My latest microcarpa

[The Ficus Guy]

Considering working on the base of this one tomorrow. I want to repot, prune the roots back, and do something to those 3 thick roots. Just what, I'm not sure, but something should be done with them.

Do I do what I mentioned earlier and drill holes through the roots, dust with hormone, stick chopsticks into the holes, then cover with soil? Any tips?

[Bougy Fan]

I am glad you mention those fat roots Ryan - they stick out like dog testicles to my eye. If you have roots underneath to support the tree I would cut them back as far as you want on an angle and cover with spag moss. When I am doing this I get a bit of pot mesh to keep the moss in place and make some tiny tent pegs out of bonsai wire.

[The Ficus Guy]

I am glad you mention those fat roots Ryan - they stick out like dog testicles to my eye. If you have roots underneath to support the tree I would cut them back as far as you want on an angle and cover with spag moss. When I am doing this I get a bit of pot mesh to keep the moss in place and make some tiny tent pegs out of bonsai wire.

Thanks Tony. I like the roots and would rather not start all over with them, though. I'm trying to figure out how exactly to go about getting more roots to radiate off of them....

[The Ficus Guy]

Maybe I could thread graft some cuttings through the thick roots?

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATthre ... groots.htm

[The Ficus Guy]

Repotted:

[The Ficus Guy]

If I were to drill holes in these thick roots, then cover with sphagnum moss, how far into the roots should I drill? Do I go all the way through to the other side? Or does it even matter?

[Bougy Fan]

I wouldn't bother drilling Ryan - I would just heap some spag moss over them and get some bonsai mesh to keep it in place. The roots will come as long as you keep the humidity up

[The Ficus Guy]

I wouldn't bother drilling Ryan - I would just heap some spag moss over them and get some bonsai mesh to keep it in place. The roots will come as long as you keep the humidity up

You think? I had always thought it'd be best to drill some holes to allow roots to grow out of them. I'd hate the pack sphagnum around the roots, only to have them stay too wet and rot...

[Bougy Fan]

Well why don't you try more than one method and post your results here Ryan ? We can all learn from your observations then