Ficus Benjamina Exposed Root Help

[SerSwanky]

Hello everyone! Glad I found a forum with such extension knowledge! I was hoping to get some assistance as I am new to bonsai.

I recently purchased a Ficus Benjamina from a nursery. I saw some pretty cool looking exposed root systems in some videos and photos and wanted to recreate my own (see photos).

I realized a few days after repotting it into a trainer pot and leaving some of the roots exposed that I may have been hasty in my excitement. I noticed the roots were a pale color and in most videos the exposed roots on their trees were the color of bark.

It has some decently thick roots close to the stems with long enough roots to go halfway to the bottom of the container. I'm not sure if exposing the roots like that will cause harm to the tree. If I leave some of the thick roots and some of the small roots exposed to the air with the a few of the ends in the soil (the others are floating in the air), will the plant be okay? There is a pretty solid root structure buried in the soil. I'm misting them twice a day but I wasn't sure if the roots would just dry out and die/kill the plant being exposed in the air or if it would be fine. Is there a strategy I should be implementing when trying to do this with a new plant? I couldn't find any resources on this. All the videos on youtube already has an established exposed root system. Or maybe those are all aerial roots? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ShadyStump]

So, this time you dove head first into the shallow end actually.
It's cool, it's not going to die. I've been growing benjaminas for a whole six months, so I'm an expert now.

These things, given sunshine and water, a bit of fertilizer once in a while, are friggin' bulletproof. The first tree I couldn't kill, and that's saying something.
The Japanese term for the surface roots your looking for is nebari. The color, in this case, means nothing really. The roots will toughen up and darken some as they're exposed. You could easily have cut out those big tuber roots and just been nice to the tree for a while, and it would've been ok. Ficus use those roots like a camel's hump; stores resources for the lean times. If you're caring for it properly, the tree won't need them, so won't grow them.
If you like them, then leave them, but if you don't you can cut them out one or two at a time over the summer and not worry to much about harming the tree as long as you're not doing a significant amount of other cutting on it.
If that's your route, you can take those longer thinner roots and lay them out a bit so those will become your nebari. Ficus root very easily- like I keep sticking the cuttings I trim off mine into some dirt in a tin can and watering them, and they just won't freaking die- so even those ones, if not dried out and dead yet, will grow and be perfectly fine.
You will receive SO MUCH criticism for your potting soil. If the tree is doing ok, blow it off. Root rot is the concern, but it's damn near impossible on a benjamina, and hardly a concern if you're keeping an eye on your watering practices to begin with. Stick a bamboo chopstick or skewer into the soil, and leave it there. Use it as dipstick to check the soil moisture. Once it's ALL BUT dry, water thoroughly until the water drains out the bottom of the pot. Poof, perfect watering.

Add the word nebari to your searches, and you'll find a thousand different strategies for making it happen. Some people feel like ficus make for terrible nebari, but it really depends on what you're personally going for, and your personal taste. Think of those pictures of ruins in the south Asian jungles- Ankur Wat and the like- with trees growing over them and roots everywhere. That's what ficus can do.

 

[SerSwanky]

Thanks for taking the time to respond in length. Super helpful. I started to panic for a minute there when I realized I might be killing it. I can do that normally without the extra steps.

I haven't done any styling to it yet, I just repotted it and exposed the roots. Not sure what I want to do with it yet, I'm not the biggest fan of the braided look I see out there. But it has three stems coming out of it so it'd be somewhat "easy" to do. I'll figure out something eventually!

Well have at yee general public! Yeah the potting soil is Dr Earth Blended Cactus and Succulent mix. Apparently it has decent drainage? Every video I watch, people make their own mix but I am not quite to that point just yet, ha. I don't have the space to store a bunch of different soils at the moment. One day though.

Well thank you for all the tips, I will definitely but those into use and look up some more info on nebari.

 

[ShadyStump]

No problem.
Loads of info around here, and no shortage of people who can make you regret asking, but plenty more who make it worth asking.
You can use the search function on the site and find GOBS of info quick.