Figin' Hyprocritical

[MJL]

So after clearing space yesterday by moving boot load of seedlings and other items at the YVBS Sale Day, I came home with one tree only - on a whim.

As everything was being packed away, I turned the Niffler upside down and shook out a 30 shiny coins to purchase a ficus - a Port Jackson, I think.

It's a hypocritical purchase because I am not generally a fan of ficus ... too many Jabba trunks for my liking. ( Please note: I am not having a crack at anyone who creates these trunks and they work for the tree - they are just not my taste. ) Further, these trees are not abundant down here in Melbourne.

Yet, the work of AnthonyW, Mel, Dansai and others has inspired me to make a jump. I bloke buys one tree...

So this thread is primarily getting ideas from Ficus growers. Here's what I purchased, and here's why. All photos are below the initial comment.

I liked the movement.

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I saw a second tree, perhaps.

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Thought it might look good with a different angle and this suits the nebari too.

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Perhaps I airlayer here. I think these may be easy to air-layer?

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And aim for something like this ... if I can encourage aerial roots? How?

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I welcome any thoughts and other ideas.

It has been recently repotted. So, for the next few months, I intend to let it settle; guiding it back to health and vigour.

Cheers,

Mark

[shibui]

Ficus are usually very tough and resilient. Even though it has just been repotted I would go ahead with any work you think it needs now. A fig will cope.

Yes, ficus are extremely easy to layer. They will produce roots in thin air so just imagine how easy it is when there is actual moisture and media at the site. Roots are possible in just a few weeks.

Aerial roots grow when there's good humidity. Normally our southern climate does not have enough air moisture for many aerial roots but sometimes they grow without intervention if the tree is in a spot with good humidity. To encourage aerial roots Keep it in an enclosed place to maintain high humidity. Mine live in the poly house and if I keep the doors closed I can sometimes get aerials. Aerial roots start with a tiny bud from the branch or trunk. If you see one a drinking straw placed between the tiny root and the soil is supposed to encourage faster growth. Once it reaches the soil it will grow faster.
Sphagnum or similar moisture retentive material tied where you want aerials should maintain moisture enough to get roots started then encourage them to grow down to the soil. For your curtain of roots maybe build a long, thin container - alfoil, plastic sheet, etc to hold some sphagnum or potting mix from the branch to the soil. That should encourage the roots to grow. (Theory only. I have not done this but believe it should work.)

The only thing to be aware of is cold. Ficus do not like frost but they do cope with living inside much better than most species so they can be overwintered indoors in cool climates.

[anthonyW]

Great info from Neil.

As for design Mark its endless for both sides of the tree or you might want both sides in one tree, the material is very good.

I like the left personally mainly because of slow taper....but would not waste the right if you have time to take a layer, but do not cut it down to size as there are many points there to spur off in due course and of course you will wait for the foliage to return before starting.

With the canopys in time you will push out with time proportunately as I have drawn for some direction anyway mate a couple to get you going.

Back to you figman

cheers Anthony

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[Matt S]

The only thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given is that if you're aiming for a figgy shape you'll need to get any lower branches growing wide and strong. Figs don't tend to be delicate and airy:

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Also adding to Shibui's discussion of encouraging aerial roots, I've rolled sphagnum moss into tubes of alfoil (keeping the top open so you can get water into the tube) and poked emerging roots into the top of the tube. That way you can bend the tube and guide the roots to wherever you want. Straws work well as long as you want dead straight roots.

Matt.

[MJL]

Thanks Neil, Anthony and Matt - your advice is appreciated. I am comforted by the options and that AnthonyW notes that it is OK stock... too often I buy sh!t stock. I thought this might be another example of poo stock soon after I had shelled a few coins.

Anyway... a few more observations and questions.

It seems my initial design probably over complicates things ... also, for it to work, I would need a sheath of aerial roots across the length of that extending branch to the right. That would help to explain that thicker right hand branch. Even then, the design is probably a stretch too far as I am not sure the peak of the tree would ever reconcile/harmonise with the strong right-hand lean.

