Attaching Ariel roots ?

[Hackimoto]

I agree with everything that you have written. There is a compromise in that Banyan style, to my way of thinking, is a more relaxed, contemporary style and will not be found in any Japanese book on guidelines on styling them as they are tropical growers and they do not have access or the climate to have had a tradition with these. My view of the negative taper issue is that it is a price that you have to pay for being able to develop these contemporary type Bonsai. The aerial roots will only thicken too much if the branch is let grow too much, so can be controlled.

[Dario]

My view of the negative taper issue is that it is a price that you have to pay for being able to develop these contemporary type Bonsai. The aerial roots will only thicken too much if the branch is let grow too much, so can be controlled.

Not sure who does this...it may be Tony Bebb??...but it was mentioned by a member here that you can also lift the aerial roots out of the pot (by scraping the soil off them) and then give the roots a trim and them put the soil back on them.
This also stops them from becoming too thick and can be done as needed through out the growing season in order to keep them in check without the need of a repot. I believe this is used as a way to stop the reverse taper issue, although I have no experience of this myself (I read this info on AB somewhere).
Cheers, Dario.

[philf555]

Are u sure about that phil . That is like trying to reverse the natural order of things .
I posted a question on this subject( can a branch be turned into a root?) and ended up believing it was impossible . Because the roots produced belong to the foliage being layered not the main tree . . But maybe not with figs??? I could be wrong.

Outside of having done this airlayering technique myself, it was learned from Jerry Meislik, reference to his book " Ficus the exotic Bonsai" which has detailed information and time lapse pictures of ground layering branches and turning them into roots. I hope this reference aids you in your quest for info