Air layering a fig.

[Lardman]

Anyone have any first hand experience in doing this ?

My brown turkey is a bit of a tangled mess of branches, it came from the nursery like that which was a shame as I had intended to formally train it. I thought Id have a bash at air layering today to get a nice clean start next year.

Everything I know about figs I can write on the back of a postage stamp with a thick wax crayon. The donor plant is currently figless, potted in jacks magic in a 30l pot in the greenhouse.I've gurgled the air layering process and it looks simple enough but should I be doing anything else to the donor plant to speed things along?

[flynch]

From my understanding fig cuttings root very easily. I airlayed a honeyberry last year and it worked great. I'd be tempted to do half as cuttings and half as airlayers and see the difference in success rate between two.

[veggiechicken]

I've grown figs from cuttings too. Also found that, where a branch touches the soil, it will root itself. `From a couple of cuttings I have a fig hedge

[Guest]

This is worth a read if you haven't already http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1285758

[Lardman]

So it really is as easy as the videos suggest ?

I've given it a go on one of the more vigorous shoots, I chickened out of cutting the bark though

Fig hedge - now there's an idea.

[burnie]

Mentioned today on Beechgrove, might be on iplayer

[Lardman]

Mentioned today on Beechgrove, might be on iplayer

Any idea of which episode ? The website isn't exactly user friendly

[Guest]

BBC iPlayer - The Beechgrove Garden - 2017: Episode 8

Episode 8, approx. 16 mins in.

[Lardman]

Episode 8, approx. 16 mins in.

Had to beat the computer with a big stick to watch it but I got there in the end. Surprised to see it was only a tennis ball sized gadget, Id have thought more roots while attached would have been better.

A little more gurgling this afternoon suggests that grafting them is easy too You can see where I'm going with this can't you

[BUFFS]

those plastic balls ,filled with a mixture of moss and compost, really moist, clip over the branch ,sealing in the moisture, allowing the new roots a good place to grow. I strip a 2ins length of the bark 3/4 of the way round and then clip the ball on, then its 6-8 weeks max until you can snip the new plant off, with some of the rooting balls you can see when you have roots. you end up with a ball of roots that need potting on and putting in a shady location while they get a chance to build up a viable system, the balls are big enough to do the job but not weigh the branch down..

[Lardman]

At last some good news from the garden (it's been in very short supply this year). I checked both air layers today and both are showing roots

The one I stripped ½ the bark from has the most and I could probably cut it away now but I'd best leave things for another couple of weeks, thin roots and fat thumbs aren't a good combination.

I'm almost tempted to do a few more