Experimenting with ficus cuttings, aerial roots, and tiny greenhouses.

[@BlueJayBonsai]

Love the experiments, so much fun! If you really like Nigel you’d chop that trunk just above the first branch 😀

[@BonsaiBoise]

Yeah that's where I differ from his approach a little bit. But that's also why his trees look way better than mine 😝

[@Tybold63]

@@BonsaiBoise Nigel is more or less a self made guru for sure. But don't let that change yourself. Do your thing and it will progress bit by bit, soaking up experience from your own and others doing. Cheers!

[@ironhorse3497]

Cool.

[@-ChrisD]

22:14 That's an absolutely great way to repurpose your soil. Fun ideas you have :) Thanks for sharing!

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Mike, I enjoyed this. Gotta do some experimenting now and then 👍🏻

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you! Most of it is unplanned and just kind of, "on the whim" when I am bored. Maybe 1 out of 5 or 10 end up being something cool. But I learn something from each experience.

[@glenwatcheston633]

MAN GREAT VIDEO, I learnt a lot from you and collected a few new ideas. Great job 👍🏼

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you! I'm glad to hear that

[@JoeyMrTurbo]

You sir, are just about as crazy and mad scientist like as me. 🤣

[@jacklegminercanada3866]

I was thinking of doing an air layer to get the roots, and then using the straws filled with soil to draw them to the soil

[@BonsaiBoise]

Yeah that could work

[@mofosoto]

I have no idea if this would work and haven't seen it anywhere, but I got an idea. What if you just stacked sphagnum moss all around the tree as high as you want the arial roots to grow? Maybe use some kind of mulch. But what you could do is pile it up to the desired height but as loose as possible so when it's time to remove the moss, it won't be too tangled to remove the moss without damaging the arial roots if they develop. Kinda like your straw idea but around the entire trunk of the tree. You may be able to pile it up without some kind of barrier but you may have to use a barrier like you did with the kabob skewers and plastic wrap. Or maybe use a water bottle that's cut to size, and both ends cut off with a cut down the length of the bottle so you can slide it around the trunk then stuff it full of the moss as loose as possible. I hope this makes sense haha. If you're trying to get roots to grow out of a specific branch, you could try the air layering trick that's used to start roots for new trees from the branch. Then just remove the air layering material once the roots have developed enough and just don't cut off the branch. BTW, I have no idea if any of this would work because I haven't tested it. Good luck!

[@missy912]

I'm late but this is a great idea. And it works its called Air layering. Def a good suggestion

[@3nigma.3nc]

@@missy912 No. Air layering involves intentionally wounding the cambium and phloem so sugar and auxin build up at the cut, stimulating root growth. Completely different then trying to just form aerial roots..

[@missy912]

@@3nigma.3nc no air layering meand to wrap an existing node with a damp medium and co ering with a bag ir seran wrap and allowing roots to grow from that node so when u do decide to cut it, u have a root system established and transplanting is seemless

[@edjebimmer882]

Take two straws slide them in eachother then you can lower It down witouth damaging the root. Then only at the bottom you have to take them of gently @bonsai boise

[@Shaezizzle]

Thank you so much for sharing all your different experiments and techniques that you're learning and have come up with! I've had my Ficus for about 5yrs now and have yet to take any clippings from it, but after watching this I'm definitely feeling a lot more optimistic (: I've also never tried this, but your idea with the straw had made me wondering ~ Maybe a smoothie straw could work if you slice it beforehand and then tape it? Hopefully with the size it would allow more room for moss and roots to grow, but also make it a little easier to remove once time💚

[@BonsaiBoise]

Well thank you! I'm glad this was helpful. Also, I've found a better method that is rediculously easy. Put a clear plastic bag of the tree. It's the most basic method ever but arial roots start popping out like crazy when you do it. I ended up buying a roll of 100 clear plastic trash bags on Amazon for $5 and have them over a bunch of my trees now. Who knew!?

[@edjebimmer882]

​@BonsaiBoise take two straws of different lengths slide them in eachother that way you can slide it down witouth damaging the root then only at the end you wil have to cut them of

[@zackau9807]

Slit the straw ahead of time, and tie it, maybe...

