I have a large grevillea robusta I dug from my neighbours yard just over 2yrs ago, it was put back in the ground as I did not have a pot that would hold it. It has lots of potential but has one major problem...damn reverse taper! The section of the trunk that was below ground level is considerably thinner than above, I have tried nailing it, hammering it & I forget what else to try & get some thickening happening, all without success.
Matt
There has been great growth & some thickening but the reveres taper seems even worse than ever... so its layer time. I will document it as I go along but was wondering if anyone else has ever done one on this species & if so was it a success? What method was used? etc etc etcAirlayering Grevillea robusta
- MattA
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Airlayering Grevillea robusta
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42 Mice ~Imperfection
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
Hi MattA,
Maybe the technique of pinning seedlings that will improve root structure/nebari?
Never tried it yet and not sure if it will work on a grevillea but worth a shot.
Just raise the soil level.
Maybe a silly idea but who knows??
Maybe the technique of pinning seedlings that will improve root structure/nebari?
Never tried it yet and not sure if it will work on a grevillea but worth a shot.
Just raise the soil level.
Maybe a silly idea but who knows??
- MattA
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Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
Actually its not a silly idea, alot of the more temperamental Grevillea's are grafted onto robusta rootstock, so they will fuse. I might wander down to the native nursery & have a chat with them tomorow, see if they are able to give me any more info, doubt it, I usually get more info from Ausbonsai than any nursery or other source (even my contacts in DECCW now use this place for info!)Crowie wrote:Hi MattA,
Maybe the technique of pinning seedlings that will improve root structure/nebari?
Never tried it yet and not sure if it will work on a grevillea but worth a shot.
Just raise the soil level.
Maybe a silly idea but who knows??
I was thinking of just layering off at the widest point, it would be very easy to just put a solid board on the soil & then some medium over the top for it, bonus its only about 1.5m from the front tap (I dont water my front garden at all). If I opt for grafting seedlings round the base I can do the same no problems.
Thanks for the input.
Matt
42 Mice ~Imperfection
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
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Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
hi Matt,
i have done an areial layer on a grevillea. Not sure on the name though,as the mother plant was here before we moved in.
It was a 4cm thick bit. It took 6- 7 weeks for the roots to thicken, then i choped it .This was done end of last summer. Was going great guns
till i planted in the ground this seasons spring.
I had cut it back hard and when the buds bust they dry up. Not sure if im watering too much or its too hot.
Answering your question they layer no worries. Hope you have better luck than me mate. look forwards to what you do next.![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
i have done an areial layer on a grevillea. Not sure on the name though,as the mother plant was here before we moved in.
It was a 4cm thick bit. It took 6- 7 weeks for the roots to thicken, then i choped it .This was done end of last summer. Was going great guns
till i planted in the ground this seasons spring.
![Confused :lost:](./images/smilies/Confused.gif)
![Shake Head :shake:](./images/smilies/shakehead.gif)
Answering your question they layer no worries. Hope you have better luck than me mate. look forwards to what you do next.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
Learn from yesterday,live for today,hope for tomorrow.The important thing is, to not stop questioning. Albert Einstein...
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Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
Hey Petra,Petra wrote:hi Matt,
i have done an areial layer on a grevillea. Not sure on the name though,as the mother plant was here before we moved in.
It was a 4cm thick bit. It took 6- 7 weeks for the roots to thicken, then i choped it .This was done end of last summer. Was going great guns
till i planted in the ground this seasons spring.I had cut it back hard and when the buds bust they dry up. Not sure if im watering too much or its too hot.
![]()
Answering your question they layer no worries. Hope you have better luck than me mate. look forwards to what you do next.
Thanks for the info, got a pic of the one you did (or its parent) to know which one it is?
What method did you use? (ringbark/sliver etc)
What medium (sphagnum or a mix)?
Was the layer set or removed late summer?
Sorry for all the questions but I think this has lots of potential and is atleast 40yrs old according to the neighbour (was in the yard when she moved into her house in 1971, just never really grew! She keeps telling me "stop cutting it and all those other lovely trees back so hard all the time"
![Whistle :whistle:](./images/smilies/whistle.gif)
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Matt
Matt
42 Mice ~Imperfection
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
- Petra
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Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
Hey Petra,
Thanks for the info, got a pic of the one you did (or its parent) to know which one it is?
What method did you use? (ringbark/sliver etc)
What medium (sphagnum or a mix)?
Was the layer set or removed late summer?
Matt
Matt[/quote]
will get a pic tomorrow for you. I areial layered (ring barked) early september , with spagnum moss wraped in a plastic shopping bag. I chopped it from the shrub november last year. Hope this is of some help to you.
Thanks for the info, got a pic of the one you did (or its parent) to know which one it is?
What method did you use? (ringbark/sliver etc)
What medium (sphagnum or a mix)?
Was the layer set or removed late summer?
Matt
Matt[/quote]
will get a pic tomorrow for you. I areial layered (ring barked) early september , with spagnum moss wraped in a plastic shopping bag. I chopped it from the shrub november last year. Hope this is of some help to you.
Learn from yesterday,live for today,hope for tomorrow.The important thing is, to not stop questioning. Albert Einstein...
- MattA
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Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
Hey Petra,Petra wrote: will get a pic tomorrow for you. I areial layered (ring barked) early september , with spagnum moss wraped in a plastic shopping bag. I chopped it from the shrub november last year. Hope this is of some help to you.
Thankyou soo much, thats awesome ... YES it helps me immensely.... I will have to factor size etc into my layer but it is defintely a green light for it to happen. Swap out the sphagnum for another medium & allow alot longer before removing...
Without seeing the pic I am going to have a 3 card guess
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
Robyn Gordon, Moonlight, Honey Gem...
Matt
OOhhh i just saw where your located.. think my guesses will be way off
Last edited by MattA on January 19th, 2011, 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
42 Mice ~Imperfection
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
- Petra
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Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
This is the grevillea picture for you Matt,
Now i see its not the same as yours
.
Tried the layer on the tall grevillea with honey colour flowers,and if i remember rightly the layer never took.
Ill have to dig through my photos
and see what time of year it was when i did that. I had tried on 3 different areas on that tree.
Now i see its not the same as yours
![Reading :reading:](./images/smilies/Reading.gif)
![Confused :lost:](./images/smilies/Confused.gif)
and see what time of year it was when i did that. I had tried on 3 different areas on that tree.
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Learn from yesterday,live for today,hope for tomorrow.The important thing is, to not stop questioning. Albert Einstein...
- MattA
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Re: Airlayering Grevillea robusta
Petra wrote:This is the grevillea picture for you Matt,
Now i see its not the same as yours. Tried the layer on the tall grevillea with honey colour flowers,and if i remember rightly the layer never took.
Ill have to dig through my photos
and see what time of year it was when i did that. I had tried on 3 different areas on that tree.
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Its interesting you had no luck with the Honey Gem ( I dont know its parentage so that may be a factor). I look forward to hearing more on your trials with it. Your very good to have photo records of what you get up to, I have only really started taking photos of my trees in the last year or 2 & regret not having any early pics of some of them to see how far they have (or havent) come.
Mine is robusta, the largest of the genus & also a major pest as it self sows readily, yet I have all manner of grief trying to raise seed
![Face Palm :palm:](./images/smilies/facepalm.gif)
Matt
42 Mice ~Imperfection
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"