Bouganvilla Air Layer

[mtarros]

Hi,

Just wanted to show off the bouganvilla air layer that one of my neighbours let me do on thier bouganvilla.

It is always full of flowers and it's bark is very nice and aged. It's been there for may be over 20 years.

I ring barked it and applied some hormone gel to help it along, not too sure how long I will have to leave it on, hoping it goes will as this will make a great bonsai.

Here are a couple of images.

[kvan64]

Hi, I would removed the flowers to reserve the energy. It will take root in about 7 weeks. At this time of the year and for Bougies, I would normally just cut them and plant them straight into the soil. I've had success with cuttings as thick as 25cm. My uncle has had success with ~30cm thick cuttings (with all leaves removed and sat in water for a few weeks ). With An airlayer, your success will be guaranteed.
Cheers.
DK

[mtarros]

Thanks for the info about the flowers will go tomorrow and cut them off.

I have also taken a small cutting about 5cm thick and have the planted it in soil.

I will post some more images when I take the air layer off.

[mtarros]

I checked the air layer yesterday and nothing.

I was going to reapply the air layer but I thought I'll just give it a try as a cutting.
I ended up getting 3 bigger cuttings from it as there were two branches that were bound together.

There was a smaller cutting the I took when I put the air layer on and that has started to grow new leaves so fingers crossed.

[Bougy Fan]

Hi
How big a gap did you cut when you ringbarked it ? Had the top edge caloused at all ? As hard as it is you should not keep disturbing the layer otherwise you could damage young roots. I would be doing layers now as it is a bit warmer and bougys are coming back to life. Just leave them until you see roots poking out the bottom or see them through the bag if you used a plastic bag.

Tony

[kcpoole]

This is an airlayer i put on a large bougy at my mums earlier in the year. The Base is a good 3 inches + diameter
Put on after Chrissy, and took off in April.

Has been in dappled shade since then and is now flowering too

the gap would have been about 1.5 - 2 inches wide

Ken