I think I need a Dinosaur.....

That would look great! I had some ideas but too lazy to execute.

I made quite a few of those in the past few months, these activities can keep me busy for a while.

GigiPlumeria said: Good to know. As for the stump, I want leaves. This stump has been like this since June and I don't think I want this to remain like a lithop with no face.



I'm guessing the branches will grow on the sides? I saved the other roots too and they are not dying but they are not growing.

This still look the same it is lithops wannabe!

I think it's the bottom half of Jabba the Hutt! He now just needs to grow his fat face on top of it.

This is the stump of chickie and has been like this since 8/2021. I will maybe try to graft a branch to see if it will somehow survive.

Kaktus said: Quick update ... it looks like the stumps have healed, started to water the stumps and have moved them to the place where they will receive some direct sunlight in the morning


As for the adeniums, they are all looking good, their leaves are still green and shiny, the soil of the one without cover dries out, I sprinkle some water on the soil of this one, not the other 2. All of them still kept in a bright area without direct sunlight.

What happened to these?

Kaktus said: As per request of @GigiPlumeria, this is a step by step on how I do an adenium root training, I believe there are a lot of other method to do it, and this is just 1 example of how I did it. Hope you find this useful , and feel free to comment, ask , or add any other missing information.
I have performed this for more than 10 adeniums, only 1 failed.
As the purpose is to show step by step with picture until we have the roots that we want, this will take around 1 year until we can see the result, to cut the process of waiting for 12 months, I will use different adeniums at different stages.

Special note:
1. As I live in Indonesia with tropical climate, no winter, I have no idea how other climate, especially winter will affect the growing process of the adeniums, and no idea whether adeniums will go to a dormancy stage in winter.
2. This process is just base on experience or what is available, it is not necessary is the right approach, please feel free to improvise and explore new ways.
3. Please do not do this with your expensive Adeniums, just try it with some seedlings that you can afford to lose.
4. On top of the standard root training process, I also make other experiment for my own interest, just consider those as a 'by product', not part of the root training

I recommend to do this with 2 to 4 adeniums at once, incase 1 or 2 die, we still can continue the process, not to waste 1 year.


Stage 1. Seedling selection criteria
- diameter or the caudex ( 2 - 4 cm)
- the height of the plant 12 - 20 cm , if the plant is too tall, it can not stand without any roots
- select the plant that is straight, not bending to 1 side, for the same reason as above

Tools required:
- a sharp knife
- fungicide , or shallots (thanks @Wildbloomers), ( I never use shallots btw)
- small pieces of styrofoam or plastic bottle cap, or small piece of tile, anything that is hard and can be used to support the plant, the size is slightly bigger than the diameter of the caudex

Below are the step by step with pictures:
1.A. seedling selection, you may see that the one in the middle did not meet our criteria, it was too long and bending ( just ignore it for the time being, that is my sub-project), I also have a feeling that the one at the right looks like too old, lets see how it goes


1.B. Cut them at the widest part of the caudex (please make sure the knife is sharp and clean) , for the one on the right, trim all the small roots that's still available at the trunk


1.C. Trim the edge of the caudex by around 1.5 mm, when we air dry them in the next view days, we will like the skin of the caudex to shrink upward, not downward, as there is where the new roots will grow, we want the roots to grow outward


1.D Apply fungicide to all the wounds, then let them air dry for a couple of days, maybe 3 to 4 days, my criteria is to touch and feel the wound at the bottom, until I feel that it is hard, not soft. Please do not expose them to sunlight for now, just keep them in a place that is bright, good ventilation, and no direct sunlight.


1E. Cut some of the leaves to reduce evaporation, usually I like to keep around 4 - 5 leaves per branch


Now relax and don't worry too much, I was very worried when I did this for the first time

I have a few that I cut like these due to rot. They are just now recovering and leafing out, when should I dig them up for "root selection". I hate to interrupt their growing process.

GigiPlumeria said: What happened to these?

I'd like to know too!

I read this whole thread. Don't leave us hanging

Yes it is a suspense.

GigiPlumeria said: What happened to these?

Hahaha.. After almost 1 year, 1 rotted, as for another piece, no progress at all, at the end I just get rid of it, as I need the pot

@Gigi, for the root selection, the standard is 6 months, but sometimes I was too busy that I only did that in 12 months

I raised the cat today by half inch..

26th Nov 2022



2nd April 2023


1st May 2023

That is really cool! I have to remind myself how tiny Hercules is. It looks really big lifting that adenium.

I'm not very successful with my root training since I don't keep up with it.

This is just adorable and totally charming!!

This little dwarf is now sitting quite tight already and hopefully will be engulfed by those roots one day.

Oh so cute! And the bloom reminds me of MD Addie! Hercules might have to rescue the gnome from that massive roots!

Cute.
If you want the roots to grow bigger and faster to hold the dwarf, then increase the soil, burry the roots and half of the statue.

TJOE, thanks! I will do that!!

chhari55 said: Today i have done this 2 plants in single pot i attached the stems and grafted a 80 days seedling on top of the stems

And now it looks like this

Oh wow!!! That is sooo pretty