Ficus roots are crazy!

[Kevster]

My ficus b roots grow like no other! It's a young tree that's maybe 2-3 years old which might be the reason they grow so fast. I have had it for a year and have pulled it out of the pot twice to trim the roots then return it to the same pot which it hasn't filled yet and is actually a little oversized. Last time I did this was about 3 months ago and already there are roots 6 inches+ growing out of the bottom at a rate of about 3/4 of an inch a day. Should I just keep cutting them when they come through the drain holes or should I continue pulling the plant and root pruning to try and help fill the pot by forcing the roots to divide?

Thanks for the help
Kevin

 

[stacy allen muse]

to me it would depend on where you are at with the trunk size of the tree... by this I mean, are you still trying to thicken up the trunk ??? I would assume so since it is only 2-3 yrs old. If this is the case I would rest your pot on top of a larger pot of perferably coarse sand, and let the roots that grow out of the bottom run free in the pot below...
this will allow your tree to grow, and maitain it healthy vigor, then the roots can be cut latter when you start to define your tree.

 

[Kevster]

Thank you very much Stacy!! I can't believe I didn't think of something like that.

 

[Joedes3]

Stacy, does that work with all trees?

 

[stacy allen muse]

I have personally used this process with my Mame & Shohin bonsai... mainly because maintaining a healthy tree in a very small pot is sometimes tough, if one is always attacking it's roots. Ficus have a tendency to have very very fast growing roots.
Obviously if one is just wanting to thicken the trunk, the quickest way is to plant it in the ground... But this for some I know this is not an option.

Joe, as far as "All" trees... let me say that I would think that for the most part yes. However having said that, I would question why one might want to use a process such as this on a plant that has very slow root growth pattern. For in a case such as this, It would seem more benificial to do the periodic and necessary re-pot where the roots are trimmed and worked on, defining them as well at the same time. Where as on a ficus, one can virtually cut all the roots off and start new, creating a very nice root structure with very little effort and in a short amount of time.

As with any styling descision in Bonsai... don't forget to consider the growth pattern of the tree, and if it can substain itself within the confines of what you are trying to do to it... no need trying to keep a tree small that every other day is having to be cut... your tree, nor you will find yourself very happy.