Air layer question...

[fredman]

Hi Everyone. I plan to do several air layers off a Japanese maple (palmatum) bought from a big tree nursery. The tree is in a 60l bag and about 2m high. It has a 50mm trunk that splits halfway up.
My plan is to layer 4 layers from the upper half of the tree, but I also want to layer the main trunk at the first split. My question is can I do that layer at the same time or do I have to wait till next year?
My understanding is to do a layer there has to be some foliage above the layer. I have foliage above all the upper layers but NOT above the layer at the main split...
Can I do all the layers together or do the main trunk next season?

[kcpoole]

You will have to wait
Every individual layer must have foliage to drive the new root growth

Ken

[Bush bunny]

Not that I am expert, but you can air layer whilst still in its pot. I used a split plant pot rather than just plastic, mainly because it was easier for me. There is plenty of info on the net.
But spring is a good time. I just taped the plant pot around the trunk, filled it with peat moss and sphags soaked in a weak Seasol, when layering past the cambium, I brushed on some root hormone. Then I topped it with more spags. Gud luck anyway. If in the same pot, You place the plant pot on the surface of the soil.

[fredman]

Cheers Ken that's kind off what I thought

[Bush bunny]

Don't take much notice of me. I unwrapped the air layer, from a sucker, and - the area I took off the cambium was black, and the whole of the pot at the bottom was full of wood lice. Oh, well I tried.

[Ray M]

Hi Fredman,

Here are a couple of photos explaining about multiple layers on a tree.

image005.jpg

image015.jpg

The three layers worked very well.

Make sure you use the new method of layering, explained in your book.

Regards Ray

[dandybonsai]

Ray,a photos with arrows is very helpful post.

You need good strong growth on each branch before attempting a graft,any weak growth don't attempt as I did on my lillypilly the weakest one is not doing to good.

[fredman]

Bush Bunny I heard you

Ray thanks for that. Interesting point that dandybonsai raised. How much foliage is enough?
I have a few buds (2or 3) above the main trunk split, but is that enough to support that layer?
I will see if I can take some pics tomorrow and hopefully post them. Never done that...

[Ray M]

Bush Bunny I heard you

Ray thanks for that. Interesting point that dandybonsai raised. How much foliage is enough?
I have a few buds (2or 3) above the main trunk split, but is that enough to support that layer?
I will see if I can take some pics tomorrow and hopefully post them. Never done that...

Hi Fredman,
It would be good if you could post some photos. Will make it much easier to see where the tree is up to. Is your weather similar to what we would get in Sydney?

Regards Ray

[fredman]

Ray I don't know Sydney weather but I would imagine we are some way colder. Looking at the latitude we line up with the top of Tasmania. Wet coldish (this year was significantly warmer) winters and warm dryish summers
Here is some photos of the full tree and the main split. I plan to layer at all the circles. I have no worries about all the layers higher up in the tree. My only concern is with the main split....

My main question and concern is the layer at the main split. I circled some buds and there is some dormant ones to. I'm uncertain if that is enough foliage to "drive" a layer there. If there are to little buds/foliage to sustain that area, will it trigger more dormant ones to open or will it just be unable to sustain it and therefor fail and die.....???

IMAG0090_1.jpg

IMAG0091_1.jpg

[kcpoole]

I would be doing the 4 top ones first,and then the lower one on its own Next year.

Ken

[fredman]

Ken its actually more than 4 in the top. My phone only allows me to draw that many circles. I'll be doing as much as the foliage allows me to.
Yeah I still agree with you. Do the bottom later. I was just taking my chances. One year in a coldish climate is like 3 of yours so I have to make use of any opportunity I can

[Ray M]

Ray I don't know Sydney weather but I would imagine we are some way colder. Looking at the latitude we line up with the top of Tasmania. Wet coldish (this year was significantly warmer) winters and warm dryish summers
Here is some photos of the full tree and the main split. I plan to layer at all the circles. I have no worries about all the layers higher up in the tree. My only concern is with the main split....

My main question and concern is the layer at the main split. I circled some buds and there is some dormant ones to. I'm uncertain if that is enough foliage to "drive" a layer there. If there are to little buds/foliage to sustain that area, will it trigger more dormant ones to open or will it just be unable to sustain it and therefor fail and die.....???

IMAG0090_1.jpg

IMAG0091_1.jpg

Hi Fredman,
You need to leave the tree until there are buds starting to burst. There is no sense doing it sooner as the tree will not respond until there is significant sap flow. Looking at the tree I suspect it would be end of September into October. Please post some more photos when you see buds bursting.

Regards Ray

[fredman]

Ray. I'm in waiting for bud burst...