Encouraging arial roots on ficus?

[Hornet]

Does anyone know how to encourage the growth of arial roots higher up the trunk and on branches on ficus? I'm keen on attemping banyan's and curtain figs if i can get some good arial root growth.

John

[Dario]

Hi Hornet, this is purely a guess...you could try wrapping the areas you want arial roots with gladwrap to increase the humidity. Maybe even apply some damp spagnum moss first and then wrap with gladwrap.
As stated, just a guess. No experience in this department.
Hopefully someone with experience will inform you.
Good luck,Dario.

[Guy]

Would a Miniature hothouse in partial sun- for all figs to keep up humidity but not too hot.?

[kcpoole]

Humidity tent, Spag moss wrapped on, Warm shady spot and humidity try all should work fine.

Try a few methods and post pics and results here as this comes up every so often

Ken

[Tony Bebb]

I always used to use the moulded shade cloth, woven would be fine, and tie it up in the tree as high as I could in the trunk and branches while leaving all the foliage outside. This allowed the tree to stay in its normal spot and keep the sun on the leaves, while creating more shade and humidity on the trunk. Always worked well, but these days I don't encourage them.

Tony

[Andrew E]

Humidity, and partial shade has always worked for me. I use a sprayer to maintain humidity and give the tree a squirt whenever I'm close by. Putting the tree into a hot house or creating that environment is ideal. Do that and watch em grow.
Some people use wet cloth around the trunk or the spagnum moss will work well too.
Andrew

[NathanM]

Also try sitting it over (but not in ) a tray of water. This can be a great help in raising the humidity

[Gandalph]

Here is a link from another forum you may find quite interesting.

I haven't tried yet, but am planning to.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread. ... rial+roots

[FigKiller]

I love aerial roots but haven't actually tried to do anything to encourage them. Dr Greenthumb does seem to have a good approach.
Having said that, I have/had a theory that lack of food encourages aerial roots. The best example I have is a very old fig that was neglected for years -just left lying in a pot in a back yard. It had a virtual curtain of aerial roots. I have three Moreton Bay figs that have been left lying around in my back yard. Occasional watering, no food, just left to grow or not - whatever you like. All three have developed lots of aerial roots. Just to-day, I re-potted the largest. It was collected for me by some friends and has been sitting in a broccoli box for years. The main roots had taken up most of the space in the box; so much so that there was very little soil left. The tree is about 1.5m high but vey thin and covered in aerial roots!
There is one drawback with my benign neglect; the aerial roots are all very thin and rather short. I can't help wondering if benign neglect might be a useful starter with kinder treatment (a la Dr. Greenthumb) once the roots are there.
I almost forgot my other figs. I have a pair of microcarpus in a single pot. Treated with my usual loving care, they developed aerial roots reaching from my bench some 1+m to the ground.