After 1 year in the ground

[Gerard]

I purchased this pyracantha 18 months ago, some serious scars on the trunk and nebari needed some work. At the time some reverse taper near the apex meant she was a candidate for an air layer which was done immediately.
After the layering I planted it in the ground in the hope I would improve the roots and the scars.

pyracantha 001.jpg

It was pruned 2 months ago but has gone crazy again, so I decided to take a look.

pyracantha 003.jpg

roots have definitely improved

pyracantha 004.jpg

12 months ago there was a tree in there somewhere

pyracantha 005.jpg

after a Quick haircut.

pyracantha 008.jpg

and into a pot
Still a long way to go but a pleasing result for 12 months of ground growing

Regards Gerard

[Jamie]

beautiful work for twelve months gerard!

[Gerard]

Thanks Jamie,
I forgot to show the most satisfying part,
the air layer from 12 months ago is going strong

Gerard

[dregs24]

nice work mate, great tree

[Jamie]

mate even better !

that will make a nice tree, i like the trunk on the air layered one good work!

[AndrewM]

Nice air layer both have come a long way in such a short period of time.

[anttal63]

Well done Gerrard 2 for 1 is a good deal! Personally i would have chopped the both hard down to 1st branches and back in the ground and imagined what you would have in another 12 months!

[Bougy Fan]

Hi Gerard
What method did you use for the air layer. I have one that needs some reduction so was trying to propagate with cuttings which don't seem to be working. And how long did the layer to take until you could remove it ?


Tony

[Gerard]

Dreggs: thanks mate nice to see you on line.

Antonio: I was worried about the tree thickening in the wrong places but that does not mean it will not go back in the ground next year.

Tony: The air layer method was.
-Ring bark a little more than the width of the trunk
-tie pot around ring bark
-use a small plastic nursery pot and fill with chopped sphagnum moss and soil mix
Do this on Melbourne Cup Day
Remove the layer (and heaps of roots) on Australia Day

Gerard

[Bougy Fan]

Hi Gerard
I normally use tissue paper and alfoil - it works really well on figs. Do you think that it would work as I have never tried your method. Did you use a hormone powder or gel ?


Tony

[Gerard]

Sorry Tony but I am not familiar with your method, I know that figs layer really easily but so did this tree.
I often use hormone powder (not always)

Gerard

[Jamie]

figs are a simple ring bark method as described above, easy simple quick, if done right it should only be 3-4 weeks before the pot has substanial amount of roots, leave it a bit longer two weeks or so and it should be packed.

only put a layer onto a tree that is vigourous and healthy. to put one on a tree that isnt, will result in a weak layer that potentially wont take.

i havent heard of the technique with alfoil and tissue?

jamie

[Bougy Fan]

Hi Jamie
It's Len Webers method. Ringbark and hormone as normal - then wrap tissue paper around and keep in place with some alfoil. I have been using it for at least 12 months on Benjamin figs with 100% success rate. It's probably a bit easier than having to put a pot around. Then just cut off the layer and plant it - leaving the tissue paper in place so as to not damage the roots. It just rots away in time.


Tony

[Jamie]

interesting tony, i can see that working fine. you can do the ring bark method with out using a pot, same idea as the tissue paper but use sphag. pack it round the ring barked trunk that has hormone gel on it, wrap in a plastic or al foil will work too.

jamie

[Bougy Fan]

Hey Jamie
Do you have one of his books - "From Rainforest to Bonsai" ? Its a great book - especially if you are into figs. About one third of the book is devoted to them. I got mine secondhand from eBay. From what I understand the collection at Mt Cootha came from his estate, as no one down south was interested in it. Since then some of the trees have died but I believe some of them are originals.


Tony