If there is no rush, I'd do an airlayering instead. It's guaranteed to work, no waste of fig wood, and one gets a stronger plant faster. If you're not familar with airlayering, here's how it works: While the plant is in active growth, take a clump of moist peat moss or similiar material, place it around a spot on a limb and secure it by wrapping with foil or plastic wrap. In 4 - 6 weeks roots will have developed and the limb can be removed and planted. Note that the moss may need to be watered during this rooting process to maintain moisture. For the rooting medium, I like to use these flattened peat pellets that are sold for seed starting. I soak the pellet and let it swell up, then slit the outer casing from top to bottom on one side to create a "hot dog bun" effect. I then put this on the limb, the limb being like the hot dog going into the bun. Then wrap this with foil. I like using these because they're easy, small, neat, no fuss, and hold water well.

vegbed, I can find a home for some sticks. I'm afraid I don't have lychee, loquat or passionfruit. I do have dwarf mulberry, which is as easy to grow from sticks as plumeria. I'm about to do a major trim on it, so I can offer big, long sticks. I also have calamondin babies. It's a tiny, sour orange that is great in cocktails or as a marinade for fish, and it's no-care in Miami, but I have no idea how long these babies would take to bear fruit. Hmmm. Let's see, what else do I have that might interest? sapodilla seeds - I'll have to check to see if I've got any seedlings, but these often volunteer, so they must be easy to get growing. And it is the most amazingly sweet fruit. Red dwarf ponciana seeds. Queens Wreath seeds A million century plant babies (actually, those are going out with the trash Monday unless someone says something. It bloomed next to a bees' nest and I swear every single flower was pollinated. There are 1.36 million two-inch babies. I've never seen anything like it.) A rather large piece of a staghorn fern that never attached right and needs a new home (the other piece attached, so I'm thinking of just splitting them.) I also have a kind of unusual croton - at least I never see it at HD. It's green/yellow with long, thin, weeping leaves. One six-inch stick rooted in water five years ago is now six feet tall.

If the plant is healthy and large enough, you can take a cutting right now. The weather is warm and most plants are in their new growth cycle, which is the perfect time for propagation. My rule of thumb for cuttings (of course every plant is different) is that you need at least 12" of the plant. It generally works for me, But I'm sure someone on here who is an expert on pentas or crotons will be able to answer your question specifically. good luck!

Tamasine, your hosta should do well if you water it every time you think of it. Part shade is good for a 'Gold Standard' -- their colors vary depending on how much sun they get. Be careful about planting it at the same level it was. If the crown (the top part of the roots, where they joint the plant) is too deep, it will get root rot. And stop your mulch about 2" away from the roots. The only real pests to watch out for are slugs -- you can use slug bait around the plant -- and, alas, chipmunks who are too hungry in spring might go for your new hosta shoots as they emerge, as I learned to my sorrow this spring. Since she gave it to you out of her own yard, you probably don't have to worry about HVX, Hosta Virus X, which often infacts plants bought at Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. The Hosta Library has a link on its home page. Here, you'll need this: Hosta Library: G And you don't need this, I'm just showing off: Lisa's Hostas Not many pix yet - I haven't uploaded much the past couple of years, busy with a dog, but I'll do better this summer.