The White Adriatic fig tree is an ancient, hardy cultivar originating from the Mediterranean region and has been widely cultivated since Roman times. I have been wanting this variety for a while now. It is a popular, self-fertile, and vigorous fig tree (Ficus carica) known for producing heavy crops of green-skinned fruit with an intensely sweet interior, green-skinned fruit that is strawberry-red and jammy.
But wait, there is more. The hardiness zone of a particular fig variety matters, and I have written about this several times. The hardiness zone truly makes a difference. This particular variety performs very well in zones 7a and higher. I live in zone 6b, so I should not plant it in the ground, because I would never enjoy any fruit from this tree because its fruit simply would not have enough time to ripen.
It took about five days worth of traveling from California the New York and I’m going to take a wild guess and write that they came on a truck and not an airplane.
Once the cuttings arrive, you need to wash them first with soapy water and gently brush them. I use an old toothbrush to remove any dust or debris. I let them rest on an old newspaper, and then I use a utility knife to lightly score the bottoms. The main reason for doing this is to help the cuttings draw water and stimulate rooting for their survival.
One of the cuttings had ten nodes arranged closely together, so I made an executive decision to cut it in half. I purchased six cuttings and ended up with seven. Fingers crossed.
I placed the cuttings in several clean cups filled with about two inches of plain water and covered them with one of those plastic produce bags from the supermarket to maintain humidity.
Tomorrow, I will paint the tops of the cuttings that do not have terminal buds with pruning sealer. I wait until the next day because the tops are usually moist after washing them, and the sealer does not adhere well to damp wood. This step also helps protect the cuttings from future dieback.
I will keep the cups in a well-lit area, but out of direct sunlight, because I want to encourage root growth first and the intense sun will likely kill them. My success rate with this method is nearly 100%, I treat these cuttings like a golden goose. These will not be sold; instead, they will be put to work producing many more cuttings in the future. Of course, all in excellent health.
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Stay tuned, keep on rootin’ and happy growing!
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