Encouraging aerial roots - ficus retusa

[JTred]

I'd like to encourage more aerial roots in my ficus. Pretty much I'd like to go from the "ginseng" style to more of a banyan style. As of now I just have a wet paper towel loosely wrapped around the root that already has 2 root buds, however I may switch to a plastic bag if I don't see results in a week or so. I was wondering if I should put a little bit of rooting hormone on the buds and other areas? My hormone has the added benefit of having a fungicide as well, which could prevent problems associated with high humidity, but I'm not sure if it will speed up the rooting process. Also, I've recently been thinking that the problematic low branch that sprouted (which caused the problems in [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19688]this[/url] thread)could be used as a banyan as well. I'm not sure if this would work, but basically it would be brought down and ground layered, hopefully in a position to hide the reverse taper that this tree has.

[Gnome]

JTred,

One grower I read about used damp,long fibered, moss wrapped around the trunk and enclosed in Aluminum foil. If you are already seeing roots I'm not sure that rooting hormone is going to help you much but I don't suppose it can hurt either. Please keep us posted.

Norm

[JTred]

I'll have to try to get some sphagnum moss and aluminum foil next time I'm out. I hear so many uses for the stuff, I just never got around to buying any of it. I tried the wet paper towel for about a week and saw absolutely no results, not even any swelling of the buds. Now I'm trying the paper towel, a plastic shopping bag, and, (I know this is getting a bit out there) a bowl of water heated up in the microwave to produce some added humidity. I may get rid of the paper towel though. Also as for that problematic branch I wired it downward at a sharp angle, luckily it is very young and flexible. I'm hoping it will grow all the way down to the soil so I can ground layer it. It already covers up the reverse taper pretty well. In the end I'm hoping that changing from a "ginseng root" style to more of a banyan style (I don't particularly like the "chubby fingers" look) will make the tree look more natural and will get rid of the skinny spot in the middle.

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus9-29-09002.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus10-29-09003.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6219/ficus11309003.jpg[/img]

I also did a little bit of styling last night.

[JTred]

Just thought I'd update, I've got several roots now, just not exactly in the places I want them. There are lots of white buds where I'd hoped to get some roots, but the ones that actually became roots mostly came in from the back. However they seem to have a tendency to want to wrap around to the front, which I like. I'll try to encourage them to wrap around to the places that I want them, but ultimately I think I may end up doing at least one thread graft this summer. On an unfortunate side note, the diversion of energy towards the roots has pretty much halted growth on top, which has the side effect of slowing down the branch I'm hoping to use to cover up the reverse taper.

[Marsman]

Neat looking tree, JT.

[Rosaelyn]

If you are trying to encourage surface roots, you can also score the base of the trunk, add a bit of rooting hormone and then wrap with the sphagnum moss. With a ficus, this should easily promote new roots.

I've not tried this with my ficus yet, but at a recent meeting of my local bonsai society, one of the gentleman did this with a ficus retusa with great results.

[JTred]

Well I've all but given up on aerial roots for now. I may try again in the summer when it is growing more vigorously. I got two nice roots, but one of them dried out and died. On the main root I got these weird splits and bulges. I may also try a thread graft if my one cutting doesn't look like it has the potential for mame, and I'm feeling especially lucky.

Strange Splits and Bulges:
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus12-4-09001.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus12-4-09002.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus12-4-09004.jpg[/img]

The one good root:
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus12-4-09003.jpg[/img]