Ficus b. (too ugly)

[MrFancyPlants]

 

[just.wing.it]

Cool!
A new cultivar?.....Ficus benjamina 'Too Ugly'....

What are you doing to get those long escape roots?

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Cool!
A new cultivar?.....Ficus benjamina 'Too Ugly'....

What are you doing to get those long escape roots?

Rayon mop strand plus a LED hydroponic enclosure (aquarium). The long roots I call the “sea legs”. For some reason the willow leaf never get the long roots that the benjamina do.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Did I hear some vinegar (diluted?) would be good to clean off some of the algae in the lower trunk of the second one? The hydro-LED tank gunned up some of the trees this year, and I only changed out the water a couple times this year.
I also need to let the cascade branch grow out on the first one.. I could bend it out a bit w some wire too.

 

[just.wing.it]

I'd just use a soft bristle tooth brush and water for the algae.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Winter shave and a haircut:
I trimmed the water roots back a ways too.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I weakened and even lost some branches this winter.. I went months without checking on them ?!?. But there is plenty of strength left to refocus, and a few decisions made for me:

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Winter trimming of Ceymore:

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I’m thinking I might be using too much fertilizer. I just added a TBLSPN or two of @Leo in N E Illinois ‘s Orchid fert, but my dilution is never a science and I was rolling off already fertilized water. I’m ok, it is just a bit more vigorous than I was hoping for. The fert is the best.. just user error.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I think the label suggests TEASPOONS, there's 3 teaspoons to the tablespoon. But you haven't blown the leaves off, so it must be liking that fertilizer. LOL

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I think the label suggests TEASPOONS, there's 3 teaspoons to the tablespoon. But you haven't blown the leaves off, so it must be liking that fertilizer. LOL

My estimate is a 10g reservoir, so I don’t think I would be over dosing except that I was topping off without clearing the existing…

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I like the before photo better, but it’s the season for a trim, while they enjoy the heat. I have a few branches to try and root.

 

[Toshi]

Such a cool thread thank you for sharing. A newb question for you if you'd indulge me?

When you cut a large mass of roots dangling out of your pots do you find that the plants lag or suffer in some way after? I've always been curious about that aspect.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Such a cool thread thank you for sharing. A newb question for you if you'd indulge me?

When you cut a large mass of roots dangling out of your pots do you find that the plants lag or suffer in some way after? I've always been curious about that aspect.

Good question, and I do think they can lag after having the “sea legs” chopped back. Usually it is minimal, but There are usually at least a couple plants, in the set, that take longer than the others catch back up. I used to top water as well and that may have minimized the issue by keeping the potted roots healthy, but this last season I got pretty lazy with it. Sometimes, the extended lag happens with the salicifolia which I haven’t seen send roots into the reservoir yet.

 

[Toshi]

Good question, and I do think they can lag after having the “sea legs” chopped back. Usually it is minimal, but There are usually at least a couple plants, in the set, that take longer than the others catch back up. I used to top water as well and that may have minimized the issue by keeping the potted roots healthy, but this last season I got pretty lazy with it. Sometimes, the extended lag happens with the salicifolia which I haven’t seen send roots into the reservoir yet.

I'm so intrigued by the idea of letting my tropicals grow this way over the winter.

Thanks for breaking it down.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Here is a photo from the fall when it is fresh and clean looking, the water (nutrient solution) gets pretty mucky pretty fast. I tried shielding it from light using foil, but it didn’t help very much.

 

[Toshi]

Here is a photo from the fall when it is fresh and clean looking, the water (nutrient solution) gets pretty mucky pretty fast. I tried shielding it from light using foil, but it didn’t help very much.

View attachment 453783

What a cool set up, I thought the pots were fully submerged.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I have rayon mop strand wicks potted into each pot.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

This one came in to the indoor season a little weak but is recovering.. the clover weeds were getting way out of control. I have been thinking on clearing out some of the lower branches and going with a top 1/3 kind of design. Not your traditional literati, but it does have some movement.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I have been thinking on clearing out some of the lower branches and going with a top 1/3 kind of design. Not your traditional literati, but it does have some movement.

Sounds like a good idea to me. It will look more like a tree and you get to see that great trunk line!