Easy Fig Propagation

In our experience, the edible fig tree is one of the easiest plants to propagate. A little research will reveal multiple methods from "air layering" to "sticking cuttings." Some methods require greenhouses or heat mats or other special equipment. For the methods we use, common household items and some basic skills are the only requirement. We've tried most methods and will detail the methods that we find the easiest and virtually foolproof.

Pinning Branches

The simplest method of all is to bend a low growing pencil sized fig branch over, pin it to the soil, and bury the section touching the soil. We find it best to "pin" branches in the early spring right before or shortly after bud break.

If you live in a climate where figs grow continuously through the year, you can "pin" branches anytime, you'll just need to keep the "pinned" spot moist.

Roots will develop at the "pinned" location on the branch and the end of the branch will develop into a separate tree. We like to let the new tree grow for 6 months or until dormancey sets in our climate. We then sever the new fig tree from the parent branch, dig up the new tree and transplant to its new location.

We "pinned" this fig branch with a rock and piled soil on the rock and the branch. You can see the new tree growing on the right side of the picture.

Cutting Propagation

If you want to buy cuttings to propagate or have a friend with a tree you'd like to clone, then you'll want to try the "zip top bag" method. We find that pencil sized "brown wood" works best although we've had success with cuttings up to 3/4" in diameter.

"Brown wood" are those branches that have had time to mature from green to brown color. In our zone, 7B/8A, we like to take cuttings right after leaf drop in the fall. If we wait to long into the winter, we may have a cold freeze, as low as 6 degrees F last winter, that kills the tops of our trees and leaves us with no viable branches for cuttings. We typically use the branches we normally prune off a tree for our cuttings. We take the branches and cut them down to approximately 6" with at least four nodes. We make the bottom cut just below the a node and the top cut just above a node. Make sure to keep track of which end of your cutting was growing up on the tree, although once the cutting starts to grow it will become fairly obvious.

After you have your cuttings, tear some newspaper into 4" strips, get the strips damp and wrap each cutting or up to three cuttings in the damp news paper strips. Place the cuttings in a zip top bag and set the bag on top of your refrigerator. or where ever else you have room. Just don't set the cuttings in any spot that receives direct sun.

Make sure to leave your bag slightly open and turn it over gently every day.

In a few weeks you should see roots start to form and....

your cuttings are ready to pot up.