Ficus Microcarpa pseudo root cutting budding out now

[KennedyMarx]

I say pseudo root cutting because it was the actual base that was buried under the soil. The tree actually had a decent flailing nebari above it. I'll probably sell the top at my clubs auction next month and just keep this little bottom piece to develop. Not bad for something that came from a $12 mallsai at Walmart. .

 

[Vin]

That's got some killer bark. I keep checking the local Walmart, Lowes, etc and can't seem to find a decent ficus.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Vin, it seems like they'll have one or two s-shaped microcarpa for every dozen ginsengs and procumbens nana cuttings. I've pretty much snatched up most of the ones I've seen and cut them down.

 

[Vin]

Vin, it seems like they'll have one or two s-shaped microcarpa for every dozen ginsengs and procumbens nana cuttings. I've pretty much snatched up most of the ones I've seen and cut them down.

I also love how they label some (ficus) as "Patio Plant" or "House Plant" and then I'm not sure of the variety. I've only found milk shake straw size clumps. They used to be in about every store around here but I can't seem to find a decent one to save my life.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Not only are they marking the the ginseng a and regular microcarpa as "bonsai," but the junipers are labelled simply "bonsai." Then you have stuff like this cheap they're selling now with the same label "bonsai!"

 

[AlBooBoo]

Nice little tree you have there

I wonder about this "root cuttings" i hear about... is it like if you cut off the roots on the ficus it will bud when the root gets above soil level?

I have also chopped a big "S" ficus into pieces and are eventually going to trim the roots on it..
so i wonder when i do this and i find like a root that looks nice can i just chop it and repot it? with some of the root above soil level? if so it will propably be better to turn it upside down to get better taper?

 

[KennedyMarx]

Basically you find a thick tuberous root in the pot, chop it off, then stick it in a pot with about a half inch to an inch sticking out of the top. Eventually the it will throw buds out near the edge of the cut line above the soil. I've had success a couple times that I've tried and I haven't cut the bottom of the roots like in this diagram.

 

[AlBooBoo]

Cool and thanks i will try it out when i see a possibility for it

 

[jk_lewis]

I'm not at all a fan of F. microcarpa, but if you can get the leaves to reduce enough that should become a charming little tree.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Thanks, JKL. I've been able to reduce the leaves on a microcarpa down to a between half a dime and dime size. That was on a top chunk I rooted from another walmart mallsai. The trick seemed to be pruning routinely and keeping it in a small pot. I have been letting that one go to help establish a better root system.