Chinese Elm - Air Layer

[cre8ivbonsai]

Time for an update, all layers are doing well ... here is the main prize, a three tree group that, in future, should look good on a slight mound, or even over a rock.

layer clump.jpg

layer clump zoom.jpg

and the donar tree's firing growth in all directions, the plan is to create a brooms style with thick trunk. A ground layer will be needed to help create an even nebari and replace the large dominant root.

donar.jpg

Cheers, Ryan

[Stewart_Toowoomba]

Hi Ryan

Just wondering how these C Elms are doing after the airlayering? I have a few C E around my neighbourhood and did a search to see if they readily took to layering.

Cheers

Stewart

[cre8ivbonsai]

Hi Ryan

Just wondering how these C Elms are doing after the airlayering? I have a few C E around my neighbourhood and did a search to see if they readily took to layering.

Cheers

Stewart

Hi Stewart,

The donor tree is doing fine (growth slowed down over winter) I have more ambitious plans for this guy now, while the three tree group got some kind of black mildew, and reacted by dropping most of its leaves, I think the soil got a bit too wet and the residual spag moss probably didn't help either, gave it a spray and a bit of shelter and hopefully it'll bounce back stronger in spring

I plan to repot both of them in the next month or so.

IMO C Elms are one of the easier trees to airlayer.

Thanks for the interest,
Ryan

[cre8ivbonsai]

Quick update, I was able to repot the group today, good strong root growth, however the spag moss and pumice was quite embedded, removing this was essential to open up roots and start to develop the nebari. A good 4-5 cm of the old trunk petruded beyond the radial roots has been sawn off.


Now repotted in much looser mix I expect it should be a lot happier.
Cheers,
Ryan

[Dario]

Looking good!
Cheers, Dario.

[cre8ivbonsai]

Unfortunately this tree (top layer) never recovered and was pronounced DOD (dead on disposal) a month or two later. Donor tree has done well though and is now styled as broom style, but does need ground layer or other root corrective surgery as it currently only possesses two very large opposing roots (nothing resembling a decent nebari) ... do I dare try a ground layer ... or I could try the 'toothpick method' ...

[Ray M]

Hi cre8ivbonsai,
May I ask you a couple of questions concerning your layer? Am I right in reading your thread that you didn't remove all the moss when you planted the layers? Did you do any feeding of the layers after potting them? I am asking these questions for my own benefit. I would like to gather as much info on layering as I can. I do a lot of work on layering and have written two books on the subject. I personally believe that this is one of the best ways to propagate. Layering from ground stock or mature trees can result in achieving trees that would otherwise take many years compared to grown from cuttings or seed.

Regards Ray

[cre8ivbonsai]

Hi Ray,
In hindsight, I think I could have left it a bit longer before separation so that the roots could develop a bit stronger, I didn't remove all the growing media (s moss/pumice) because the roots were so fragile (but was removed at repotting but was too late by then), and I think this combination was detrimental to the layers ongoing health. Next time I will leave longer, use maybe orchid bark/s moss mix (definitely no pumice), and remove the mix before replanting the layer in a finer graded mix. Pre-layering the components were soaked in Seasol, after removal, just seasol for the first month or so then it generally received the same as everything else (a bit of everything (soluble fert/seasol/fish emultion/worm juice) fortnightly ~ monthly ... not much over winter from memory). I may have been too early for its first repotting as well
All from memory, but I hope it answered your questions as your previous info was quite informative.

Cheers,
Ryan

[Ray M]

Hi cre8ivbonsai,
Thanks for the info. A couple of things that I do. I only use Sphagnum moss in the layer. After cutting off the layer I have a tub of water with Seasol added. I put the layers into the tub and let them stand for half an hour or more. This really softens the moss and then I work the roots very gently fully submerged in the solution to remove all the moss. This works really well.

I will put a new post up in the next couple of days. I have just removed 15 layers of the one tree. Every layer but one had good roots.

Regards Ray

[cre8ivbonsai]

A couple of things that I do. I only use Sphagnum moss in the layer. After cutting off the layer I have a tub of water with Seasol added. I put the layers into the tub and let them stand for half an hour or more. This really softens the moss and then I work the roots very gently fully submerged in the solution to remove all the moss. This works really well.

Some more good tips. Thanks (I think the pumice was my downfall - set like concrete )

I have just removed 15 layers of the one tree.

Now that I gotta see

[Paul W]

Now that I gotta see

Ray does not exaggerate, he had two witnesses and I was one of them.a top job,nice little trees as well, a true professional
Paul

[Boics]

I recently did a Chinese Elm air layer with Sphagnum moss, a bit of river sand encased by a small jiffy pot cut around the trunk and covered with foil...

This concoction was first "installed" around early Novemberish from memory..
Roots were evident some 6 odd weeks later poking out the sides of the jiffy pot..

I let it go for another week or two then potted the whole thing (jiffy, sphag, etc) into a larger pot.

Both tree's are doing great...

Cheers,

[Jason]

Hi cre8ivbonsai,

I will put a new post up in the next couple of days. I have just removed 15 layers of the one tree. Every layer but one had good roots.

Regards Ray

15 layers from one tree!? That is impressive!

Very informative thread Can't wait to give it a shot myself

[cre8ivbonsai]

Ok so finally had a go at giving this tree some decent roots via a pot layer. Using the ringbark technique with rooting hormone on the cut and spag moss +diatomite soaked in seasol an stuffed in an open pot around the trunk. This worked a treat and had so many roots - from both north and south of the cut - (starting to mat around the edge of the pot) it took a couple of hours of soaking and loosening to detangle from the moss. Now hopefully it survives, it's potted up in the regular free draining mix, dunked each night, and placed in the dappled shade.

[Ray M]

Ok so finally had a go at giving this tree some decent roots via a pot layer. Using the ringbark technique with rooting hormone on the cut and spag moss +diatomite soaked in seasol an stuffed in an open pot around the trunk. This worked a treat and had so many roots - from both north and south of the cut - (starting to mat around the edge of the pot) it took a couple of hours of soaking and loosening to detangle from the moss. Now hopefully it survives, it's potted up in the regular free draining mix, dunked each night, and placed in the dappled shade.

Hi Ryan,
Looks real good. It should take off like a house on fire. Don't forget to give it regular drinks of Seasol.

Regards Ray