Air Layering Qs for Prunus

[Inspired]

Hello everyone

I have this prunus with a straight boring trunk as you can see below. I plan on taking 2 layers at this stage.

When should I air layer for best chance of success?



This close shows that it is a grafted prunus. Should I layer where the root stock is for a stronger tree? Any ideas on how I can incorporate the flair at base?

Many thanks.

[Bougy Fan]

You can't incorporate the flare if you want to keep it on the rootstock. The top part may be OK for growing as a bonsai - just may have been grafted to help with growing as a fruit tree in the ground. You can't keep it with that horrible collar so I would first layer it on the flared base and then see how it goes. If it grows well you can do something about the trunk late

[alpineart]

Hi Inspired , mate i did a topic on a very similar trunk "Flowering Plum" where i used a tooth pick method described by Bodhidharma to layer the top off just under the basal flair of the graft union .The tree is still alive today however it was damaged a couple of weeks ago in a storm , needs a restyle now but it growing well . It might help with your trunk .

Cheers . Alpineart

[Inspired]

Thanks for the response guys.. as for timing is it generally ok early spring?

Alpine do you have the link you are referring to? Would be a great read!

[alpineart]

Hi Inspired , mate I don't know how to paste and copy links , I'm too old to bother learning such things . I just go the the profile of the member and search their topics . I know both the topics by me are "Flowering Plum" showing the ground layering and "Zelkova Japanese Grey Bark Elm" shows a tooth pick method i applied , similar to "Bodhidharma" described . If you search his post for tooth pick it should come up with the topic or two i refered to , it may very well be in the Wiki ? under layering .

Cheers . Alpine

[Ray M]

Hi Inspired,
Alpine has given you one idea. This is another idea for you to consider. You could consider a Ground Layer, shown by the two red lines.

Prunus-2.jpg

I put an article on WIKI about Ground Layering. Ground Layering

I have just had some success with layering above a graft. Layering above a graft

Regards Ray

[Bougy Fan]

alpines post is HERE

[treeman]

In my opinion, this will not make a good bonsai as is. The trunk is too straight for a plum bonsai (which should be twisted and bent. Airlayering the top will be a waste of time as well. I would approach it this way:
Cut off 2 cm above the graft.
Select and train up a new leader from the resulting shoots and let grow for a year at least.
Then, cut that down very hard as well.
Carve out the pruing cut right down to and into one side of the graft union to make it look as natural as possible.
Train and wire into a small or shohin tree over time.