Problem Ficus Root and a solution!

Bart Thomas(deceased)

One of the reasons I take a lot of routine stuff to do to Chase Rosade's workshops is that you never know what will come up.

I was potting this Green Emerald Ficus that I styled last fall at a Pedro Morales workshop duirng the International Bonsai Symposium, when, since Chase was right there, I asked him if the root shown in the first photo (poorly circled in red. You wonder why I don't do virtuals?) should come off. Had I done this at home, the root would be gone!

Chase said, "Let's live dangerously." He then told me to take straight-jawed cutters (some sell them as knob cutters, some as root cutters), and split the root lengthwise. Once I had done this, I commented that I had done a messy job, and he said it didn't matter.

He then took a chopstick and placed it an the tree end of the cut. We then positioned the "two" roots (each had feeder roots coming off it.) and finished potting. The result is shown in the second photo.

The worst outcome is that we lose the root I was prepared to remove. At least, I have learned another new (for me) technique.

I wonder whether Chase did this to improve the tree or to improve my knowledge.

Attached Images

	Ficus root before.jpg (67.6 KB, 143 views)
	ficus root after.jpg (45.6 KB, 157 views)

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Will_Heath

Brillant! And just when you think you've seen it all! Pass my thanks along to Chase, what a great technique to add to the box.


Again, thanks for sharing,

Will

pootsie

Ditto.
Nebari freak that I am, I am happy to learn of another cool trick.

I think almost every tree that I have is currently in the stage where I am working on the nebari or lower trunk to some extent. Some day, I may wire fine branches ...

pootsie

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Adam_MA

Bart,
Thank you for sharing this technique! I have a tree that I am working on that has a couple of roots like this, and this technique could be just what I have been looking for. As for the tool that was used... My knob cutters have a rounded blade. Are the cutters you used similar to a root cutter?
Thanks
Adam

Bart Thomas(deceased)

Hi, Adam:

A root cutter would be just fine, A (small) trunk splitter would also do the job. Probably a knife, in the right hands. It's the straight cut that's important.

Here is a photo of the tool I used. (Aren't digital cameras handy!)

Attached Images

root cutter.jpg (26.4 KB, 42 views)

Jerry Meislik

Bart,
Thanks for posting a great technique. Useful for many types of trees.
Jerry

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Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/

rowan57

What an interesting technique, just out of curiosity, are you going to use cut sealant, and if not is there reasoning behind it?

Just curious
Rowan

(guess the chop stick would get in the way, but other than that?)

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Bart Thomas(deceased)

No plan to use sealant. I suspect that there is a chance that new feeder roots may grow from the cut surface.

Aaron_K

Bart that is a superb technique and one I haven't come across before on the net or in a book!

It certainly opens up many more opportunities for nebari, that one would perhaps dispensed of before. Many thanks for sharing it with us, along with the photographs.

Kindest regards,

Aaron