tigerbark ficus retusa

[jriddell88]

So many projects , so many things to do . I got this ficus from a local greenhouse ,it just sat in the back and was forgotten about. I dug around , found it ,and couldn't pass it up for the price. It was repotted and left in the garden for the past few years with just some minor pruning here and there. I'm going to do a little wiring tonight and stick it in a green house . My plan is to start growing arieal roots from the long lower branch and put it in a bigger glazed pot next year. It's in plastic trainer right now. I'll post some new pics here hopefully tomorrow. Not much of a tropical guy but love the species and it's strong resilient characteristics. Year round beauty.

 

[jriddell88]

2 branches in and you can start to see it taking shape

 

[Alain]

That's funny, I've got the twin of your retusa, they both have the same trunk and branches placement's expression!

Welcome to the Nuts!
Your tree looks very healthy and the start of the roots seems nice.

You should put your location in your profile, it's easier to think about your tree knowing in which climate it lives

 

[jriddell88]

Finished wiring will post pictures tomorrow I believe I'll be changing fronts now after looking it over ..anyone have luck with airieal roots? This will be my first go have a good plan we'll see how it goes. I have a massive hinoki project still in a 5 gallon pot I'll be potting it this coming spring and doing little work throughout the year I'll be posting some stuff on it too here soon

 

[Alain]

Once again not knowing where you live doesn't help.

If you live in Florida or Louisiana seems to me that your ficus will transform the branch going down in aerial root itself.
If you live in Minnesota that might be harder.

 

[jriddell88]

Ky I posted it but it's still not showing up ?

 

[Alain]

nope

 

[jriddell88]

Alright it's just been a few weeks I did nothing but put it in an indoor greenhouse and it's shot out some aieral roots everywhere. The ones at the bottom have already burrowed into the soIL and taken hold. Anyone every induced ariel roots. I want to try to get some going on the first large branch ? Just scrape it down , add rooting hormone , and cover with some sphagnum moss?

 

[aml1014]

Alright it's just been a few weeks I did nothing but put it in an indoor greenhouse and it's shot out some aieral roots everywhere. The ones at the bottom have already burrowed into the soIL and taken hold. Anyone every induced ariel roots. I want to try to get some going on the first large branch ? Just scrape it down , add rooting hormone , and cover with some sphagnum moss?

I've never done branch aerial roots but I like to put a pot of bonsai soil with the bottom cut out to my ficus within a year you have so many roots it makes the trunk base look much larger.

 

[Alain]

Alright it's just been a few weeks I did nothing but put it in an indoor greenhouse and it's shot out some aieral roots everywhere. The ones at the bottom have already burrowed into the soIL and taken hold.

Wow that's so cool!
So I was right in fact: leaving in KY your ficus did his roots alone

I tried to induced aerial roots to my retusa last year and it didn't work, but I live in IL and it was the fall already.
I don't know how are the months to come in KY but if it's warm and humid the set-up I tried might work,.
I did some cuts in the bark on the bottom face of the branches I wanted the roots to grow, put some rooting hormone there and then wrap the tree in a sort of tent/greenhouse that I tried to keep humid.
As I said for me it didn't work but for you in KY may be.

 

[sorce]

I read an article somewhere about cutting em, putting paste on em, and they root like hell.

My Ben put a root out above soil since I bRought it in.

Sometimes just dark works, just a little cover.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Here.
What do you know!

http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/hundreds-aerial-roots-on-ficus.5826/

Sorce

 

[jriddell88]

Yea I found this thread