Getting aerial roots from specific place/strangler creation

[sheepdawg]

Hi everyone, I have a F. benjamina that was given to me. It's one of those "Ficus Standard" or pom-pom trees. I want to create a "strangler fig" out of it and how I'm thinking of doing this is by getting a whole bunch of aerial roots to sprout from approximately the same place along the trunk. Once the roots have established themselves and are thickened up, then I'll slowly cut the whole thing back (or just graft the foliage on).

So, how can I get aerial roots to sprout from approximately the same place?

I wrapped some sphagnum moss around the point I want, then put some plastic around that. After 5 months no roots had grown (admittedly this was mainly over winter). I'm thinking of getting a drill and putting a few holes through the trunk, then painting some rooting hormone into these holes, then doing the moss thing again. I'm thinking this will kind of act like an air layer but I'm not too sure if it'll work. Anyone have an thoughts?

Also, I have another fig that I've been growing in a PVC pipe to get some long roots. I'm either going to leave it growing in there until the roots are strong enough to support the plant, so when I take it out of the pipe there'll be a gnarly twisted root mass which would look pretty cool in my opinion. Or I'm going to plant it on something tallish (somewhat of a root-over-rock deal). But I can't think of what I would plant it on. A rock would be too heavy because I want to make it pretty tall. The next option would be some wood but if I do that I would like it to degrade relatively quickly to form that hollow look. Anyone have any ideas on this?

Thanks

[hawkeyes]

Hi Sheepdawg, how did your PJ fig project go, especially 1 grown in PVC pipe.

[sheepdawg]

Hey Hawkeyes,

The projects are going well

I manage to get roots to sprout from my desired point by drilling holes through the trunk then painting with rooting hormone, then covering with spaghnum moss. Hopefully the roots establish themselves between now and next summer so I can do the reduction chop.

The one is the PVC tube worked reasonably well. I let the roots escape out the bottom and into the ground to help them grow quicker. I pulled it up and carefully removed it from the tube, and then planted it on a piece of eucalyptus wood with a flared "base". I wrapped the exposed roots in aluminium foil so protect them from sun and wind, and used some cable ties to get the roots close to the wood. I chopped it back a few weeks ago to get branches growing (I'm going with Leong's synchronized method to develop the branches and "trunk"). I'll see what the roots are looking like and see if I can get a picture.

[hawkeyes]

[Kevin]

I chopped it back a few weeks ago to get branches growing (I'm going with Leong's synchronized method to develop the branches and "trunk"). I'll see what the roots are looking like and see if I can get a picture.

Hello Sheepdawg,

I'm interested to learn more about your quote "Leong's synchronised method"?
Is it a similar technique to what Walter Pall describes as "Hedge Pruning Method"? Attached below.

http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com. ... ethod.html

I experimented 6 years ago with a fig perched up into a hollow Eucalypt log and today regret doing so as i have a nice fig shonin sitting at about 500mm above ground.
Once the initial 6 roots hit the ground i have found it impossible to get any more to grow further than a few centimetres.
I am seriously thinking of now layering it next season and pot up as a shonin.
Interested in your thoughts.
Attached pictures for your reference from last year.

_DSC5435 7-7-2016.jpg

And repot / prune

_DSC5844.jpg

Thanks,
Kevin

[sheepdawg]

Hey Kevin,

I read about the "synchronised method" in Leong Kwong's book "Ficus Bonsai in the Temperate Climate". Basically it's where you develop branch thickness at the same time as trunk thickness.

I'm using this technique for this plant because I've noticed the branches get really long before thickening up which is really slow. So I'm going to grow my branches and use that to thicken up the trunk (also going to use some sacrifice branches). There won't be much taper but I don't think it should matter too much given the style I'm going for.

[sheepdawg]

And I love your bonsai. That's actually very similar to what I'm envisioning. Only real differences would be that I'm training the roots to be closer to the wood, and I'm going to try go for a larger canopy (I pretty much have to go for the largest bonsai I can because I'm pretty sure I'm using a moreton bay fig)

[Kevin]

Thanks Sheepdawg,

Good-luck with your project and i look forward to the pictures / progression when you have time.

Kevin