Producing aerial roots on figs, any advice or tips please

[Boom1979]

g'day guys i am currently trying to encourage aerial roots on my Ficus and was wondering if anyone knows of a good way to achieve this while its still potted?

[NathanM]

You lvie at the Gold Coast... Nice and humid. Put some some nicks or small holes on the trunk where you want it to shoot aerials from. only small though. In you're humidity you may not need to do anything else. Maybe sit it over a water tray. Then it'll happen

[Jarrod]

Down south I have found that wrapping the trunk in spagnum helps keeps the humidity up and increases roots from there like layering would. But this only really works on the trunk. Bit hard for the branches.

You shouldn't have a problem up in QLD as the humidity is high, as mentioned by Nathan.

[Boom1979]

ive heard sphagnum wrapped in aluminium foil is good for hot areas as it reflects visible light and allows heat thru, is this true or is it a fable?

[sixhunter]

boom i use alu foil to wrap some soil media to train roots, im not too sure abt how much light n heat it can reflect, but for my side, i dont get full day of direct sun, but tt few hrs of direct sun doesnt really heat d foil up at all, but im quite sure if its on a whole day of full intense sun, it might get heated up still ?

[Glenda]

Any particular type of ficus? My Port Jacksons, Moreton Bays and Benjaminas, Watkinsianas, Destruens, etc. sprout more aerial roots than I can poke a stick at up here in the tropics . Others don't

[Boom1979]

it's a Moreton Bay fig, i have now put a water tray under it and ill see how it goes over the next few weeks, thanks for all the advice guys

[Pup]

Just heat and humidity temps up around 38--45 and plenty of moisture, then this happens.

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I am letting some grow as I will then graft them to form more surface roots for a better nebari.

Cheers Pup

[Chris]

Thanks Pup great tree great info.

[Boom1979]

Yeh thanks pup i have all i need to go thanks all

[Jamie]

what ya want to do mate is put sme small nicks in the bark on the trunk, cut a plastic nursery pot down, discard the bottom, slip the top over the tree and fill that with some potting media, a sharp grit is good, diatomite would be ideal, keep that moist and the tree in full sun, with the plastic pot and the moist media it should create heaps of humidity and you will have airial roots in no time

just be careful removing the pot and media as the airial roots can break of if they havent hardened sufficiently.


jamie

[Boom1979]

oooh nice idea ill try that

[Jamie]

oooh nice idea ill try that

cool mate it has worked for me in the past and i got the tip from a beginner video made by Lidsay Farr

jamie

[bonsaijed1]

hey mate i live in brisbane and mine never stop here is a pic mine they only get full sun bettween 9am till midday i water every second day maybe 3rd depends and i treat them mean

[Boom1979]

thank you for all the input, I have since put my Ficus in a half day sun area (afternoon), i have put small pinprick marks in the trunk where i want the aerials, and have cut down a plastic pot and wrapped sphagnum around the trunk, now it's the waiting game. Once again thanks for the excellent advice, ill be sure to use this forum as much as possible as the knowledge dropped in here is priceless, give yourselves all a huge pat on the back, and keep it up

Cheers Boom