Fig air layer - aftercare

[nealweb]

Hi All,

I just impulsively air layered a little willow leaf fig. I've not done any air layering before and I was wondering if I should leave it where it always was on my benches (maybe half a days sun or less but in the middle of the day) or if I should pamper it a bit and move it to a more sheltered/shaded spot for a while??

Thanks experienced ones ...

[Bougy Fan]

I leave my figs in their normal positions when air layering. What type did you do - cling wrap or split pot ? Just make sure it doesn't dry out over summer

[Ash]

I find the main thing is to keep it out of very hot dry conditions. After care really depends how much root was formed and how much leaves remain when you made the final cut. If there are few roots and a lot of leaves, treat it like a cutting and remove some of the larger older leaves or maybe cut them in half. Otherwise give care as you would a recently potted tree, somewhere partly shaded, water well at first and wait until the mix starts to ventilate before watering again and occasional misting.

Good luck with the Fig.

cheers
Ash

[nealweb]

Thanks Bougy, I just trimmed down a plastic pot and put it around the base of the tree. Its got some hormone gel and then sphagnam stuck onto the cut and then just filled with akadama. I might put some sphag mulch on the top to keep it from drying.

Thanks Ash, I will remember that when it comes time to separate (however long that is???) but I just started the layer today, cut the trunk and took off the ring of bark.

[Bougy Fan]

I mix some chopped spag in with diatomite, zeolite and scoria in a split pot. I used to use spag moss held in place with alfoil but have stopped using it as the roots get tangled into the spag moss and it takes ages to comb it out when the roots are established. As Ash said just make sure it doesn't dry out

[Paulneill]

Give it full sun and water it every day if need be .shouldn't take long to grow roots should be good in 4 weeks . I layered a huge branch on large fig tree last summer and I was able to remove it after just 3 weeks. It should grow well when u remove it most layers do. When u remove it give it morning or afternoon sun and just watch the leaves if it looks like its struggling help it by removing some leaves after a couple of weeks it should be ready for full sun again

[nealweb]

Thanks Bougy

And WOW Paul, I always knew figs were pretty amazing trees but thats astounding that you can do that to them and they just bounce back so quick. I'm exited now should have done it ages ago hahaha