AusBonsai

I have a crab apple that i want to try a air layer, when is the best time to do this?

Probably the best time to do this is from late winter through to late spring. You could still try it now but it may not root fully for about a year or at least untill next spring.
My experience is mostly layering prunus so I speculate the crabapple will be very much the same. If layering is done in late winter just befor bud burst roots can for quickly and the layer be severed as early as November.
Good luck

thanks...have found some info but they are on european/american sites and they say spring or early autumn....trying to get something a little closer to home....

Yes still waiting for mine to take root Started the layer October last year. With all the rain it got wet somehow and slowed the process down. When i checked it early December there was a huge bulbble around the edge of the score. Thought it had knitted back so i rescored a wider gap in case. Checked again yesterday to find that score has caloused over, but no roots yet. Looks like a long wait for this one to root. depending on you 're climate and temp at the moment , id still give it a go. Cheers!

I air-layered two in November 09 and there were so many roots by the end of December, I cut them off and potted them up. They haven't looked back. You can see a photo of one in the "For Sale " section. I think it is too late for you to try now to have enough roots to be able to cut off this growing season.
Penny.

Hi, sure it can be done at this time especially when it's wet and warm. See my latest post on this thread. it took mines exactly 7 weeks to have heaps of roots. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6426&hilit=+crabapple#p73768
I did another layer on the same trees less than 4 weeks ago and it started to show some tips of the roots already. I guess it could be the best time now for my area.
Cheers