Purpose of Propagation
Fig propagation is done to copy desirable varieties or cultivars that are genetically identical to the parent plant, ensuring similar fruit and growth habits. Propagation allows fig trees to be multiplied quickly, replace dying ones, or be shared among growers.
The common fig is exceptionally easy to root or propagate in comparison to other plants and is naturally resilient, tolerating Virginia’s climate very well, letting figs often root successfully with minimal involvement or equipment.
There are several different methods to propagate figs, of which hardwood cuttings are the most common due to their ease and high success rates.
Materials
Hardwood cuttings require a sharp pair of shears or a knife; the dormant one-year-old wood; a container or pot with about 2-4″ or 5-10 cm of room per cutting; a water source; a well-draining and aerating propagation medium such as peat, coir, perlite, or vermiculite mixes; and optionally a rooting hormone such as IBA or a humidity cover.
Seasonal Timing
Hardwood cuttings can be taken during the dormant period when plants aren’t creating new growth, from around late November to early March in Virginia.
Figs will root best at a time when the soil is warm enough during the growth season; hardwood cuttings are taken and planted during dormancy but usually begin rooting thoroughly once the soil warms in early spring.
Hardwood Cuttings
Cutting Characteristics
The cutting should have at least one or multiple nodes, be taken from disease-free wood, be around 6″ to 12″ in length, and be 0.25″ to 0.75″ in diameter, with any length and width around these likely to work. Nodes are small bumps where leaves are or had once been attached or where buds or roots begin to grow; any propagated stem without a node will rarely be able to make new growth, and cuttings whose stems are cut directly at the node will be unlikely to make growth from that particular node.
Environment
Warm temperatures (70°F / 21°C) promote faster rooting, and high humidity (65 to 75% RH) is helpful but not absolutely necessary for hardwood cuttings.
Direct sunlight should be ideally avoided until roots have developed in order to prevent water loss, and once the plant has rooted, it should be moved to an area with bright indirect sunlight or an artificial light to promote leaf growth. Afterwards, once the plant has developed a root system and has created new leaves and ideally when outdoor temperatures are above 45°F / 7°C, it can then be moved into direct sunlight permanently, where a full day of sunlight will result in the best growth for the tree. Upon moving into direct sunlight, the plant should be watched for sunburn; any bleached, yellowed, or scorched leaves or stems indicate the plant has not yet acclimated to the sun and needs shade via moving to shadier spots or covering with a cloth to reduce the intensity of sunlight.
Optionally at the base of the cutting, lightly scrape off the thin outer layer of bark to reveal the green tissue layer underneath, then dip the base in a low-strength rooting powder with hormones such as IBA or NAA.
Watering and Propagation Mediums
Since cuttings lack roots and therefore can’t absorb water efficiently, the soil or propagation medium should be kept slightly moist but not soggy, as excess water and poor soil aeration can create rot. It’s best for the soil or medium to be light enough to provide this drainage and aeration, such as sand, perlite, peat moss, potting soil, or coconut coir mixtures, all of which are great for rooting, while heavier soils, such as clay, would retain too much water.
Rooting
Once roots have formed, cuttings that successfully root can be transplanted into the ground or a larger container, saving space in the process, as any unsuccessful cuttings can be discarded before transplanting. However, newly formed roots are fragile during transplant, especially in moving water-rooted cuttings to soil, which can lead to transplant shock where the cutting’s roots do not adjust to the soil or final medium. Because of transplant shock and unsuccessful rootings, growers root multiple cuttings to increase the chance that at least one survives.
Pre-rooting
Pre-rooting is where the cutting is not directly planted into the final container but instead into a temporary propagation medium. This medium can be any of the previously mentioned methods, such as peat, perlite, or coir mixes; a cup with around 250 mL or one cup of water replaced around once a week; or wrapped in a moist paper towel and then put in a plastic bag. All of these scenarios are then left in a warm environment with bright indirect light for typically two to three weeks, or possibly more, depending on conditions. Pre-rooting is more effort-intensive than direct rooting, but yields higher success rates and allows easier monitoring.
Direct Rooting
Direct rooting means planting the cutting directly into the final container or ground where it will mature. This often means planting in a biodegradable container, such as a peat, coir, or paper pot, which is designed to break down as roots grow through the decomposed pot, avoiding the step of moving the cutting after planting in the ground. Direct rooting is simpler and requires less handling compared to pre-rooting, but unsuccessful cuttings cannot be discarded early, resulting in wasted space, while pre-rooted cuttings conserve space by filtering out unsuccessful cuttings.
Transplanting After Propagation
Firstly, prepare the pot, container, or ground for the plant with the propagation medium. This can be the well-draining media mentioned earlier or simply soil if planting in-ground. Gently remove the plant from its medium while keeping the root ball as intact as possible, then plant it while fully covering the roots with the stem exposed the same amount as before. After transplanting, water thoroughly to settle the medium around the roots without leaving the soil soggy.
Virginia Climate and Aftercare
Most of Virginia’s common fig cultivars are relatively temperature tolerant and usually require little or no winter protection when mature, but young plants (1-3 years old) often require protection. Virginia’s climate results in figs usually suffering more from the winter cold than summer heat. Figs are occasionally susceptible to harsh winters below -10°F / -23°C, especially while young. In order to avoid dieback in young plants in such temperatures, cover the base of the plant with mulch or insulation and avoid pruning late in the growth season; cold-hardy cultivars such as Chicago Hardy, Brown Turkey, and Celeste are best suited.
Resources
“Propagation of Trees, Shrubs, and Vines from Hardwood Cuttings.” Yard and Garden, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/propagation-trees-shrubs-and-vines-hardwood-cuttings.
“Growing Figs in Maryland | University of Maryland Extension.” Umd.edu, University of Maryland Extension, 2024, extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-figs-maryland/.
Phillips, E. L. Figs for Virginia. Virginia Cooperative Extension, 1979, https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/c51298c7-c9a0-435d-a639-c25f24b5181e/content.