AusBonsai

hey all, here's what my daughter affectionately calls the 'bum fig'...

(tried to make a branch a root... don't try it... doesn't work... #mistake #error)

update

From the very first picture, I would have nicknamed it Turbo, the racing snail fig.

Interested to hear your experiences with turning a branch into a root.

I'm experimenting with a couple of Schefflera's and some PJ figs. The Scheff's have responded pretty well and most have a bundle of roots where they have been buried in the substrate for about 6 months now, not sure if the sap flow has reversed yet though. I suspect this is going to be the tricky bit as some of the tips that are underground have sent up new shoots. The PJ's haven't been as quick to send out roots - I'll be checking today though after your comment above on it not working Did you give it a long period to establish the roots underground? Did the branch rot where it was in contact with the substrate? Be keen to hear how it went and what you think was the cause of it failing.

Thanks

Steve

Ha! Turbo... of course!

Steve, yes I left it for ages and it just rotted. I tried it on several figs where the branch wasn't appropriate and too low, so I just bent it down and into the ground, and they all just rotted. So I've given up on that tactic. Guess figs aren't like Willow. Keen to hear if you have more success.

Just had a bit of a ferret around on the PJ's and I've got some rootage happening on the branches, but the difference might be that I left the growing tips on? They are more like ground layers at this point with roots shooting off a branch that is just in contact with the soil. Means the sap is still all flowing in the normal direction I guess? On your photos it looks like you might have chopped off the growing tip on the section that went into the soil?

I suspect the real test will be when I cut the growing tips off leaving just the roots. I'll have to hope that the sap direction reverses and the branch starts pushing nutrients back up to the canopy rather than down to the soil to produce more growing tips.

ah of course! yes I chopped it right back!

As for turning a branch into a root, I have had some success buy doing an airr layer and cutting above the roots once they start to grow than bending the branch into the soil. I done it to a fig I have and it seems to have worked as it was about 6 monthe ago. It is now acting like a root as budding has stopped on the ex branch and I have also checked for further root growth and it looks to be going well.

I have seen a progression someone did...turning a sucker into a roots with good success. So I suspect it is possible.

Update. Never really happy with this fig, so planted it in a grow pot in the mulch, and then have had another go: