Big 99 cent fig.

bilbocannon · Jun 10, 2016

I won this fig on ebay for 99c about 6 months ago. I cant find any photo's from when i got it but it was in pretty bad shape and had broke the pot it was growing in.

I trimmed the roots and cut some of the trunk. Also wired the branchs

The lady who i purchased it from said she had had it for roughly 20yrs.

As you can see it was orginially 3 trunks braided together.

My plan is to graft some more branches down low and once they take possibly bury the trunk to create a banyan look.

Pics taken yesterday

Thoughts?

ColinFraser · Jun 10, 2016

Wanna see an old braided benjamina fusion? (spoiler alert: it still looks crappy)

bilbocannon · Jun 10, 2016

ColinFraser said:
Wanna see an old braided benjamina fusion? (spoiler alert: it still looks crappy)

Thats why i plan to bury and cover up the join marks with roots not sure if it will work or not but i having fun tinkering with it anyway. For 99cents i could have done a lot worse.

ColinFraser · Jun 10, 2016

bilbocannon said:
Thats why i plan to bury and cover up the join marks with roots not sure if it will work or not but i having fun tinkering with it anyway. For 99cents i could have done a lot worse.

You could try bagging up the whole trunk with spahgnum to really encourage aerial roots.

bilbocannon · Jun 10, 2016

ColinFraser said:
You could try bagging up the whole trunk with spahgnum to really encourage aerial roots.

Just like an air layer except leave the bark on? E.g wrap with plastic?

ColinFraser · Jun 10, 2016

bilbocannon said:
Just like an air layer except leave the bark on? E.g wrap with plastic?

Yeah; that's kind of the idea. I would imaging it wouldn't have to be very tight or anything, but I haven't tried it yet. Here's a page with some good aerial root info:
http://www.fukubonsai.com/1a9a17.html

I bet a search for aerial roots on this forum would yield more experienced input.

Beanwagon · Oct 16, 2017

Small update. I dug this one up trimmed the roots and places in a bonsai pot. I have had the trunk buried for the last 6 months or so. I was expecting more aerial root growth from the trunk but there wasn't much, it was winter though so that could be why. The pictures do not show it but i wrapped/buried the trunk again.

Velodog2 · Oct 16, 2017

ColinFraser said:
You could try bagging up the whole trunk with spahgnum to really encourage aerial roots.

I tried this once. Didn’t work.

Beanwagon · Oct 16, 2017

Velodog2 said:
I tried this once. Didn’t work.

How long did you leave it? Did you did you do any ither work e.g trim roots/scrape trunk ect

Velodog2 · Oct 16, 2017

I think I left it on for upwards of a year. I did nothing else but keep the moss damp. I got nothing. I am hardly in a tropical climate and hardly an expert on tropicals. I have no idea what spurs the growth of aerial roots, other than perhaps warm temps and high humidity, and even that I’m not sure of.

jasondsouza · Oct 16, 2017

aerial roots need humidity and warm temperatures

Starfox · Oct 17, 2017

Yeah I tried this on a couple of trees earlier in the year and got nada.
So in an effort to keep on trying I knicked the bark in a few places and repacked it to see if that may help, I have not checked yet to see if it has worked so I wont know until I open it up again.

Another option to cover up the braids would be to take a few cuttings and when they are the right size you can try to fuse them to the trunk at the next repot.

Beanwagon · Oct 17, 2017

Starfox said:
Yeah I tried this on a couple of trees earlier in the year and got nada.
So in an effort to keep on trying I knicked the bark in a few places and repacked it to see if that may help, I have not checked yet to see if it has worked so I wont know until I open it up again.

Another option to cover up the braids would be to take a few cuttings and when they are the right size you can try to fuse them to the trunk at the next repot.

Good idea. I dont actually mind them to be honest. I am confident i will be able to get aerial roots eventually, my next option will be to unwrap and place in a humidy tent.

pweifan · Oct 17, 2017

I just realized that @Beanwagon gave an update on a thread that @bilbocannon started... In any case the base looks like it thickened up pretty well. I hope the aerial roots are a success in the future.

Beanwagon · Oct 17, 2017

pweifan said:
I just realized that @Beanwagon gave an update on a thread that @bilbocannon started... In any case the base looks like it thickened up pretty well. I hope the aerial roots are a success in the future.

I started a new account. It thickened up a lot more than i was expecting

Haoleboy · Oct 21, 2017

ColinFraser said:
You could try bagging up the whole trunk with spahgnum to really encourage aerial roots.

^^^This^^^

KingJades · Oct 24, 2017

Velodog2 said:
I think I left it on for upwards of a year. I did nothing else but keep the moss damp. I got nothing. I am hardly in a tropical climate and hardly an expert on tropicals. I have no idea what spurs the growth of aerial roots, other than perhaps warm temps and high humidity, and even that I’m not sure of.

I did this in Pittsburgh and did pretty well.

I cut a plastic pot and placed it around the trunk, filled with bonsai soil and topped with sphagnum moss. Watered every day, from 2-4x daily, and ensured lots of sun.
Got "aerial" roots. Those that contacted the soil presumably hardened into better roots under the soil.

Will find out at next repot.

Big 99 cent fig.

bilbocannon

Shohin

ColinFraser

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bilbocannon

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ColinFraser

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bilbocannon

Shohin

ColinFraser

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Beanwagon

Chumono

Velodog2

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Beanwagon

Chumono

Velodog2

Chumono

jasondsouza

Seedling

Starfox

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Beanwagon

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pweifan

Shohin

Beanwagon

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Haoleboy

Mame

KingJades

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