Fig cutting.... should I defoliate?

[Mike Corazzi]

I stuck a cutting from a fig in a pot last fall to see what would come up.

Well, a month or so ago I pulled what I thought was a weed starting next to the cutting.

nope...it was a shoot. AFTER yanking out the "weed" I saw some roots. The roots to the MAIN cutting got left behind as I ....thought... the cutting was dead and was just pulling out a weed.

So I stuck it in another pot and I guess roots are starting.

Should I cut off those HUGE leaves and see if they come back smaller? Or let them be this season and let them feed whatever roots MIGHT be under them?

note the circles where the main cutting is now making new leaves.


I know this is a crappy pic.

 

[zelk]

Let it grow. Any leaves are helping it reestablish and recover from forcing roots. If you cut it you may get smaller leaves but is that really what the cutting needs?

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Thanks. That was my inclination, but just wanted to confirm.