Air layering a Trident Maple

[legoman_iac]

Quick update: few months of doing nothing, the leaves have all fallen except for the air layered branches, I'm hoping this is a good sign. Pics below to show whole tree, then some close ups.







Still planning on waiting until spring before thinking about removing it.

- Daniel

[legoman_iac]

TIMBER!!!!

Thought I saw roots during the week so I went out yesterday to remove the layer. Looks like I was wrong, wasn't roots but bit of moss starting to grow inside the layer, didn't realise this until the layer was removed.

Thinking it was ready, I removed the plastic and gently lifted up the moss, sawed off the branch then placed it in water for a good 30 minutes to soften the sphagnum. Then when I started peeling back the moss to my horror there were NO ROOTS! The callus has doubled in size to what it was in March, though no roots.

I'm still naively optimisitic, as the layer had NOT re-bridged ... the fact this layer has been creating new leaves and flowers makes me think it might survive on its own. So, pic below of removed, potted layer. I've left a significant amount of leaves on for now to help the roots as much as possible.



Unless I should be trimming it back further?

- Daniel

p.s. While I was out there I tried two more layers, this time actually using rooting hormones inside the layers, haha!

[Phoenix238]

Can't say whether you need to remove leaves or not, (personally I would remove everything out the far right, but wait for more experienced advice) but mist it as often as you can as your biggest enemy now is drying out. It's basically a big cutting now and the only moisture it can get without roots is through the leaves

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

[legoman_iac]

Hey Phoenix,

I was thinking it needs more of a haircut however less leaves means less goodness capturing, no?

I agree about it basically being a cutting, however it has been independent from the mother tree's root system since March right? Since I removed the bridged?

If there's no harm leaving these big branches on, will keep them for now. Thinking it'll be a year or two before any attempt at styling it.

- Daniel

[legoman_iac]

Mmm ... pot feel over yesterday in the wind. Nothing appears broken, my rope skills passed the test as no soil was disturbed, nor any signs of movement within the pot, phew!

Wondering should I trim branches back per Phoenix's suggestion (ie the proper process of potting a layer) or keep it as it is due to the lack of any real root system?

[Ray M]

Hi legoman_iac,

Mmm ... pot feel over yesterday in the wind. Nothing appears broken, my rope skills passed the test as no soil was disturbed, nor any signs of movement within the pot, phew!

Wondering should I trim branches back per Phoenix's suggestion (ie the proper process of potting a layer) or keep it as it is due to the lack of any real root system?

I would remove the branch shown with the red line. Phoenix is right in saying to remove the branch. The tree needs leaves, but it won't be able to support to much. I think this will help as there are still quite a number of leaves on other areas of the tree.

Trident layer-2.jpg

Regards Ray

[legoman_iac]

Ahhh ... thanks Ray, this is a massive help. My instinct was to cut back much more than you had drawn, lucky I waited. It's also good to know I was almost on the right track, this is why this forum is awesome, such a great and helpful community! Hopefully in a few years I'll be able to contribute more than I query, hehehe.

Will remove the branch in the morning, and see how it goes.

Also have had it in partial shade, since potting (though we've had a week of rain, at least it hasn't dried out).

With the branch removed tomorrow, as indicated, is it ready for full Sun do you think?

- Daniel S

[Ray M]

Hi Daniel,

Ahhh ... thanks Ray, this is a massive help. My instinct was to cut back much more than you had drawn, lucky I waited. It's also good to know I was almost on the right track, this is why this forum is awesome, such a great and helpful community! Hopefully in a few years I'll be able to contribute more than I query, hehehe.

Will remove the branch in the morning, and see how it goes.

Also have had it in partial shade, since potting (though we've had a week of rain, at least it hasn't dried out).

With the branch removed tomorrow, as indicated, is it ready for full Sun do you think? No mate, keep it in shade if it's real hot and dappled sun if it's not hot. Feed it a couple of times a week with Seasol. Don't use any fertilizer until you see it has recovered.

- Daniel S

Regards Ray

[legoman_iac]

Shade + Seasol? Can do. Thanks!

[Ray M]

Shade + Seasol? Can do. Thanks!

Hi Daniel,
I forgot to mention. If you use a watering can to apply the Seasol, water the foliage as well as the soil. This gives a gentle foliage feeding at the same time.

Regards Ray

[legoman_iac]

Little branch is gone ... out of curiosity, I've plunged it into the ground. Keen to see how it holds up vs. the potted layer, I expect the leaves to dry out in the next week or so for the lone little branch but the potted guy to array green and happy.

[legoman_iac]

Shade + Seasol? Can do. Thanks!

Hi Daniel,
I forgot to mention. If you use a watering can to apply the Seasol, water the foliage as well as the soil. This gives a gentle foliage feeding at the same time.

Regards Ray

Sorry Ray, only half follow you ... still a newbie. Use the watering can with shower head to gently seasol the foilage? Or just straight water/mist?

[Ray M]

Shade + Seasol? Can do. Thanks!

Hi Daniel,
I forgot to mention. If you use a watering can to apply the Seasol, water the foliage as well as the soil. This gives a gentle foliage feeding at the same time.

Regards Ray

Sorry Ray, only half follow you ... still a newbie. Use the watering can with shower head to gently seasol the foilage? Or just straight water/mist? Sorry mate for the confusion. As you water the soil with the Seasol mix, water the foliage as well.

Regards Ray

[legoman_iac]

Got it! Cheers!

[legoman_iac]

Long time, no updates. Well the first root less layer didn't make it, slowly dried out and lost its leaves.

Good news however, the two new layers I started (back in November last year) have actual roots!!!! First one only had a few, so not expecting that to make it but the second one blew me away. I know it's not the lushest root system but the best result I've had yet, as below:



Now to shade and seasol them, fingers crossed they do better!

- dSc