Maple layer - not working.

Chris H · Post by **Chris H** » January 5th, 2013, 1:30 pm

I have a Japanese maple in the yard which I want to layer a few trees off.

Last year I used a mix of perlite and a bit of spgnum moss and I got a callous but no roots. So I gave that one up.

This year I am using just spgnum as I have on many other layers in the past. It's been 12 weeks so I checked this morning and guess what! The most gnarly callous but no sign of any roots anywhere.

I scratched back at the callous and applied some more hormone.

This is the first Japanese maple I have tried layering but I have had success on tridents crepe myrtles and umpteen others so thought it would be just as easy.

I am wondering has anyone else had this issue with layering. What's the answer?
More time,
more or less water?

andrewn · Post by **andrewn** » January 5th, 2013, 3:57 pm

Hi Chris
I did try t o layer a Japanese maple this year and it worked.
I used coir (coconut peat) 50% fine and 50% coarse from the B store and no cutting powder
Timing just before the bud is about to open and I did it on a 6cm branch and my maple is in pot
I did make sure to water the layer everyday and cut the layer off just three weeks ago .
That was first successfull layer.
Will try the same technic again this year (september)
Regards
Andrew

Webos · Post by **Webos** » January 5th, 2013, 4:21 pm

I've had 100% success with maple layers. I do a nice deep ringbark about as wide as the branch is thick. I pack with moist sphagnum and wrap with thick plastic. I usually do this when leaves have hardened off in spring and take it off when it loses leaves in winter. I have never used any kind of hormone.

Make sure you cut down through and peel off the cambium and not only the bark layer. Also not a good idea to touch the area you have cut. Apparently touching the freshly cut area can inhibit rooting.

Good luck

Adam

Chris H · Post by **Chris H** » January 5th, 2013, 5:50 pm

Ok. Maybe I didn't water them enough. I have never bothered rewetting too often in the past. The plastic seems to stop things drying out .

I am careful to not touch anything except with the hormone brush.

I'll keep watering and test again in winter.

Bretts · Post by **Bretts** » January 5th, 2013, 6:47 pm

I would suggest it has nothing to do with the medium you use, unless you are letting it dry out. It sounds like you have not takem enough of the cambrium layer off and the tree is bridging. As Webos states take as long as the trunk is wide, but the official guide is 1 and 1/2 times the diameter.

Chris H · Post by **Chris H** » January 5th, 2013, 10:45 pm

Definitely not bridging. I've taken all the cambium. I think it might be that it's not enough water.

andrewn · Post by **andrewn** » January 6th, 2013, 6:17 am

Chris

When I do air layer I follow this principle :
start at the time the tree is just out of its sleep in spring
ie new growth means new leave and new root
next time try to remove all the maple leave on the branch that you want to layer
I hope it works
Regards
Andrew

alpineart · Post by **alpineart** » January 6th, 2013, 6:23 am

Hi Chris H , I use open pots for layering and my bonsai mix for the medium with added spagnum . These are treated like bonaai and watered regularly and 99 % take . I add a double wire tourniquet just to make the roots grow outwards . I have found sharps in the blend work better than spagnum moss alone and pack it tight so the moment the callous begins to form the sharps begin to cut /scar to callous and the root grow better . Scoria , granite chips , quartz all work well for the sharps , i have tried river sand however most is quite smooth and rounded .

Cheers Alpine

Chris H · Post by **Chris H** » January 6th, 2013, 7:18 am

That's an interesting thought. The maples I have done in the past have been as per alpine system but they were potted. This is a tree in the garden and so it's a bit harder to get a pit onto it.

shibui · Post by **shibui** » January 6th, 2013, 7:31 am

If its any consolation Chris I am having difficulty this year too. Almost always worked before and I am using the same materials and techniques, just not getting roots

Post by **kcpoole** » January 6th, 2013, 11:18 am

Maybe too hot!

Ken

thoglette · Post by **thoglette** » January 6th, 2013, 12:26 pm

kcpoole wrote:Maybe too hot! Ken

Quite possibly - I'm way out west and layered in August/September (once the first flush hardened), separated in November. Got a few shoots in December due to the seriously damp and cool weather. Once we Got Summer, all the maples are sulking.

jadecuphey87 · Post by **jadecuphey87** » July 3rd, 2013, 10:48 pm

I've had the same problem with many of my layers this year. I've had a maple,apricot,privets
Crepe myrtle,silver birches etc all forming an excellent callus went months without even the
Smallest of roots so i decided to experiment with
With the lot if them. I simply cut them if and treated them as though they were cutting they all rooted perfectly. The silver was the best it just exploded with root growth. Think it may have been the weather or other factors at play. Sorry for the lateness

AusBonsai