Air Layering

[TimS]

I separated the small 'knob' Seiju today after digging and noticing 'some' roots. Removed longer shoots but have place it in a closed tub under my benches with a dressing of sphagnum to hopefully get the full complement of roots before season's end.

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Will wait a few more weeks before removing the other one.

Even with that little roots it should be good from here as long as it doesn’t dry out or get cooked in hot sun, well done!

[shibui]

Even with that little roots it should be good from here as long as it doesn’t dry out or get cooked in hot sun, well done!

Agreed. I have been pleasantly surprised a number of times as layers with just a few roots survived removal so it seems they can manage with remarkably few roots. Appears that there's nothing like losing the lifeline to kick a layer into survival mode and get more roots happening.
High humidity (closed tub) for a week or 2 will definitely help keep the stems hydrated until the new roots can take over.

[SuperBonSaiyan]

Good plan, if the shishi layer doesn’t have roots it’s probably not the end of the world. Sometimes layers just callus but don’t root out, the tree doesn’t die above and with another dusting of rooting hormone it can take.

I’m trying it on the big Kotohime layer after the last was removed. It’s been a few weeks and is now pushing new leaves but I also don’t want to mess with it at the moment

With the layer on the Seigen the less you mess with it the better generally. Once a week I might very very gently take a peek but generally try not to disturb as new roots break off very easily

I assume you mean shindeshojo there - so if it doesn't root this season, i can just keep it wrapped in the moss through winter and hope it roots next year? Would I need to re-scar / cut the callous?

Yeah, the seigen I only touch the top of the moss to make sure it's still moist, and then wrap it back up.

Your kotohime layer looked amazing with the amount of roots it had. I'm curious, how much would you sell that one for (if you were to sell it)?

[TimS]

Shindeshojo yeah hahaha

I’d say probably $60 given rare cultivar in its own roots, but I’d want to make sure my other layer works first before I sell it

Alternatively I’ll straight swap you for a seigen layer

[SuperBonSaiyan]

Shindeshojo yeah hahaha

I’d say probably $60 given rare cultivar in its own roots, but I’d want to make sure my other layer works first before I sell it

Alternatively I’ll straight swap you for a seigen layer

I'm not in a rush, but yeah, definitely keen to swap for a seigen layer (or buy it for $60).

I'm also going to get a chishio improved later this year, if you're interested in that. The layers won't be ready until 2024 though i suspect (if the tree is even big enough to layer to begin with).

[TimS]

Shindeshojo yeah hahaha

I’d say probably $60 given rare cultivar in its own roots, but I’d want to make sure my other layer works first before I sell it

Alternatively I’ll straight swap you for a seigen layer

I'm not in a rush, but yeah, definitely keen to swap for a seigen layer (or buy it for $60).

I'm also going to get a chishio improved later this year, if you're interested in that. The layers won't be ready until 2024 though i suspect (if the tree is even big enough to layer to begin with).

No rush for me either dude, as I say I’d want to be sure the other layer has worked first anyway so I’m more than happy to wait for the kotohime/ seigen swap. Of the seigen layer fails then we can do the $60

100% interested in a chishio too if you have layers in the future

[SuperBonSaiyan]

Possibly a swap + cash.

My seigen layer is the one that snapped, so the one I'm doing now is much smaller

Given the size of your kotohime, I reckon I'll need to pass you some money to feel like we got a fair trade. Either that, or give you the chishio plant too for you to layer over time.

[TimS]

We can work out a fair trade we’re both happy with dude, no stress. I am hugely keen on a seigen so more than happy to wait for even a small layer

[treeman]

I took off the first of three Arakawa layers yesterday. Got a few cuttings to strike too.

[TimS]

I took off the first of three Arakawa layers yesterday. Got a few cuttings to strike too.

Nice job mike, i'm sure you'll make excellent trees out of them like the rest of your collection

I planted my Arakawa out to be a garden tree, so i'll give it another year or two before i set layers on it

[TimS]

Well the main layer i purchased the Kotohime for in the first place has it's first root! Going to be a long time before i can separate it, especially since i want to layer the branch underneath it as well so i have to be a little carefull about where i cut it off, but for the moment a single root and some new foliage growth on top is more than good enough for me

The main wrist thick twin trunk layer

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Root happily growing

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Pushing new shoots at the top, the wound putty is where the previous layer was removed from

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[Albo]

Hi all,

In September I set up some air layers on a Japanese maple and Crepe myrtle. They were successful and I removed the two start of December. Since then they’ve been powering along.

Just wondering in particular about the crêpe myrtle which has a decent sized twin trunk, obviously there is a fairly significant cut face underneath from where I took the layer. Apart from cutting the layer as close to the roots as possible, would it be recommended to use cut putty on that large wound under the soil surface?
Or just let it be?

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Ryceman3]

... Apart from cutting the layer as close to the roots as possible, would it be recommended to use cut putty on that large wound under the soil surface?

No sealant under the soil surface as a general rule. More likely to do more harm than good… but that is just my view. Similar to root work… no sealing required on big cuts to roots either.

[TimS]

Separated one of the shishi layers, the roots are nowhere near as good on this as the kotohime but i hope by doing this the larger layer lower down the tree starts to push roots before autumn.

It looks like a 4 trunk clump due to how low it is planted in the sphagnum moss but it's actually a 3-trunk clump. I put some more root hormone powder on as well to hopefully get better roots growing. Hopefully it survives being separated, and with times the roots will improve.

There is a 2nd layer virtually the same as this (another multi trunk clump) still on the tree as the roots are even less developed than the ones on this one are so i left it on for now.

shishi 23.jpg

[Albo]

... Apart from cutting the layer as close to the roots as possible, would it be recommended to use cut putty on that large wound under the soil surface?

No sealant under the soil surface as a general rule. More likely to do more harm than good… but that is just my view. Similar to root work… no sealing required on big cuts to roots either.

Thanks Ryceman3,

I’ll leave it alone.