How to Start a Fig Tree
- 1). Take two or three 6- to 8-inch cuttings in mid-winter. Even if you only want one tree, multiple cuttings will ensure that you get at least one viable plant. If they all root, you can discard or give away the others. Simply snip the cuttings from new growth that is one year old or less.
- 2). Pot the cuttings if the weather is warm and likely to stay that way; otherwise, store cuttings in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.
- 3). Pack a half-sheet of newspaper tightly in the bottom of a plastic pot that is at least four inches deep. Pour sand or potting mix in the bottom of the pot, stand the cuttings in the potting medium, and fill the remainder of the pot with potting mix.
- 4). Water the potting medium thoroughly and place the pot in indirect sunlight in a warm location where the temperature is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is cooler than 70 degrees, provide additional heat by placing a heating pad under the pot and keeping it set on low heat. Wait until the soil dries out before watering again.
- 5). Ensure that the air and soil stay warm and moist. Cut the bottom off of a 2 or 3-liter soft drink bottle---keeping the cap---and place it over the pot.
- 6). Harden off plants when you begin to see vigorous growth. The Alabama Cooperative Extension warns growers that a few sets of leaves does not qualify as "vigorous growth": look for tall, healthy plants that have grown roots. Begin by removing the bottle cap, and if plants do well after a few days, remove the bottle. Leave the pot uncovered if the plants do not wilt, but replace it if they do.
- 7). Repot individual cuttings in 1-gallon plastic pots.
