AusBonsai

I bought a beech from a nursery some time ago and learnt the hard way to protect it from the sun and wind Anyway it started to come back ok and I applied an air layer last year to 2 branches. Unfortunately I had trouble keeping the layers moist and lost 1 branch. I reset the layer on the 2nd branch and left the top open to keep it moist easier. It's been on just under 12 months (remembering it suffered from drying out at the start). I decided to have a look and see what was happening
Well it has calloused quite a lot and has what looks like the beginning of roots starting, small nobs The callous seems to all be above the area where I removed the bark from so it's not trying to bridge the gap which is good. I brushed it again with rooting hormone and sealed it up again, here's that I get roots soon.

Josh

Interesting Josh.
I air layered a copper Beach last year successfully in only 2-3 months time.

This year I've set another one on the same tree but reckon I set it too early. Reason I say this as the bark did not peel easy and it was almost hard to differentiate between the cambium layer and the inner trunk?
It was like there was not enough sap flowing if that makes sense?

Anyway I'm going for similar results this year but not add optimistic due to starting too early (just after bud burst).

Boics wrote:Interesting Josh.
I air layered a copper Beach last year successfully in only 2-3 months time.

This year I've set another one on the same tree but reckon I set it too early. Reason I say this as the bark did not peel easy and it was almost hard to differentiate between the cambium layer and the inner trunk?
It was like there was not enough sap flowing if that makes sense?

Anyway I'm going for similar results this year but not add optimistic due to starting too early (just after bud burst).

What technique do you use for air layering ? This tree ha shad a pretty tough life but is bouncing back strong so hoping it does something now. Any thoughts on why it hasn't put roots out yet apart from the fact it dried out a bit to much to start with.
I stripped the bark off, put rooting hormone on, wrapped in sphagnum moss then wrapped in plastic. Not sure if there something else I should do?
Any comments or help appreciated.

Josh

Maybe not scraped back the cambium properly?

I would have thought 2- 3 months woud be plenty of time to set roots on Beech ( but have not done one myself).
Try putting a wire torniquet under the upper bark / cut

Ken

kcpoole wrote:Maybe not scraped back the cambium properly?

I would have thought 2- 3 months woud be plenty of time to set roots on Beech ( but have not done one myself).
Try putting a wire torniquet under the upper bark / cut

Ken

Thanks Ken, all of the callous is above the area were I removed the bark from. In fact it has calloused back up the trunk I will see how it goes over the next month and if nothing will apply the wire. Very frustrating.
One good thing though is it has back budded down the main trunk, right down to within a inch or of the base. I didn't think these back budded that easy.

Josh