A little plastic wrap and Tahdah! Ariel roots!

[Mike123]

Put some plastic wrap on my Ficus about 2weeks ago and was pretty amazed! Don't know if it will look good though. kinda looks like spaghetti but neat none the less. They should darken up and thicken. Just let it grow this summer. Needs a lot of work but that's we're I get stumped. Not good at wiring so that's out just been clipping and letting grow.


Even the Ariel roots have Ariel roots!

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Good job, but I'd be cautious about them. Seeing where they emerge from they're going to cause a lot of reverse taper, which will be bad at that spot.

 

[GrimLore]

Stick a nice rock under them. If it gets weird and they tap into the substrate you might be able to separate them from the plant and remove them rock and all... Would need a humid enclosure but I am thinking it could work.

 

[Mike123]

Ok, thanks I did not no that. So where a root comes off the tree it will swell at that point?

 

[Mike123]

Stick a nice rock under them. If it gets weird and they tap into the substrate you might be able to separate them from the plant and remove them rock and all... Would need a humid enclosure but I am thinking it could work.

Not sure what you mean?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Ok, thanks I did not no that. So where a root comes off the tree it will swell at that point?

Yep. Aerial roots grow down into the soil and spread, like regular roots, and wherever they attach to the trunk they feed, which causes that area to swell. That's why aerial roots can be a real pain

 

[Mike123]

Another words, eventually roots would be growing from ground up.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Another words, eventually roots would be growing from ground up.

Not quite sure I understand what you're saying. It may be best to remove the ones up at the fork of the tree, as it appears you may have some reverse taper already occurring up there.

 

[Mike123]

Bought it a big box store about 10 yrs ago it had a twisty tie embedded in that spot. Tried to get most of it out. But yeah that's the result. About the rock under the roots. What I thought grim lore meant was put rock under roots and cut roots from trunk. Leaving roots growing over rock. I think.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Bought it a big box store about 10 yrs ago it had a twisty tie embedded in that spot. Tried to get most of it out. But yeah that's the result. About the rock under the roots. What I thought grim lore meant was put rock under roots and cut roots from trunk. Leaving roots growing over rock. I think.

I don't think that's what he meant. I think he just meant to place a rock under the roots and leave them attached to the tree, and growing down over the rock.

 

[GrimLore]

I don't think that's what he meant. I think he just meant to place a rock under the roots and leave them attached to the tree, and growing down over the rock.

I actually meant both. Toss a nice rock under the roots and let them get firmly established in the substrate. If it turns out they are not looking correct or harming the plant you might be able to cut them off the plant and move them to another pot rock and all...

 

[MrFancyPlants]

How tightly did you wrap the plastic wrap? Did you put any substrate or water under it? I have an old braided ficus that some arial roots wouldn't make look any uglier.

Thanks,
David

 

[Mike123]

Loosely wrapped, I made a tent from the outside rim of the pot to the top. Leaving a hole at the top. Kept in my screened porch with indirect light to no sun at all. Misting in the top hole in plastic.

 

[Bonsaiboy]

Loosely wrapped, I made a tent from the outside rim of the pot to the top. Leaving a hole at the top. Kept in my screened porch with indirect light to no sun at all. Misting in the top hole in plastic.

View attachment 41158

I actually did the opposite, and got them in 3 days. Wrapped it tightly, and poked some holes in the plastic with a pin, an spit it in direct sunlight for about 4 hours.