Ficus experiment

@sorce
Thanks! It's a Ti plant, I think Cordyline fruiticosa, I got it from my dad as a root cutting actually, he's had the same plant since he was 8 years old . I really want to put some stuff outside but I had such an issue with bugs when I brought them in last fall. That's why I want a stronger light so I don't have to deal with all that again. As the branches thicken up a little more I will wire some down for movement and to open it up. I did wire the biggest branch yesterday though, had to use 3mm wire... I want to experiment with a hard root prune and transplant back into soil to see what happens for future projects. After talking with AZbonsai, I think I'm going to buy another bucket and get started on the layer.

@Anthony
I see what you're saying, and I have that thought in the back of my mind. I've been talking with @timetravel_0 about an aeroponics system that will keep the roots out of the water which will be better and hopefully alleviate most rot issues... I do want to try with a willow leaf, I have a benjamina in soil and another species also. I understand what you're saying about getting lost, I just can't get hung up on the means...

Hey @cbroad ,

try this ---------------------- work on something native and more refined -------------- Celtis, for example.

Secondly ------------ a stainless steel wire mesh folded cage to hold your plant and clay pebbles.
in a Bonsai pot with no holes or a similar container.
Grow in normal sunlight.

[1] Try for trunk expansion and the first six branches ----------- notebook ---------- how long?

[2] See if you have invented a new way to " ground grow "

Khaimraj, my brother-in-law [ responded to you in an earlier post ] has already shown that 3 feet of branch extension
will add an inch to a willow leaf type fig [ about 2 months growing or less ] in an inch of 90 % 5 mm silica based
gravel and 10 % aged compost [ by volume ]

Not much hydroponics will do to improve that [ unless it is over night of so ]

Develop your work on more refined trees.
Good Luck.
Good Day
Anthony

@Anthony
The whole point of this is to grow indoors all year with a plant that doesn't need a strong cold dormancy (if any). I'm doing this to see if direct contact with a nutrient rich solution and superior aeration increase plant growth in a somewhat controlled environment. I'm doing this with an air pump so what you're suggesting with the mesh pot in another pot without drainage (I think that's asking for trouble) and outdoors will not work for my experiment, but I understand where you're going. I don't want to do these experiments on more refined trees, hence the ginseng ficus...

@cbroad ,

I am more worried about time, and time spent.

Well, how about something more refined for indoors ?
A south Chinese elm or mallsai ligustrurn or even a Soutth Chinese serissa ?
Or even a Gmelina, Yaupon, Tamarind ?

Well wishing you the best.
Good Day
Anthony.

Id imagine a swamp cypress would love hydroponics

Here's an update on my ficus experiment that was started in February:

I started it in a 3 gallon bucket and today I put it in a 5 gallon bucket, it was drinking about 2.5 gallons in less than a week so I thought it was about time to bump it up.


It's really put on a ton of growth since the last update in June. It had gotten so dense that I decided to wire 5 of the main trunks outwards to open up the canopy. I had previously wired the biggest branch to open it up and now all of the other branches have filled the void. I let the wire bite in pretty hard and the wire scars are almost completely healed on the near 3/4 inch main trunk.


Some of the earlier aerial roots have already grown into trunks and fused to the main trunk.

Here is the tree after we being wired, it'll look funny until the newer growth orient's itself to the light.


Unfortunately it's hard to see any of the movement put into the branches because it's just so dense, but I left a lot of options if I decide to use multiple branches as one composition or layer separate branches to use and develop alone.

I'm really satisfied with the growth of this system, things seem to be developing well and I need to start taking cuttings or layers soon. I bought another net pot/lid combo with a 10" diameter opening so I hope to try rooting cuttings directly into the Hydroton. My air pump has two outlets so I can run a second dwc bucket using the old 3 gallon bucket. Hopefully by the next update I'll have some cuttings or layers to share!

Looking mighty happy!

I've got a benjamina, a microcarpa and a tiger in bubbler buckets. The benjamina has been in the longest and is growing really well. The tiger is an s curve that was on the verge of death and has been slowly recovering. The micro just went in the bucket and is starting to go. I also have a benjamina in a flood and drain system that is also doing well, but not as explosive as the bubbler.

