AusBonsai

Hi everyone

Heres a pic of a little hothouse I made today, I've got a heap of ficus cuttings in there ranging from pencil thick to coke can size, also some little clerodendrum cutttings.

It's got a bottom heater under the ficus cuttings that I made out of a container of water that I put a fish tank heater in.

Let me know if you think what I've done will be beneficial or just crazy and a waste of time Cheers Regan

Hi Regan
You shouldn't need any heat for figs in Brissy - I think the talk about bottom heat and humidity tents is only for those poor cockroaches south of the border. It will be getting a bit cold soon - but at the moment I just strike in cuttings in pots in a bit of shade. No special treatment other than a bit of rooting hormone which some say is optional. Have you tried air layering figs to get something with a decent trunk quickly ? Figs are foolproof for layering.


Tony

the fish tank heater will probably make it too hot. I've got cuttings sitting on top of the fish tank, the heat generatted from the light etc, seems to be enough. I have used under floor heating successfully before too.

just keeping it somewhere inside, on the assumption that you heat your house (or keep it to a steady temp anyway) would probably work ok anyway.

Hi Bougy

I didn't think it was really necessery for them just thought it might make it a bit quicker/reliable while all this rain is around.

I would air layer but the tree was in Bundy at my parents place so I just cut a branch of last time I was there and brought it home with me, Still trying to talk mum into letting me chop the tree right back, the trunk is about a foot wide with a great root spread.

Cheers Regan

Hi Regan
Actually the rain is great. When I knew it was going to pee down for a few days I ran out and did some layers and a whole lot of cutting - of figs and of course some bougs. I think the humidity is very helpful, plus the fact you don't have to worry about anything drying out.


Tony

First of all AWESOME!!!.

I must say though if you are going to go that far, could you please include a simple misting system preferably automated. If this is inside (dis-regard if not, if so can we move it outside?) we are gonna need some grow lights on this unit. Do you have a thermostat / thermometer reading heat levels?

I think you have just inspired me on my own humidi-crib, can't wait to start building mine tomorrow.


Would love to hear of your results. Any chance of posting in the progression series to keep us updated?

Great work!

Thanks Tony

It looks like I can pull the whole thing down then. I think some of the smaller cuttings might have some roots already as they didnt want to move at all when they got stuck on the hothouse, I took it off to see how it looked inside.

Cheers Regan

Creeping Dragon

I was thinking about selling these in kit form could probably make a few bucks on ebay

Nah mate it was no trouble at all to put together probably took all of 10 minutes.
A bit of cheap flower mesh or whatever it was called from bunnings (originally to keep my puppy out of them)
plastic drop sheet and some glad wrap, fish tank heater and container were just lying around

I could probably rig up a bit of a grow light sysyem come to think of it. I think I have a fish tank light with a plant bulb in it

Figs grow quick enough up here as it is, it would be like Jack and his magic beans if we went to that much trouble

Cheers Regan

Hey Regan
You should mothball it until winter - then even we need something like that up here. During summer I say it doesn't need it - I have been madly propagating to get through winter, but maybe your set up would be the answer. Do you have it set up near a window to get some sunlight ? So what part of brissy are you from ? I from Sandgate on the northside. Good to hear from a local.


Tony

Hey Tony
I've got it setup outside, it gets a bit of morning sun.

Would this kind of setup be useful for encouraging aerial roots or just make it too damp and start rotting things?

I'm at northgate so not too far away from where you are. We should try to meet up some time any tips I can get at the moment are very welcome. Are you involved in any of the clubs?

Cheers regan

i use a humidity tent outside that receives morning sun which keeps it warm all day in there and with a water tray it creates good humidity, i have found things stay very moist so be careful of that, i wouldnt stress to much bout the fish tank heater getting to hot in there it will be fine.

the bigger cuts will take a little more than the thinner ones but it could depend on whether the cuttings had leaves in it and/or enough stored energy.

jamie

No leaves on the bigger ones Jamie, it was just a branch that I cut into sections, no loss if they don't take

Regan

i wouldnt stress bout them not striking, i have found the bigger ones take better than the thinner ones. even with out leaves, they just seem to have stored energy that will push massive growth, i had one cutting that was 2 inches thick strike and fill a six in pot within approx. 4 weeks, still going strong

jamie

Jamie
I got 4 cuttings off of my benji 3 of them have roots coming out of the bottom of their pots 1 hasn't taken at all but looks just as healthy as the others

I'll just let these new cutting go until I see signs of life

another question about my benji if I trim off some aerial roots off one will they graft easily to mine, there's one down the road from me that has a mass of them that I could trim off when I'm walking the dog

cheers Regan

there's one down the road from me that has a mass of them that I could trim off when I'm walking the dog

I love walking the cat for the same purpose