While fig cuttings may root readily in water, the roots produced this way are quite different from those produced in a solid, soil-like or highly aerated medium (perlite, screened Turface, very coarse sand, e.g.). Physiologically, you will find these roots to be much more brittle than normal roots due to a much higher % of aerenchyma (a tissue with a greater percentage of inter-cellular air spaces than normal parenchyma). If you want to eventually plant your rooted cuttings in soil, it is probably not best to root them in water because of the frequent difficulty in transplanting them to soil. The "water roots" often break during transplanting & those that don't break are very poor at water absorption and often die. The practical effect is nearly equivalent to starting the cutting process over again with a cutting having diminished energy reserves. If you do a side by side comparison of cuttings rooted in water & cuttings rooted in a solid well-aerated medium, the cuttings in a solid well-aerated medium will always (for an extremely high % of plants) have a leg up in development on those moved from water to a solid medium for the reasons outlined above. Al

The Basic method of choice for me is (1) Take a tip cutting of firm new growth (2) remove all leaves but 1 tip leaf (3) If that leaf is large cut in in half(4) apply a rooting hormone of adequate strength. (for the plants you have named us 0.1% IBA) (5) stick in well drained soil & Mist several times a day (6) keep plant out of direct sun & have indirect lighting (7) avoid strong draft but the air should ciuculate freely around the cuttings. usiong this general method I have 80-100% rooting on almost all plants......... Enjoy the fruits of your labeo :)

Yes, it's me. I suppose after spending over 5 years on this hobby, rose propagation is no longer a novelty. What you refer to was Aerocloning popular here a while ago. I think it's fun to play with all sorts of toys as we get pleasure out of doing them rather than getting the high sucess rate. All the pampering we tend to do to get them strike roots eventually fail at the end to create really healthy and tough plants that will grow well into the future. I have done so much rooting and budding with rootstocks. Eventually I got to the stage where every time I budded a rose, I knew within 20 seconds if the job is sucessful or not by judging the look of it. But then nature eludes me at the end. I can get 100% sucess rate but only some of the plants would peform amazingly well. And they would likely outperform commercial roses. The rest get given away or trashed.

Sarah Choi It appears your principle concerned is getting good fruit as quick as possible and perhaps growing some in a different location. If correct the quickest way to good fruit is to tend the trees you have. Unripe, overripe and loss to pest are likely management issues in my opinion. I don't know what zone you are in but if those trees produce even a moderately they can be managed to produce decent fruit. By decent I mean something that you would enjoy as opposed to what your pest will consume which is anything. If they are too close to the patio or you prefer them in another location for any reason. I'd suggest using soft wood cuttings (not green), five inches long at least half inch in diameter with three or four nodes each. There are so many vids on youtube of how to do this, but I simply bury them half way in moist potting soil in a clear (to see root development) plastic disposable cups then place those in plastic bags to retain the moisture. Place them in a warm approximately 75 degree low light location and wait a couple weeks until they have roots and leaves. Check them every other day or so for mold and to let them get fresh air. Keep them moist and when they have good roots slowly harden them off to dryer air. You of course you won't be able to place them outside until they are larger and its warmed back up in mid spring. My 2cent.