Every year as I do the fall pruning I find a few low laying branches on each tree that have touched the ground and have grown roots. Every year, I make a note about this, and then, the following year, I always forget to look at my notes. This year I’m getting smarter as I control the process by starting it very early.
I find this process much easier with less stress as compared to air layering.
It is called Ground or Simple Layering. If you bury part of a living fig branch under soil while it’s still attached to the tree, there’s a very good chance it will root and create a new fig plant.
Here’s what happens:
- The buried section stays connected to the mother tree, so it continues receiving water and nutrients.
- Moisture around the buried branch encourages new roots to form at the buried section.
- After several weeks to a few months, you may have a substantial root system.
- You can then cut the rooted section away from the mother plant and transplant it as a new fig tree.
For figs, it’s particularly easy!
I choose a flexible, healthy branch, bend it down to the ground, and bury perhaps 4–8 inches of the branch. Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged.
One important point: Don’t bury the entire branch. Leave the growing tip above the soil. I use two or three metal pins to hold the branch firmly against the ground. Once the branch is securely in place, I add several handfuls of soil directly over the section of the branch where I want the roots to develop. Finally, I place a large rock or one or two bricks on top of the soil. This adds weight and keeps the branch firmly in contact with the soil, ensuring that it does not shift or move while the roots are developing.
The key is to keep the branch securely anchored and maintain good contact between the branch and the soil. With time, the covered section of the branch can develop roots and eventually become a new, independently growing plant.
Once you see good new growth and/or roots have developed, you can cut the new plant from the mother tree.
For your fig collection, this is actually a very easy way to clone a new fig tree without taking a cutting.
July or early August is a good time to do this, especially with a healthy flexible branch.
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Stay tuned, keep on rootin’ and happy growing!
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