Adding roots to speed air-layering?

[Mitchell]

Hi all!

Just a quick question, I have heard of adding roots to improve the nebari and them taking. What are the chances of grafting the plants roots to the section, prior to cutting circulation through the bark and wrapping it in spagnum?

If we were able to pre- graft roots to the section would that not allow us to remove larger limbs and also speed the process up? I guess the root grafting to the branch could be done in the month, prior to ring barking the limb. Graft the roots, wrap in spagnum, wait till they take and fill out a bit, then either ring bark, or tourniquet below where the roots are.
Perhaps you would neeb to tourniquet at the same time / shortly after grafting, to encourage the roots to seek nutrients?

I'm not sure if it will work but i'm going to graft roots on a large magnolia limb, in preparation to air-layering it off later.


Any thoughts?

[Jamie]

if your grafting roots to that section you will need donor trees to use for the grafts and there would then be no need to air layer as once the grafts have taken they will feed the tree, and then you could remove that section straight away without putting a layer on as it would be no point, it wouldnt speed the process it would actually slow it down, as the grafts would be losing nutrients from the trunk to heal. and you could just chop off and put hormones on the sections in between the grafts at the cambium of the trunk that has been cut off.

jamie

[Mitchell]

if your grafting roots to that section you will need donor trees to use for the grafts and there would then be no need to air layer as once the grafts have taken they will feed the tree, and then you could remove that section straight away without putting a layer on as it would be no point, it wouldnt speed the process it would actually slow it down, as the grafts would be losing nutrients from the trunk to heal. and you could just chop off and put hormones on the sections in between the grafts at the cambium of the trunk that has been cut off.

jamie

Interesting, so the roots would take mid limb, even though the branch is still being sustained by the tree? I assumed we may need to restrict nutrient to the branch at the same time to encourage their growth...

I was referring mainly to large trees, in which there is plenty of root mass available to use. My Mag out the front is about 30ft across and has plenty of root system to donate to several branches.

[Jamie]

no i dont think you get me, you would have to graft using donor trees, small sapplings etc. and use an approach graft, i would think for a branch about 4 inches thick you would probably need upwards of 10 saplings. getting them all in would be awkward to.

i will get some pictures to show you what i mean if you like. i dont think you would be able to take a root cutting and graft it to the branch and get it to work.

jamie

[Mitchell]

I have seen how to's on in-grafting roots to cuttings to make a plant, could we not used said methods on a limb still on the branch as to sustain nutrition? That is what I was thinking, not having to obtain other donor plants.

[Jamie]

i guess it could be possible, but those roots would have to be in some sort of medium to sustain there growth and keep them alive while the graft is taking, that sort of graft you are showing isnt the easiest to get to take either, the caambium layers have to match up well to create a neat graft and it takes upwards of three months to take.

jamie

[Mitchell]

i guess it could be possible, but those roots would have to be in some sort of medium to sustain there growth and keep them alive while the graft is taking, that sort of graft you are showing isnt the easiest to get to take either, the caambium layers have to match up well to create a neat graft and it takes upwards of three months to take.

jamie

Yeah, I think I mentioned wrapping them in spagnum whilst they took, in the first post.

I can't find it atm but I thought I had seen a link for just drilling a hole and inserting the root to the cambrium, making sure it matched then cover with putty. Similar to my inital paint drawing.