AusBonsai

Here are the fruits of my mornings labour. Four air layers taken from a crab apple (unknown species) growing in my front yard. The layers were set in mid winter and cut today. They were a little dry but the fruit and leaves look healthy, so they should be ok (I hope).

Any chance of an update on these?

I am thinking of doing a layer on my large crab that has a nasty graft scar. It looks like you got good root growth, did you use any rooting hormone?

Matt

I've used hormone powder, but they seem to root quite easily anyway. Just keep the water up to them. Maybe rotate every few weeks to get the sun all round the layer.

Gavin

Hi Bustadog , mate they will go like the wind and power on .I have layered many big pieces in the past and even if they only callous up , "too eager to remove" they seem to throw roots after removal .I have taken a lot of cuttings as well they too strike very easy .

Cheers Alpineart

All the layers have survived and are doing very well (although I only have two left as I gave the others away).


Matt,
I soaked spagnum moss in Maxicrop plant starter for 12hrs and bubble wrapped and taped it around the ring barked trunk ( no soil or other medium). Make sure you make the ring bark quite wide and deep as they can callous over very quickly. I also inserted some copper wire under the bark to hopefully encourage the roots to flare out.

Cheers

Terry

Cheers Terry, I will get onto my big one this winter... the time has come

Family Rosaceae = rooto no problemo

Cheers,
Mojo

Mojo Moyogi wrote:Family Rosaceae = rooto no problemo

Cheers,
Mojo

As layers yes, as cuttings.. not always so

I agree Matt. For me it was 100% failure rate as cuttings from this particular tree.

Terry

bustadog wrote:I agree Matt. For me it was 100% failure rate as cuttings from this particular tree.

Terry

I have been doing a fair bit of research & all say the same thing, when it comes to crab apples hardwood cuttings wont work, only semi hardwood in summer...