us and the birds!

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