Progress Report. Fig Cuttings. Origins of Fig Varieties. 1.29.14

Carini fig cuttings showing roots.

 One Dominick fig cutting wilted.  It is in plastic bag.  There is a vulnerable stage for wilting, leaves about 1 inch diameter.  I don't know why that is.  A humidity bag can sometimes serve as a small intensive care unit and bring it back to health.

Two Dominicks are growing fast.  The 4th is slowly making progress.

One Carini cutting has sufficient roots to go into seed-starting medium in a juice can.  The cutting with leaves does not have enough roots so stays in paper towel.

Sicilian White fig cutting showing roots.

The 'rescue' Carini is growing fast.  Surprised me.

One Sicilian White has roots, a small leaf shoot, and an bee-bee sized fig.  I removed the fig.  Draws energy the cutting can't produce without good roots and big leaves.  This one is now in seed-starting medium in a juice can.

The others are barely showing root callous.  The are back into paper towel/plastic bag.  I'm glad I cut off the ragged ends.  I think that debridement stopped mold / prevented further mold growth.  They look clean and healthy.

MacOol might  not make it.  Neither is promising.

Hardy Chicago and Lattarula have root callous.  There seem to be several plateaus.
1 - Incubation before initial root callous forms.
2 - Callous sits there for a while, then roots form.  Then they usually grow quickly.
3 - After planting the rooted cutting into seed starting medium, there is a pause or very slow growth of the first leaves.  They putter along until about one inch diameter.
4 - After the first leaves reach that threshold, they subsequent leaves usually grow quickly.  At that point, the cutting is out of the neonatal care unit and able to do well as a little plant, drawing nutrition from its own leaves and roots.

It's just coincidence there are several in my orchard that originate from Sicily.   Must be a bit of a tribute to the Sicilian immigrants who nurtured them for generations.  If Sicilian White grows, that adds to Hardy Chicago, Sal's, and Carini as originating from Sicilian immigrant families. 

Second largest group, if the survive, is Louisiana figs.  Smith (possibly Croatian), hybrid offspring of Celeste, Champagne and TIger.

French named varieties, White Marseilles (Lattarula), Petite negri (Petite aubique).

American hybrids, Champaigne, TIger, Desert King (King).

Old, hundreds of years old, American varieties, White Marseilles (Grown by Thomas Jefferson, also called Lemon, Lattarula, and other names), Brunswick (also called Magnolia, Dalmation, Kennedy, and other names).

I don't know the origin of Atreano, assuming it survives.

Dominick is Italian.  I don't know if it is Sicilian or from the mainland.

Some of the origin information comes from Ray Given's old website from Georgia, now maintained on the Figs4fun database.  Ethnic (Italian and Greek, mainly), Dark Figs,  Light Figs.

Also from Ira Condit's vast classic monograph,  which while historic contains substantial information about individual varieties - hundreds? -  and which ones have multiple names.

Fig Cuttings. Progress Report. 1.25.14

1st Carini cutting to root.  Start 1-11-14.

 The Carini cuttings are rooting nicely.  At 13 days, I've potted the most rooted one in seed starting medium.  That cutting does not have visible bud swelling.  Could be a false start.  I will keep it in the warm indoor nursery, but not waste lighting space for it.

The other 2 Carini cuttings are making lots of root initials.  One has a approx 5mm long root.  Should be ready to move up into seed starting soil early next week.

Carini cuttings.  Start 1-11-14.

Hardy Chicago Cuttings.  Started 1-18-14

 I try to move into seed starting soil before the roots are long enough for my clumsy fingers to cause damage.

Those labels are becoming illegible.  They are laundry marker Sharpie on re-used plant labels.  I have some compostable disposable picnic knives saved from lunches at work.  They have more absorbent, rougher surface.  Will try one.  I don't know if it will compost itself in situ.  Doubt it.

MacOoL Cutting.  Started 12-24-14

 Hardy Chicago cuttings at 7 days.  Evidence of early root initials.  Buds look healthy.  I don't know if these start so fast because of the variety, or because the cuttings are fresh and haven't traveled through the mail.  Still, I expect about the same speed of growth as the Carinis.

MacOol may be capitalized incorrectly.  This cutting is via generous fig forum member.   Forum is figs4fun.  One of the nicest fora on the internet.

The 2 MacOol cuttings are now at 31 days.  There seem to be more root initials on this cutting.  It also appears to have buds.  The other, now in seed starting medium, is the terminal end.  More roots.  Unsure about the terminal bud.  MacOol was described as one of the best tasting figs of 2002.  Origin, fig collector in Pennsylvania (TreesOfJoy.com), cold hardy Syrian fig.  He specializes in family heritage, or ethnic figs that survive in the Pennsylvania climate.  Most offerings are via ebay.  I don't buy from ebay, waiting for him to offer some on his website.

Sicilian White Cuttings.  Started 1-11-14

The Sicilian White fig cuttings show root initials at 14 days.  One 1mm root.  There are round buds, good. 

There may be more than one type of "Sicilian White".  This was also offered by a fig forum member after I sent cuttings from Smith.  The ends were rough cut, and looked susceptible to fungal or bacterial infection, so I cut back with sharp pruners to fresh wood.  Now looking good.