I've got a Burt Davy ficus and it's sprouting back after defoliating
when it came indoors for the winter. I'm interested in encouraging more
aerial roots--it's got a couple that are well-developed. One shoot is
growing on the underside of a main branch, approximately in the place
where I'd like an aerial root. Is it possible to train this downward
and basically ground layer it in the pot to make an aerial root, or am I
always going to have leaves and shoots growing out of it?

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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Craig,
Yes, it will ground layer. Allow it to grow strogly after pinning it into
the ground. You do not need to scar it or to use hormones but it won't hurt.
Allow the tip to grow out of the ground for about 6-12 months. Once roots
are certain you can cut off the branch leaving the root.
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.8m.com/
I've got a Burt Davy ficus and it's sprouting back after defoliating
when it came indoors for the winter. I'm interested in encouraging more
aerial roots--it's got a couple that are well-developed. One shoot is
growing on the underside of a main branch, approximately in the place
where I'd like an aerial root. Is it possible to train this downward
and basically ground layer it in the pot to make an aerial root, or am I
always going to have leaves and shoots growing out of it?

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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**
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************************************************** ****************************
**
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++


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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Good Day to All,
Jerry,Craig,

just an odd point to state.I had a friend leave a
ficus.b with me.About 12 years old[originally
from a cutting in my yard.]and quite large/tall.
It was potted in the quarter of a black plastic
55 gal.[US] barrel.

The lowest branch developed a single root and
I allowed it to grow.When it had reached pencil
thickness I cut off the branch,leaving 2" of the
original branch with about twenty leaves.

The branch grew and continues to grow.The tree
died - huh.
Did the heart of the tree exist in the lowest branch?
Another nail in the Ficus coffin.
[I am a staunch member of what the %$#@&^% does
anyone do with a Ficus Club - I don't hate the tree,but
they are so difficult to give tree like presence.]

Ficus I believe is the tree of the Master/Experienced
Bonsai-ist,not the beginner.Too difficult to keep
trained because of it's peculiar habits.
Khaimraj Seepersad
West Indies/Caribbean,
Full moon and dry weather !!!


-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry Meislik
To:
Date: 08 December 2003 14:38
Subject: [IBC] more aerial roots on ficus


Craig,
Yes, it will ground layer. Allow it to grow strogly after pinning it into
the ground. You do not need to scar it or to use hormones but it won't
hurt.
Allow the tip to grow out of the ground for about 6-12 months. Once roots
are certain you can cut off the branch leaving the root.
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.8m.com/
I've got a Burt Davy ficus and it's sprouting back after defoliating
when it came indoors for the winter. I'm interested in encouraging more
aerial roots--it's got a couple that are well-developed. One shoot is
growing on the underside of a main branch, approximately in the place
where I'd like an aerial root. Is it possible to train this downward
and basically ground layer it in the pot to make an aerial root, or am I
always going to have leaves and shoots growing out of it?

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Jarbas Godoy ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Khaimraj.
I am not sure why the trouble with ficus. What varieties have you tried?
Are you growing these outside? What is your temperature range and humidity
like?
Just trying to figure out the problem. Usually they grow too well and so
many outdoors growers don't like them.
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.8m.com/
Good Day to All,
Jerry,Craig,

just an odd point to state.I had a friend leave a
ficus.b with me.About 12 years old[originally
from a cutting in my yard.]and quite large/tall.
It was potted in the quarter of a black plastic
55 gal.[US] barrel.

The lowest branch developed a single root and
I allowed it to grow.When it had reached pencil
thickness I cut off the branch,leaving 2" of the
original branch with about twenty leaves.

The branch grew and continues to grow.The tree
died - huh.
Did the heart of the tree exist in the lowest branch?
Another nail in the Ficus coffin.
[I am a staunch member of what the %$#@&^% does
anyone do with a Ficus Club - I don't hate the tree,but
they are so difficult to give tree like presence.]

Ficus I believe is the tree of the Master/Experienced
Bonsai-ist,not the beginner.Too difficult to keep
trained because of it's peculiar habits.
Khaimraj Seepersad
West Indies/Caribbean,
Full moon and dry weather !!!

+


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++++Sponsored, in part, by Jarbas Godoy ++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

In a message dated 12/8/2003 3:27:55 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:

I've got a Burt Davy ficus and it's sprouting back after defoliating
when it came indoors for the winter. I'm interested in encouraging more
aerial roots--it's got a couple that are well-developed.

