Another Fig Tree Air Layer. Petite Negri. 9 Aug 24.

 This tree is my favorite for flavor, but has erratic, often too-late production.  I don't recommend it here as an "only" tree.  But, the flavor is one of the very best.  So I grow it among the others. The name is "Petite negri" but I've seen it given other names, "Negronne", "Aubique petite" and others.  I never know what to call it.

Eventually I want to remove the fig trees, south of the house, to extend the wildfire mitigation zone.  The tree is too big for me to transplant.   Also, I moved it here from Vancouver in 2017.  It was hard work, and it took a few years to recover.  So I thought, if I can get a good air layer to work, then pamper the new tree, maybe it will establish faster than a moved tree anyway.

The air layer method was the same as for Lattarula, done at the same time.  Link here.   I did two for this tree.  I removed the smaller one, higher on the tree, about two few weeks ago.  It had minimal roots.  I don't think enough to establish a tree.  This one was an off-shoot at the bade of the tree.

So here's the "Burrito" air layer, with string removed.

It felt firm and hard, so I thought either the hot weather dried it out, or the air layer grew roots that dried it out.  Checking under the foil, the soil was packed with roots.  So I cut it off.

I worked fairly quickly.  I don't want it to dry out.  I cut off most of the plastic bag, being careful not to traumatize roots.

Just look at those roots!  Amazing!

I didn't attempt to remove plastic that was tightly bound in the root ball.

Now it's in a bucket of water for a few hours to rehydrate the soil and roots, before planting in potting soil to establish and recover.

Edit:  I didn't want it to soak too long, so I potted up my young new tree.  With a small root mass, it can fall over / uproot too easily, so I provided lots of support.

I cut of the top newest growth, about three inches.  This is where I like for them to start branching.  I didn't want it to wilt due to growing more than the roots can bring up water, until the roots are better established,

The soaking helped a lot to remove the remainder of the plastic bag.  I cut overhanging pieces, then gently eased out the pieces that were stuck in the middle.