Any chemists here? I've got an idea for a bonsai sci-fi experiment

[Alex DeRuiter]

This is going to sound a bit insane, but just think with me for a minute...it'll be fun.

I enjoy thinking of technological advancements and what may be produced in the future, and I applied this train of thought to bonsai. So here's where I went with this. . . .

What if there was some type of gel substance that could be used as substrate for trees (and plants in general) -- a gel that would constantly hold oxygen atoms so a tree could never be suffocated? Say this gel substance could bind immediately to the roots and could be altered in any way by the push of a button. For instance, you could attach fertilizer and H2O reservoirs to the "pot" (tank) and disperse the fertilizer throughout the gel in seconds. Would this gel, having the ability to bind immediately to the roots, give one the ability to pull out the tree for root inspection at any time? Could this be used to improve rate of growth for plants? Could this be used for frost protection? Granted it wouldn't be good for show trees, but I imagine it could prove useful for growing trees.

Would the gel be transparent? Would you be able to determine where a ground layer is needed to improve the nebari? Minus fertilizer (assuming it would be the same in the future as it is now), would the gel be sterile, and therefore yield better probability for callusing and root development?

Think of the possibilities! lol -- While this may go nowhere, it's very fun to think about. I think that while this seems too futuristic, it could certainly be possible with continued research and advancements in technology.

Thanks for reading...I'm obviously bored. ;-p

 

[Poink88]

Sounds like hydrophonics...with a little twist.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

A mad scientist twist. Mwahahaha

 

[gergwebber]

the one I was considering during commutes was inspired by my uncle's hip surgery. apparently, the surgeon took my uncle's blood, processed it to collect all of the plasma, and reapplied the plasma on the cuts and sutures in the wound to rapidly speed healing.

I was wondering if there would be a plant substitute that would be like super cambium, or something that would reseal wounds and bridge cambium without grafting. Something in paste form, or a gel, or "cambium tape."

 

[stacy allen muse]

??????????????

 

[mat]

I bought some rooting gel stuff a few years ago. It was rooting hormone suspended in gel, sort of like what you're talking about, though not exactly - something like this.

http://www.kinsmangarden.com/category/Gel-2-Root

There was a foil cover, so you could just stick the cutting through the foil and let it propagate away. I probably stuck about 20 various cuttings in it, most of which were from plants that tend to root easily (ficus, elms, etc). They produced a total of zero roots. I followed the directions. I suppose I might have missed something, or maybe it wasn't really designed for the kind of cuttings I had. I went back to just sticking cuttings in a shallow pot filled with dirt.

Anyway, reading this reminded me of that, so I figured I'd share.

 

[Brian Underwood]

http://www.seedman.com/plantge.htm

 

[daygan]

Now, Alex, you know in the spirit of experimentation, you have to buy a pot full of that stuff and try it on at least one of your trees, right?

 

[daygan]

I have to add that last year my wife bought seeds of grass that were shipped with these gelatinous orbs to be used as a substrate(somewhat rubber-like) that absorbed and released water similar to what's described on the page that Brian linked. They seemed to work just fine (the roots actually grew through the orbs) except that they did break down pretty easily, and I imagine in freezing temperatures they wouldn't resist deterioration for very long. I don't know if that would affect their ability to continue doing what they are meant to do or not.

 

[tatorger]

This sounds like flasking orchids. The only problem is keeping it sanitary once it is exposed to air, orchids you have to flask in a sanitary environment and keep sealed, and if you put anything in the gel to kill bacteria how good can it be for your tree?

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

the one I was considering during commutes was inspired by my uncle's hip surgery. apparently, the surgeon took my uncle's blood, processed it to collect all of the plasma, and reapplied the plasma on the cuts and sutures in the wound to rapidly speed healing.

I was wondering if there would be a plant substitute that would be like super cambium, or something that would reseal wounds and bridge cambium without grafting. Something in paste form, or a gel, or "cambium tape."

I've heard of that. Another example would be using stem cells for things like that. It's fascinating to think about the things we've discovered over the years...it's just a sad catch 22 that there are so many ethical issues with stuff like that -- at least in regards to stem cells.

if I was a chemist, I would definitely have alot more money...

Gives you a reason to go back to school ;-D

I bought some rooting gel stuff a few years ago. It was rooting hormone suspended in gel, sort of like what you're talking about, though not exactly - something like this.

http://www.kinsmangarden.com/category/Gel-2-Root

There was a foil cover, so you could just stick the cutting through the foil and let it propagate away. I probably stuck about 20 various cuttings in it, most of which were from plants that tend to root easily (ficus, elms, etc). They produced a total of zero roots. I followed the directions. I suppose I might have missed something, or maybe it wasn't really designed for the kind of cuttings I had. I went back to just sticking cuttings in a shallow pot filled with dirt.

Anyway, reading this reminded me of that, so I figured I'd share.

That sounds pretty awesome. I almost want to try that, but all the spare money I have has been going towards trees and tools. I wonder if it's species-specific or what.

http://www.seedman.com/plantge.htm

Awesome!!!!!! I'm going to have to try that. I'm going to get some cuttings and pot them into this stuff next year. Thank you Brian!

Now, Alex, you know in the spirit of experimentation, you have to buy a pot full of that stuff and try it on at least one of your trees, right?

Oh, absolutely. I'm going to go about this as an actual scientific experiment. I'm going to get a couple Trident seedlings or cuttings, one in Turface and one in this stuff, same growing conditions and everything, and see which one grows faster. One thing I'm going to have to replicate is the fertilizer...I'm going to have to get something as close as possible to the fertilizer in the gel stuff for the tree that's in Turface -- probably some extended-release stuff. I wonder if the gel has any humic acid in it. . . .

I have to add that last year my wife bought seeds of grass that were shipped with these gelatinous orbs to be used as a substrate(somewhat rubber-like) that absorbed and released water similar to what's described on the page that Brian linked. They seemed to work just fine (the roots actually grew through the orbs) except that they did break down pretty easily, and I imagine in freezing temperatures they wouldn't resist deterioration for very long. I don't know if that would affect their ability to continue doing what they are meant to do or not.

I've heard of those before. In fact, I think someone posted about those on this forum. One thing I'm concerned about is how it holds up in cold weather...it seems quite possible that it would freeze easily, being that it's partly made up of water. If only I had some sort of contraption that would keep the pot heated throughout at a certain temperature, but not warm enough to bring the tree out of dormancy.

Maybe I'll have to use a tropical species. . . .

This sounds like flasking orchids. The only problem is keeping it sanitary once it is exposed to air, orchids you have to flask in a sanitary environment and keep sealed, and if you put anything in the gel to kill bacteria how good can it be for your tree?

That one I'm not certain about. Trees don't necessarily need bacteria, I don't think...do they? I mean, we use inorganic substrate for our trees -- or at least a lot of people do. I don't know if this would be significant or not. I guess I'll just need to...experiment. Mwaahahahahahaha

 

[daygan]

Also, you should place your prediction about how long it takes for this gel that you are imagining to be developed and come into regular use here: http://longbets.org/ Just for fun

 

[davetree]

I have used the rooting gel, it doesn't work any better than powder. It can also cause more dieback in your cuttings, at least in my experience.

 

[tatorger]

What I was saying was whatever you had to put in the gel to kill bacteria would possibly be poisoning the tree at the same time