Air Layering JM (acer dwarves)

[Creedo]

In Early March I attempted an air layer on a younger (not sure how old..the trunk is about an inch thick) Jap Map Dwarf. About 2 weeks ago, shoots started growing right below the air layered section. They grew in the manner as a tree of this type grows after getting a chop.. high concentration just below the chop, leaving many options for a new lead..
My question is this.. is growth like that indicative of something?? Also, could all that growth be shortstopping energy, nutrients, etc., that needs to be going to the air layer?? Should I go ahead and prune them off, or leave them alone??

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Read my article on air-layering. I would link it but I'm not currently at my laptop. The same hormonal processes that cause roots to push above the air layer girdle trigger bud development below the girdle.

 

[BrianBay9]

Here you go: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/the-science-of-air-layering.27034/

 

[Creedo]

Read my article on air-layering. I would link it but I'm not currently at my laptop. The same hormonal processes that cause roots to push above the air layer girdle trigger bud development below the girdle.

Thank you very much! I will be referencing that article a good bit in future as well.
I read it all, but maybe I missed it.. the question I had about pruning the sudden plethora of shoots growing just below the bottom girdle. Wouldn't the air layer benefit the pruning of those shoots? If those shoots weren't there, wouldn't all the nutrients that are fueling that shoot growth go into more/better root development on the layer?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Thank you very much! I will be referencing that article a good bit in future as well.
I read it all, but maybe I missed it.. the question I had about pruning the sudden plethora of shoots growing just below the bottom girdle. Wouldn't the air layer benefit the pruning of those shoots? If those shoots weren't there, wouldn't all the nutrients that are fueling that shoot growth go into more/better root development on the layer?

What you are suggesting is something you might do in the case of a mature tree - i.e. suppressing growth in one zone of the tree so you transfer strength to another zone. However I wouldn't do it in the case of an air-layer. When you are air-layering part of the tree, you want the entirety of the tree to be as strong and robust as possible. You want the roots of the tree to be strong so they are providing plenty of water and nutrients to the entire tree - and to the part of the tree that you are about to remove. Any growth below the air-layer is providing carbs to the roots, which in turn are keeping the entire tree healthy.

Of course, a photo is worth a thousand words. Something else might be going on that might suggest the need to prune back some of the excess growth. For example - are you certain your air-layer girdle hasn't bridged over?

 

[Creedo]

Read my article on air-layering. I would link it but I'm not currently at my laptop. The same hormonal processes that cause roots to push above the air layer girdle trigger bud development below the girdle.

What you are suggesting is something you might do in the case of a mature tree - i.e. suppressing growth in one zone of the tree so you transfer strength to another zone. However I wouldn't do it in the case of an air-layer. When you are air-layering part of the tree, you want the entirety of the tree to be as strong and robust as possible. You want the roots of the tree to be strong so they are providing plenty of water and nutrients to the entire tree - and to the part of the tree that you are about to remove. Any growth below the air-layer is providing carbs to the roots, which in turn are keeping the entire tree healthy.

Of course, a photo is worth a thousand words. Something else might be going on that might suggest the need to prune back some of the excess growth. For example - are you certain your air-layer girdle hasn't bridged over?

I'm positive that the girdle hasn't bridged over. I made sure that all of my cuts were crisp and precise, as well as observing the S.O.P. when it comes to distances and depth while I was 'creating' the air layer. If anything, I may have gone a little deep. This is bc my first attempts at air layering flopped bc I didn't go deep enough. That was on an Azalea, and I Still have yet to successfully air layer an Azalea, for whatever reasons.. I make my living gardening, and my customers are really good about letting me collect material for propagation, as well as allowing me to do some air layers. I found what i thought would be an amazing azalea cascade, and totally smoked the whole damn thing with my air layer. Ugh
Idk what the deal is w me and Azaleas, but I'd really love to one day create a bonsai out of one.
Sorry. I got a little off track..
I would like to send you a pic of the tree in question, but I'm not very tech savvy, and I don't see an icon that will let me take a pic or send already existing ones.. I'll figure it out though.

 

[Creedo]

What you are suggesting is something you might do in the case of a mature tree - i.e. suppressing growth in one zone of the tree so you transfer strength to another zone. However I wouldn't do it in the case of an air-layer. When you are air-layering part of the tree, you want the entirety of the tree to be as strong and robust as possible. You want the roots of the tree to be strong so they are providing plenty of water and nutrients to the entire tree - and to the part of the tree that you are about to remove. Any growth below the air-layer is providing carbs to the roots, which in turn are keeping the entire tree healthy.

Of course, a photo is worth a thousand words. Something else might be going on that might suggest the need to prune back some of the excess growth. For example - are you certain your air-layer girdle hasn't bridged over?

 

[Creedo]

I've tried sending a pic several times now.. I keep getting the message, "Oops! Something went wrong."
Is there some other way I could get a pic to you??

 

[Creedo]

What you are suggesting is something you might do in the case of a mature tree - i.e. suppressing growth in one zone of the tree so you transfer strength to another zone. However I wouldn't do it in the case of an air-layer. When you are air-layering part of the tree, you want the entirety of the tree to be as strong and robust as possible. You want the roots of the tree to be strong so they are providing plenty of water and nutrients to the entire tree - and to the part of the tree that you are about to remove. Any growth below the air-layer is providing carbs to the roots, which in turn are keeping the entire tree healthy.

Of course, a photo is worth a thousand words. Something else might be going on that might suggest the need to prune back some of the excess growth. For example - are you certain your air-layer girdle hasn't bridged over?

 

[Creedo]

I covered the layer over with aluminum foil to help insulate against heat and to help keep the moisture in. I'm afraid to fiddle w it just so I can get a look at it to see what's going on. My luck I'd mess something up and ruin the entire operation lol.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I've tried sending a pic several times now.. I keep getting the message, "Oops! Something went wrong."
Is there some other way I could get a pic to you??

Drag and drop one from your desktop is the easiest method. Otherwise:

How to post photos from your cell phone

This is a quick tutorial to help people who want to post photos to the site using their cell phone. This is an Android tutorial, but functionality should be the same across different handsets/operating systems. (1) First, take a photo (or photos) with your cell phone. (2) Open...

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