How long for a Black Pine layer???

[Ray M]

Hi all,
Would like to share my latest experiment. I decided to try layering Black Pines. The following photos will show the results in about two and a half months. I layered the tree on the 19 November 2012 and checked the layers today, 5 February 2013.

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Regards Ray

[witchstreet]

Gee Ray, the tree looks healthy. I've never tried layering a JBP but at the moment I have a Grewia Lavender Star and a Lilly Pilly (Orange Twist) layering. All layers looking good so far.
I'm impressed.

[squizzy]

Hi Ray,

It may be best to wait for someone else to chime in but I had sustantial roots on mine after about 6 months through a summer. I have elected to leave it on to further develop the roots before I chop but I have now had it on for over a year which I think is maybe unnescessary????

Hope one of the pine gurus chimes in for you.

Squizz

[Ray M]

Hi witchstreet and squizz,
Witchstreet, Thanks for your comments. I hope your layers go really well.

Squizz, I will check the layers every month now roots have started to appear. When the root ball looks substantial I'll do the big chop.

Regards Ray

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hi Ray, check out George Muranaka's blog here: http://muranakabonsainursery.blogspot.com.au/

He is doing plenty of JBP Aerial Layers using a few different methods.

Cheers,
Mojo

[Ray M]

Hi all,
I thought I would show the progression of the layers. On examining the roots I thought it would be a good time to remove the layers. This will give the trees a little time to recover before it gets to cold.

I am pleased and surprised at the number of roots in five months.

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The following three photos show the trees potted.

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Time will tell now if they are going to be successful.

Regards Ray

[dansai]

Hi Ray. How are these going? Did you tease out roots?

[Ray M]

Hi Dansai,
The pines are doing okay. I have taken some new photos for you to have a look at. When I was planting the layers I soaked them in a bucket of Seasol for an hour or so. I was able to tease the roots out a LITTLE. The roots were very fragile, and they were very intertwined, so I didn't tease them out as much as I would do for many other species. The roots are starting to show through the bottom of the pots, so they must be spreading out okay.

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Regards Ray

[dansai]

Thats great news ray. I'll be doing some this year on the tops of mine that have great movement.

[Ray M]

Hi Dansai,
I see you live in the Mid North Coast. I think your weather would be similar to were I live. You will notice I did the layer in November. If you look at the first photo you will see the candles have been cut back. These are the strong candles you get in Spring. I cut these back by half. I then waited a couple of weeks and then did the layers.

I removed the layers in March, the next year. You will see from the photos that the second candle growth was looking quite healthy. When I saw the candles growing so well I thought the roots should be doing well. It was after I checked the roots and saw how many roots there was I decided to remove the layers.

Hope your Pines go well for you.

Regards Ray

[dansai]

Cheers Ray

Where did you do the layer. I've read to do it at a node but it looks like you did them on a bit of branch. I have a pine with a whorl of 5 branches and the centre. I had thought I could remove the extra branches and do it at the node, but if I could do a couple above that point I could get a few trees with great movement. I'll get a picture up when I can and document my work for future reference for those interested.

Dan

[Ray M]

Hi Dan,
Post a photo as soon as you can mate. This will help to see what you are wanting to do. There's plenty of time before you need to do the layers so a photo would be great. After I see the photo I will explain the rules for doing multiple layers.

Regards Ray

[dansai]

Ok Ray, here it is.

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For size reference the pot is 250 mm, the tree is over 1 m tall, the trunk just above the soil is about 35 mm and the trunk at just below the node in the 3rd and 4th pics is 20 mm

[Ray M]

Hi Dan,
My apologies mate, I'm a little confused as to exactly where you would like to do the layer/layers. If you can indicate where you want them that would be most helpful. If you don't have an editing program to do this, wrap some tape around the spots where you want to do the layer/layers. Sorry about this mate.

Regards Ray

[dansai]

Hi Ray

As mentioned before I read somewhere that a layer on a node gives the best results for pines by which I assume they meant where a whorl of branches are. I read it somewhere on Ab, but after a lot of searching still cannot find the thread.

I suppose I have a few options. There is a straight section of trunk and then a whorl of branches, all of which have good curves in them as shown in pic 3 and 4. There are 2 weak branches, 5 reasonably strong ones and the central ones which has another whorl of branches towards the top.

So the options as I see them now.

1. Air layer the central trunk off above the whorl. Then next season, or at the same time, remove the 2 weak branches and air layer on the node to create a 5 tree clump.
2. As above, but separate the trunks after roots have formed. (Assuming all trunks have formed roots!!)
3. Air layer each branch, bar the weak ones, above the node to obtain 6 trees. Or if this is too much in one hit, maybe only do 3 and remove the rest.

All branches on the top section have strong buds ready for growth come spring.

I hope this is clear Ray. I am about to leave for work and and can get a photo after I get home if you need more clarification.

Many Thanks
Dan