Willow Leaf Fig Layer to Rock

[mcgee]

Hey everyone.. thought id share my progression of my first airlayer and first root over rock..
All started with this $15 willow that had a pretty messy root base:

Screenshot_20180114-130344-432x768.png

I decided this would be a cool experiment to practice my first airlayer and then pushed it to see how much this species could handle and if i could get one branch and then one from the trunk. I used rooting hormone powder and spagnum moss from tge big green shed. I initially didnt cut wide and deep enough and the wound healed over..

3rd Jan 2016

Screenshot_20180114-130402-432x768.png

Screenshot_20180114-130409-432x768.png

On the 17th of february 2016 i checked the layers and was surprised with how well they where going:

Screenshot_20180114-130527-432x768.png

I then placed it in a colander and let it grow:

Screenshot_20180114-130533-432x768.png

August 2016 i placed the roots over a black volcanic rock and left it to grow for a year. I wrapped the roots in spagnum moss and the wrapped that in layered gladwrap. I used a old plastic pot to allow me to step the soil up and around the moss. The pan is just a pot tray i drilled holes in for drainage:

Screenshot_20180114-130717-432x768.png

Screenshot_20180114-130900-432x768.png

September 2017 uncovered the roots and the tree was holding onto the rock tightly enough to not be able to move it:

Screenshot_20180115-150216-540x960.png

This is the tree as of today.. ive been busy and had some die back due to neglect but currently riding the bonsai obsession wave again the tree seems pretty healthy but need a more branches and ramification.. gotta let it grrooowww.
Theres also a gap in the roots on the LHS of the pics which i will do more research on how to fix
Anyways let me know what you think.. i love to see progressions like this so thought i would show everyone mine

Screenshot_20180115-143511-540x960.png

Screenshot_20180115-143524-540x960.png

[Beano]

Looks like it’s coming along well. I think it would look better if you wired the branches into a more upward facing position. You’ve currently got it wired down like an evergreen which doesn’t really suit the species.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mcgee]

Cheers Beano. i was playing around the other day and too see what it would look. Ill straighten them up!

[Beano]

It’s early days yet as you’ll almost definitely chop the branches back at some point in the future to build branch taper. Often on a big fig the lower branches will hang lower than the origin at the trunk as they’re heavy, but as you progress up the tree I think they should point more upwards. My personal opinion is that deciduous trees suit more of a broom style - doesn’t mean you have to do it that way though. I think this example is what you could aim for and achieve (not my tree):




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mcgee]

Yeh i see.. cheers!

[mcgee]

Just a bit of an update on my airlayer root over rock willow leaf.
Still alot of work to do branch wise, as atm I roughly give it a trim when i have time. Im starting to really like this little tree and future plans will be to try and get some more moss growing on the rock and soil, and branch development.

It is no where near perfect although Im pretty stoked with this tree as it was the first layer I have ever done and development has been from scratch.

[matlea]

Well done on the layer. This plant also strikes easily from branch and root cuttings. Should give that a go in time....before you know it you'll have a dozen of them to grow on.