Anthony - I see what you're saying with taper on the left (tree). A few questions if I may. If I create one tree out of the left trunk - would I be doing two Air layers on the right hand side to create another two more trees in time? Or do mis-understanding your advice on the right-hand trunk. I have placed arrows below where I think I would take air layers - the top first and then the lower.

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Neil and Matt, thanks for the aerial roots advice - I really like the foil/moss idea to guide roots as they appear... I'll try this. Indeed, I am going to try this on my NZ Christmas Tree (Metrosideros excelsa - Pohutuka) which tends to throw aerial roots which dry out and die before they reach the ground.

Again, cheers for your advice.

(And... it's great that I have posted yet another title where I have mis-spelled a word "hypocritical" ... just a reminder of my lack of literacy skills! )

[anthonyW]

Where you have the arrrows is fine, but remember Mark you can only take/attempt one at a time when on the same line/branch, go for it and have some fun you have nothing to loose....cheers.

[shibui]

you can only take/attempt one at a time when on the same line/branch,

Is this true of figs? They are so easy to root i think there is a possibility they might be able to do what other species cannot.
The spots indicated by MJL both have growing branches to feed them so it should be OK to put both layers on at the same time. I believe it is where layers are directly below another with no growing green leaves to feed the lower one that don't root well.

[MJL]

Geez, I love this forum. So much help. Thanks all. I'll be interested in the answer to Shibui's question.

Perhaps, I'll probably only try one at a time because it will be my second only attempt at an air-layer. The first yesterday on a different tree!

On a more basic note - with ficus, do I still strip back to the Cambium layer ... or just bang sphagnum around the trunks because of their propensity to poke out roots. (Apologies in advance if that's another idiot question from a non-horticulturalist.)

Cheers,

Mark

[shibui]

They should make roots even without ringbarking but taking the bark off should speed the process and you have a better chance of getting your new roots in just the right places.
Just for interest most ficus strike really well from cuttings, even quite thick pieces will root.

[DangerousDave]

Have just successfully layered a (Benji) fig twice on the same line but with some branching in between, as suggested by shibui. Plenty of roots. Bursting out of the plastic in 4 weeks.

Also agree your red section is probably an easy cutting size, but no harm layering to be sure.

I like the material btw. Some nice movement. Welcome to figs
Enjoy

[MJL]

Thanks again everyone. Here in Melbourne we have returned to winter over the past few weeks - given our cooler climate and my lack of experience, I'll just try one at a time and with a traditional method when I do. That said...

Maybe I should work with what I have .... do I need to choose a line? Perhaps I can work with what I've got. Perhaps a bigger form may suit the bigger leaves of a PJ? I know I was the one that suggested air layers but should I just work with the interesting upright form that is presented? Could
I style this as is? It is a bit one sided but that's an easy fix... the right hand top is too heavy and perhaps there's not enough low down....

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And that, my AB friends, is my last set of questions on this tree.... I'll soon hop of the fence and start working.

[greg27]

If you decide to go against air layers, stick whatever you cut off into a glass of water and you'll likely get some roots growing within a few weeks.

[MJL]

Got some wire on the tree while I had the leverage of a connected tree.

Now ... at least 1, hopefully 2 and maybe 3 Ok trees. I really enjoyed this stock... playing around with wiring, designs; deciding where I have (and will eventually) layer. One attempt at a time for this learner. Now I wait... tic, tic... time passes.

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Even it it doesn't work it's been worth time and the investment for a bit of fun and learning.

[Ryceman3]

Figs are tough MJL but even having said that I think it might've been best to wait for foliage mass above your layer before applying it. The foliage above is what creates the roots below which is the reason you need green above a layer site to get succesful rootage happening. To be fair I have never layered a fig so maybe it is fine ... I think it should still work, maybe just take longer??

[MJL]

it might've been best to wait for foliage mass above your layer before applying it. The foliage above is what creates the roots below which is the reason you need green above a layer site to get successful rootage happening ... I think it should still work, maybe just take longer??

Aaargh... I think Anthony might have mentioned this too in his response ... I'm a dill! Oh well... ... perhaps these things are so forgiving that even a peanut like me can get away with it.