I too am looking at this as the indoor version of ground growing for thickening and early development. Air layering to "separate " the plant to put in a bonsai pot may be the best option. I have no idea what the current nebari looks like, and I'm too nervous to go digging.

@Ironbeaver
That's really cool! How long has the benjamina been in there? I'm eventually going to try transitioning from hydro to soil just to see if it can be done. Have you had a lot of aerial root growth? I'm really interested to hear your results, any pics?

The benjamina has been in the bucket for about 7 months. Started as an 8x1 inch bare stick that was free salvage.
Here's the three amigos

Up closers

And the ebb and flow benjamina. Same age and starting size

The growth isn't quite as fat on this one, but it seems denser.

I'd like to try combining hydroponics with the technique @Beanwagon used here: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/beanwagons-bonsai-surgery.29362/

That's cool, looks like they're doing well! Thats pretty good for an 8" starter! Are those rocks you're using as media or are they there for the weight?

Is the ebb and flow automated? What kind of light are you using near the ebb and flow? I'm using a 4 bulb 4' t5 and wasn't sure if this would be enough light but it seems to be doing fine for me.

Definitely keep me posted on their progress!

The rocks are Growstones, artifical pumice. Lava rocks in the ebb and flow. Lights are 2x4' t5 bulbs. The ebb and flow is run by an air pump to plastic bottle system on a timer.

Oh gotcha, cool, I've seen growstones before but only the smaller ones.

I couldn't see any tubes or anything for the ebb and flow, so I wasn't sure. I like that you have a smaller contained ebb and flow because the turn off for me was always having a huge table with a huge reservoir...

That's awesome though, I'm glad to hear other people are also trying to grow these hydroponically. Definitely keep me posted!

super cool experiment. Keep us updated

@jaja87
Thanks, I definitely will! I'm waiting for the new wired branches to stay in position and I'm going to let the wire bite in some (they're already starting to), then I'll start taking cuttings!

Thought I would post a one month update. The benjamina is now touching the ceiling. I think it might be time for some trimming.

Ironbeaver said:

Thought I would post a one month update. View attachment 164445

Click to expand...

Hell yeah, they're looking good! Are you going to try for some cuttings?

I'm about to start taking cuttings, but first I need another air stone. I know ficus are pretty easy to root, but one thing I'm unsure about is how to prep the cutting. The branches I'm going to be rooting are 1/2" diameter and under, and are about a foot long but there's so much foliage. I'm not sure if I should leave the foliage mass alone, or defoliate some, or cut all the leaves in half...?

I'm going to find or make some type of humidity dome to go over the other dwc bucket; not really sure how that's going to work out either because of the constant water vapor and air moving up through the substrate. Could be a really good thing though, or could turn out really bad.

So it's been almost 3 months since my last update with the ficus experiment, and a lot has been going on. I cut everything off at the end of October and struck a bunch of cuttings and so far, everything is progressing well.

November 7th

And the cuttings


On the main ficus, I plan on using only the two thickest trunks, the suckers will be more cuttings after I've wired them for some movement. The white stuff all over the leaves is dried daconil, I've been keeping clear plastic trash bags over both tanks and didn't want fungal issues. I put the bag over the cuttings for obvious reasons, but I put a bag on the main ficus to help promote more aerial roots.

Wired up 11/29

I couldn't get as much movement from the branches as I wanted near the trunk because I didn't want to damage developing aerial roots.

December 2nd: aerials forming on the cuttings, looking really good!




I had a lot of aerial roots forming in the first week of November but I accidentally left the bag off too long and a lot of them dried up...

And roots coming out of the basket!


For the next phase of this experiment, I think I need to come up with a new bigger growth tank. Those cutting are way too crowded, and pretty soon I won't be able to separate them without cutting them out of the basket. I'm envisioning a 25-35gal Rubbermaid tub with a stronger air pump but I'm not really sure what I'm going to do yet. I think it's about time I seriously consider a dimmable 1000w interchangeable MH/HPS.