Question about propagating ficus in water.

[YamadoriFL]

I chopped the top of a tiger bark ficus and I thought I read somewhere that these things take root in a jar of water. The cutting is about 1/2” in diameter.

I’ve propagated many plants over the years with root hormone and peat pots, etc.

Do any of you all have experience propagating ficus in water that you’d mind sharing? If not I guess I can just dip it in rooting powder and put it in my rooting medium.

Thanks in advance.

 

[penumbra]

I do both and frequently. I like the up front ease of starting in water, but it catches up with you when you take the extra care to pot it up once rooted. If you have the space, I am finding that rooting in a potting mix is giving better results than those in my floating hydroponics tanks. I certainly get higher percentile rooting.
Of course I just now noticed you are in Florida. I don't think it makes a bit of difference as they will surely root.

 

[DonovanC]

The more humidity and warmth you can provide the cuttings the better. I have a makeshift indoor greenhouse made from a shelf that’s wrapped in clear plastic with some Walmart LEDs. The lights keep it warm and I open it to mist it daily. It stays very humid but since I open it a couple times daily I don’t get mildew or mold, haven’t had any fungus issues. I start them in a jar of water sitting in my indoor greenhouse then as soon as I see roots I put them in a pot.

 

[canoeguide]

I've seen/heard of people rooting them in water. With that said I've had 100% success just sticking them in whatever medium I want, so long as they are kept above 60f.

 

[penumbra]

I do find Tiger Bark to be one of the easiest to root. I have several rooting in water and several more in soil. In this case, soil is easier but water can take up less space in my system. There are other ficus that are ever so much more challenging.

 

[DonovanC]

I've seen/heard of people rooting them in water. With that said I've had 100% success just sticking them in whatever medium I want, so long as they are kept above 60f.

I don’t know that there’s much benefit to rooting them in water first, but it does ease my anxious mind - it’s nice to have that “yay, there’s roots” feeling when you see the first roots spear in the water.
When it comes to ficus, I don’t think there really is a difference between the methods unless you let the soil dry to much.
I only do this in the winter. During the outdoors portion of the year all of my cuttings go straight into some soil.

 

[John P.]

Quite a bit over the years. But always smaller cuttings: