AusBonsai

Gday Gang,
Went over to a work colleague's house today and in his backyard he has a GIGANTIC chinese elm. The type of tree you would find in a botanic gardens somewhere. There were two, but one has been chopped down to a stump which is now re-shooting all over the place. Anyway, he has told me that I can set air layers all over the tree if I like.

My question is.. Has anyone attempted air layering at this time of year? What happens with a layer started in winter when it wakes up in spring? Will it shoot roots or die of starvation?

Will I be better off setting the layers in November/December?

Thanks

Hi Webos , i set some layers around this time a couple of years ago on a Rough Bark Chinese Elm . The calloused up over winter and took off when spring , however because of the rough bark i didn't tie the bags up tight enough and the slaters managed to enter and had a party on the roots .I did remove them without the roots and potted them anyway and they took off after the bugs were removed .

I have just taken around 50 cuttings off a Lace Bark Chinese Elm up to 30mm ,placed them in willow water for 48 hours and potted as per normal cuttings .I have no doubt they will shoot .If you cant make willow water just use hormone powder mixed up into a paste , slit the bark to make flaps and paint the paste under each flap .Good luck. Alpine

I am considering doing this myself. They are very hardy trees, so i can only assume they would be relatively easy to layer.

What is Willow Water?

i reckon in spring after it first sets of leaves have hardened off, they shouldnt take to long especially on a full sized tree there should be masses of energy up and down the branches and trunk, the more roots you can get going on the layer the better you will be!

cuttings should take real easy to even bigger ones, alpines technique with the flaps is a great way to get some flare around the base, i have been doing this with cuttings and layers on figs etc. and getting good flare as it callouses out some under the flap and when the roots start growing the slits heal up well.

good luck and keep us posted on how you go

Webos wrote:What is Willow Water?

Hi Mate , collect some 600-800mm tip growths off any willow tree preferably in Spring , I have collected this growth in late Autumn its just not a potent .Chop into 50mm pieces {no leaves } and soak in warm to hot {not boiling} water for 2-3 days just covering the chopped material so to keep the liquid as potent as possible .Drain and bottle in a labelled sealed container will keep in the fridge for about 3 months . Stand your cuttings in the willow water for 48 hours and pot up as per normal cutting .Cheers Alpine

alpineart wrote:

Webos wrote:What is Willow Water?

Hi Mate , collect some 600-800mm tip growths off any willow tree preferably in Spring , I have collected this growth in late Autumn its just not a potent .Chop into 50mm pieces {no leaves } and soak in warm to hot {not boiling} water for 2-3 days just covering the chopped material so to keep the liquid as potent as possible .Drain and bottle in a labelled sealed container will keep in the fridge for about 3 months . Stand your cuttings in the willow water for 48 hours and pot up as per normal cutting .Cheers Alpine

Is this better than Seasol? I usually make up a seasol solution and put cuttings in that for 48 hours. When I have potted up the cuttings, I use the solution to water the pots. Up here in the tropics there are no willows so I guess this is my best bet, but I still want to know if willow water is better.

Glenda

gday glenda, seasol is good for soaking cuttings in but what would be better is if you get some super thrive or auxinone, either or will do, Ebay is good for ST you should be able to get it for about 15 bucks for a 120ml bottle. what i think willow water has is the active ingredients that help with cuttings and good root growth, basically a tonic, which is what seasol, ST and auxinon are, its the auxins that are key.

i soak everything i collect for a good few days then into diatomite mix, works a treat!

J.