[@FknNefFy]

Boise looks damn exciting lol

[@BonsaiBoise]

Never a dull moment! 🙂

[@alexandruserban2138]

Yeah,I have had some Tamarix cuttings placed in two pots to root,but yesterday when I cleaned my balcony and realising that the cuttings didn't do nothing in the last weeks,so I pulled out them and ... Some of them rooted somehow and it was too late to place them back since I broke off the roots.In the end,I remembered I took the Tamarix cuttings right from the garbage bin,so they were already dead,but I tried to recover them,since I really like Tamarix trees a lot.As Nigel Saunders saaid once, "we are keep trying".🌳💡☀️

[@terryfolds4362]

If you are going to soak it in water, might as well put a piece of aloe vera in with it. The hormones in the aloe will REALLY get it going.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Hmm, I did not know that!

[@terryfolds4362]

@@BonsaiBoise pretty sure thats where they harvest Hormodin from.

[@BonsaiBoise]

@@terryfolds4362 well it's worth a shot at least!

[@andrewfiller3097]

I am working on mine. For the banyan you may want to stuff with sphagnum moss. A lot of people swear by it. Just an idea!

[@spoilerboy4026]

I found your channel looking for ficus Benjamina stuff, because I'm trying to fuse a bunch of rooted trunks together too. Very helpful, chill vibe to your videos. Thanks for sharing your experiments! Question: how are the elastics working out?

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks I appreciate that! And so far so good. I haven't done a deep check on all of them yet but from the look of them, I'd say about 3/4 of them ha e started to fuse a little. A few broke out and are growing in weird directions though. I should probably do an update on these soon

[@spoilerboy4026]

@@BonsaiBoise I'd like that! Cheers

[@Mamafish68]

I'm in So. Colo and just inherited a f.benj. ABSOLUTELY had to prune the crap out of it. (Providing it survives) What's the best time to take cuttings? TIA also* is north facing window, ok?

[@jkleczewski]

Do roots grow from higher on the "trunk" in the water bottles? If so, could they be turned into aeriole roots?

[@BonsaiBoise]

Yes and yes. Also they can be used to thicken up the trunk and then trim them off later.

[@jkleczewski]

@@BonsaiBoise I hadn't even thought far enough ahead to consider thickening!

[@ajWLMk2o]

Any update on these experiments? Also, I saw another KZbinr who put a bag around the bottom half of their Ficus to make like a teepee around the base. It keeps moisture from the soil accessible to the trunk.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Yes actually! Funny timing, just posted an update a few days ago.

[@elementalbonsai]

Nice job on the greenhouses bro I've done the same only I used clear trash bags really large ones for a large Ficus and it put Ariel roots out like crazy ! It's also dry were I live . Great video! 👍

[@BonsaiBoise]

How long does it usually take for yours to sprout aerial roots? And thanks! Here's some irony, I spend a few bucks here, a few bucks there on these experiments. It can add up if I'm not careful. Then 2 days ago, I find am indoor, 4 ft, 4 shelf greenhouse for $35. Lol. But why buy that when I can spend $75 building it myself right?

[@elementalbonsai]

@@BonsaiBoise about 2 to 3 weeks see them start getting some length I left my trash bag on for about 6 months.Cause I also had to let them turn from that fresh white color and Hardin off before I could take the bag off then I had to go in and cut off what Ariel roots I didn't want which were everywhere lol ! And I also have a clear trash bag over a Shefflera forest style planting that I will be taking off here in a few days which also has all over just waiting on a couple to Hardin off .

[@FknNefFy]

Good idea on the at cluster experiment. A gallon jug would work to make ones too! And you could leave the lid partly on to hinge open or closed if you want too!

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks! I've since switched to a very low tech clear plastic bag that's been working well.

[@allmetaliswelcome]

Did any of it work? I got some Benjaminas i wanna grow aerial roots on aswell

[@BonsaiBoise]

Yep. Once I put them in my little greenhouse they started growing arial roots like crazy!

[@allmetaliswelcome]

@@BonsaiBoise Good to know! I guess i'll go experimenting too then

[@BonsaiBoise]

@@allmetaliswelcome Another .method that's been working is putting a clear plastic bag over them. Talk about low budget! But it works like a charm.

[@siosio5408]

Does Ficus Religionsa produce aerial roots?

[@BonsaiBoise]

It can, yes.

[@gamzehavvatnmz]

Ben neden ficus köklendiremiyorum 🥺 Bebek ficus'lar istiyorum 🥺