On Saturday, 12/13 I will be at Jim Smith's nursery in Vero Beach with
hundreds of Burt Davii Ficus, many of which have no aerial roots. I am not
sure that this is the best feature of this variety.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast
Bonsai Societies of Florida Annual Convention Memorial Day Weekend 2004
Radisson Hotel, Cape Canaveral, Florida A HREF="www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org"www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org/A

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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Good Morning to All,
Jerry,

that experience was I believe one of those blue moon
experiences,but I have had branches die off on the
ficus b. a good few times.

I started of with the simple ficus b. grown in the malls/
shopping centres,the glossy leaf with reddish new growth,
then grew retusa,nitida,priminoides,toolittle,religiosa,nata sha
[called that in Europe],plus a few local types.
Their all easy to just grow[and grow and grow],but I never
found one that really satisfied the treeish look I like.

I have one type of ficus b., the leaves are not glossy and
it tends to produce berries easily,branches beautifully,but
still lacks the uumph needed for tree presence.It was a
3" cutting from my school in Florence,Italy,great memory.
It's now about 28"tall with a dome of about 30".

I live on the side of a hill,within a wind channel,tropical temperatures
and humidity from 40 to 80%,rarely over 90%.

Ficus anything grows easily,but I have yet to find one that
I would show as a specimen.Guess I may be expecting too
much of a Temperate feel out of this tree.I like my domes
to have a feeling of air,negative space and 3 dimensional movement
within the dome as I see it in nature.
With ficus I get a shrub type dome,and the rapid growth requires
so much attention that you have to neglect the other trees.

It's a very frustrating tree-ha ha ha.

Plus the tree can live on air and still expand,fine branchlets
are a pain to maintain.All in all it's a great bush.

I promised Billy[of the space coast]that I would give it at least one
more go,but that was a year or so ago and I have had it
with ficus in general,I am sticking with the elms,serissas,
fukien teas,tamarinds and sparrow plums.Even the finicky
fustic is less nerve twisting,or the dinner plate leaves of seagrape
and the rapid growing ligustrum,causes less pain.
Khaimraj
West Indies/Caribbean



-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry Meislik
To:
Date: 08 December 2003 16:49
Subject: [IBC] more aerial roots on ficus


Khaimraj.
I am not sure why the trouble with ficus. What varieties have you tried?
Are you growing these outside? What is your temperature range and humidity
like?
Just trying to figure out the problem. Usually they grow too well and so
many outdoors growers don't like them.
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.8m.com/

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Jarbas Godoy ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Khaimraj,
Sounds like you have given them a fair chance and they just do not work well
for you.
Oh well. We can't grow everything or like everything. Except some of us
still keep trying.
Thanks for the information.
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.8m.com/
Good Morning to All,
Jerry,

that experience was I believe one of those blue moon
experiences,but I have had branches die off on the
ficus b. a good few times.

I started of with the simple ficus b. grown in the malls/
shopping centres,the glossy leaf with reddish new growth,
then grew retusa,nitida,priminoides,toolittle,religiosa,nata sha
[called that in Europe],plus a few local types.
Their all easy to just grow[and grow and grow],but I never
found one that really satisfied the treeish look I like.

I have one type of ficus b., the leaves are not glossy and
it tends to produce berries easily,branches beautifully,but
still lacks the uumph needed for tree presence.It was a
3" cutting from my school in Florence,Italy,great memory.
It's now about 28"tall with a dome of about 30".

I live on the side of a hill,within a wind channel,tropical temperatures
and humidity from 40 to 80%,rarely over 90%.

Ficus anything grows easily,but I have yet to find one that
I would show as a specimen.Guess I may be expecting too
much of a Temperate feel out of this tree.I like my domes
to have a feeling of air,negative space and 3 dimensional movement
within the dome as I see it in nature.
With ficus I get a shrub type dome,and the rapid growth requires
so much attention that you have to neglect the other trees.

It's a very frustrating tree-ha ha ha.

Plus the tree can live on air and still expand,fine branchlets
are a pain to maintain.All in all it's a great bush.

I promised Billy[of the space coast]that I would give it at least one
more go,but that was a year or so ago and I have had it
with ficus in general,I am sticking with the elms,serissas,
fukien teas,tamarinds and sparrow plums.Even the finicky
fustic is less nerve twisting,or the dinner plate leaves of seagrape
and the rapid growing ligustrum,causes less pain.
Khaimraj
West Indies/Caribbean

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Jarbas Godoy ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++