How to increase Arial Roots on a ficus

[mudlarkpottery]

Recently, a member posted a comment about aerial roots on his fig drying up. I can't remember which section. I replied telling about a club member putting the roots in beer bottles hanging from his tree.

My friend and member here MelaQuin has taken the following photos of Greg's technique. He has however changed from beer bottles as people were getting the wrong impression about his drinking habits.

Penny.

Aerial Roots 1.JPG

Aerial roots 2.JPG

[Steven]

Great technique however you wouldn't want one of these tree's at the front of your bench
Thanks for the information Penny!

If anyone remembers where the original thread was, please let me know and I'll merge them.

Cheers,

Steven

[PeterW]

Penny......clearly they are not Ficus! They are most certainly Bottle trees.........
Peter

[mudlarkpottery]

Hey, Peter, I really couldn't give a fig. (ha ha).
Steven, I think Daviet Nguen posted the original query but don't know under which subject and haven't been able to find it since.
Penny.

[anttal63]

very interesting technique thanks for sharing penny.

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Penny,

Thank you for showing the technique. I do concur, bottle does jump to mind

Hi Steven,

I could not find the post. But it was under shows, pictures, events, where Penny posts a picture of fig by Mrs. Koreshoff.

Regards,

Viet.

[Steven]

If anyone remembers where the original thread was, please let me know and I'll merge them.

Thanks, found it... viewtopic.php?f=101&t=197&p=1324#p1324

S.

[Asus101]

thats the best way to keep them alive, but to get them started it the hard part.

You need humidity and moisture around the trunk and branches. Without it its unlikely they will get started.
I have read suggestions of wrapping spag moss around the area's you want to grow roots, or to place the tree in a hot house with 90% to 100% humidity.

[MelaQuin]

Frankly, I would think that beer bottles [brown or green] would be better. Either way, using bottles has to be better than splitting straws and hooking them around the roots. Who wants straight roots?? I put my figs on stones in a water tray to maximise humidity [as if we need to do that in a Sydney summer]. Sitting over stones looks a lot nicer than the juice bottles but then, who cares... back of the bench for a good future... that's what it is all about.

[Hector Johnson]

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[MelaQuin]

Wouldn't irrigation pipe be hard to remove without damaging the root? Or do you slit it first and gently wrap it around the root? I just find the aerials are incredibly brittle and very hard to alter position without terminally damaging them. Suggestions??

[PeterW]

Wouldn't irrigation pipe be hard to remove without damaging the root? Or do you slit it first and gently wrap it around the root? I just find the aerials are incredibly brittle and very hard to alter position without terminally damaging them. Suggestions??

After seeing the water bottle technique first hand, ive gotta say i am yet to see anything that works as well or has such good results, and soooo easy! This method is a winner.
Peter

[Hector Johnson]

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[Chris Johnston]

I've had a little success with a ficus microcarpa in this area. Extra humidity is the key, and you can keep the humidity around the tree by tenting it with a dry cleaning back or similar very light, clear plastic bag that you can seal.

I highly recommend the aluminum foil/sphagnum moss technique for producing trunk-clasping aerial roots. Great posts, by the way!

http://sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... style.html

Chris

[Hector Johnson]

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