airlayer Beech

[Josh]

I have a green beech I want to airlayer several times and trunk chop as well. Am I right in thinking it is best to airlayer just after winter when the buds start to swell. Also I want to chop the trunk after I get a couple of extra trees of it with the layering. I have read the Beech only reshoot on branches if there are leaves left on the branch. A branch cut back with no leaves will die. Will the trunch reshoot after the layers and chop or is it likely to die back. Most of what I have read is from england or europe, hard to find info on them over here.

AIRLAYERS.jpg

It is hard to show the real effect I'm wanting with so much follage and the picture doesn't do justice to the position of the layers. Am I being to ambitous or is this doable. Comments please as I don't really want to kill this tree

Thanks in advance
Josh

[Damian Bee]

[shibui]

Josh, I've read several articles from Japan about layering beech (Bonsai Today magazine) so it would seem it works ok. One guy was advocating remove a narrow strip of bark and tie a thick copper wire into the notch to get the best roots. I think they got better results by doing it in winter but it was ages since I read it so cannot be sure of the timing. Maybe someone else knows the article and can confirm or otherwise?
Beech do not grow well here so I do not know how they bud from bare wood. Hope others can advise more.
Info from Europe, etc should be a good guide, just remember to allow for opposite seasons. Good luck.

[kcpoole]

I do not have a beech so cannot comment on the lack of leaves on a branch, but that info does surprise me to hear it. Can anyone intimate with beeches confirm?
Our wiki has some info and links that may help. https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Beech

Re the layering, I would wait until early spring and then put on the layers. Losing that long straight section between them is a good idea

Ken

[Josh]

Thanks for the link Kcpoole. It says about leaving at least one bud to prevent die back on the branch. There are some branches I plan on removing so may be some experimenting to do with them.
Shibui, I have heard of using the wire to create roots so may be worth a go. I really would like to use the trunk as it has heaps of character so hopefully I can get it to reshoot.
I will let you know how I go.
My plan is set the layers in late winter/early spring.
Trunk chop when layers are removed.
Hopefully end up with 3 good trees

I have a spot that is cooler than other areas (more protected) so may be a good spot to grow it on.

Thanks
Josh

[63pmp]

Is it a European beech or Japanese beech that you have?

Most of my experience comes from Japanese beech, which I’ve grown for about 5 years. I’ve not layered them, but understand it’s doable. I have managed to get cuttings to strike, but they did not shoot the following spring and all eventually died.

I would describe Japanese beech as reluctant “budders”, and have the reputation of not back budding on old wood. Certainly if there are no buds on the trunk I would not expect any to form after the kind of chop you are considering. It would be best to have a bud present before chopping. You can’t treat them like maples, they're more like black pine in that you have to grow the branches by selecting buds and tip pruning. If you fail to tip prune and reduce shoots to 2 leaves all the growth ends up at the ends of branches and bud-less near the trunk, which is not so good in the long run.

Paul