Ficus escaping root?

[Bonbon]

Ficus' root escaping to the the soil below. The root is growing very fast. Don't know how to deal with this. It is a good uptake of nutrients and water. But I worry that they will get bigger and bigger and at the end the tree wholly depends on it.

Any suggestion? Any experience of the best way to deal with this?

[k2bonsai]

wow that tree must have been sitting for a while untouched for the root to get that thick? This has the potential to grow very fast and ruin any current nebari balance. It makes me question when the last time you did a repot or root prune? I would chop the root back and root prune but i am afraid the temps are already getting too cold to root prune a ficus.

[Bougy Fan]

I would just cut it off - you can't really kill figs and it will have plenty more roots in the pot. You can leave the root if you want the tree to fatten up - it's nearly as good as ground growing

[Bonbon]

It's been sitting there for 2 years.
Really vigorous species. So, you think I should chop it ASAP?

[Bonbon]

I would just cut it off - you can't really kill figs and it will have plenty more roots in the pot. You can leave the root if you want the tree to fatten up - it's nearly as good as ground growing

I am thinking of keeping it to fatten the tree too. But will it be thicker than the trunk one day which is rather ridiculous.

[Bougy Fan]

Leave it to fatten the trunk and then cut it off - no different than a sacrifice branch

[Bonbon]

Thanks

[Jasonb]

When you cut it, would it be a realistic idea to leave the root in the ground and grow a new tree as well? I heard somewhere that figs can do that?

Jasonb

[hugh grant]

being a fig i wouldnt be too worried about it. and like others have said it will only thicken the trunk more. this technique is actually utilised in countries like Indonesia to thicken the trunks on there figs and casurinas were they grow roots down the sides of the pots and into the ground and then shop them off when the trunks are thick enough.

Hugh

[Beano]

That trunk looks pretty juicy already!


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[lennard]

Ficus' root escaping to the the soil below. The root is growing very fast. Don't know how to deal with this. It is a good uptake of nutrients and water. But I worry that they will get bigger and bigger and at the end the tree wholly depends on it.

Any suggestion? Any experience of the best way to deal with this?

Hi Bonbon.

People will have different experiences on this but I have found most Ficus trees will grow massive root systems that do not match top growth. My theory is that Ficus trees prefer to store water and energy in their roots, rather than the top growth, as a survival mechanism during droughts. We have a lot of natural root over rock and strangler species here and with most of them, the root system makes up about 90% of the tree. In my experience top growth is promoted when the roots are constricted. The trunk thickening will not necessarily be the result of the fat root - it may help building a nice nebari if you don't allow it to become too fat.

If it was my tree I will cut the root in spring.

(I do have a few pics to proof if you want me to.)

Lennard