Radialayer™ a season saver.

sorce · Nov 1, 2014

Nutters,

You may have noticed I almost always jump to recommending airlayers. I don't think I will ever lose my fascination with the process. In attempts to perfect it, I have worked out some tweaks so it is time to share my method.

I don't understand haphazardly throwing long Sphagnum in plasticwrap (though I do this too), just to sort out the roots later. This Bonsai thing takes long enough as it is. This method has gotten me off to a good start on a couple plants, (pom, elm) Now that I remembered to add the support putty, and to take photos, well... Here it is on a ficus.

Photos in order. Backwards.

Materials.
Zip tie. Jewel ham container. Regular soil mix. Finely chopped Sphagnum. Plumbers putty. Broken pot chunks. 4 inch packing film. Sharp knife. Scissors. Tape.

Beleive it or not, salami containers work just as well.

Process.
I mark A/L spots with zip ties as soon as I know they will take place. For a bit of girdle too. I cut off the zip tie and use it to judge the size of the hole to cut in the Radialdisc™ (blue lid, many substitutes), and the container bottom.

Standard ringbarking. Cut deep. Strip with knife from top to bottom.
Apply Radialdisc™. See photo. Just below top cut.
Punch drainage holes in container. Apply.
Fill bottom with soil.
Top with finely chopped Sphagnum.
Add pot chunks(many better substitutes). For a bit of weight to keep Sphagnum compact.
No pic of wrapped in plastic to keep moist.

This was done last night. I will repost when the roots hit the pot side. And repot shortly after with a repost!

About three years ago I had my only failed air layer. On a nursery redbud I was keeping inside. (Go figure) I have since had nothing but success on ficus, elm, pomegranate, and a Cali Plant once.! I look forward to my first Juniper attempt this Spring. And I have my eye on a possible Hawthorn. Dying to acquire one and I blame BVF for that! In a good way!

I know there is a better way to accomplish this. Brainstorming comments welcome.

I have another elm I poured a fast setting concrete pot around. And I would use a kiddie pool as the Radialdisc ™ if I had space.

Thanks for reading. I hope this helps better your Nebari beginnings!

Sorce

Vin · Nov 1, 2014

I like it and I'll give it a try.

Shima · Nov 1, 2014

sorce said:
Nutters,

You may have noticed I almost always jump to recommending airlayers. I don't think I will ever lose my fascination with the process. In attempts to perfect it, I have worked out some tweaks so it is time to share my method.

I don't understand haphazardly throwing long Sphagnum in plasticwrap (though I do this too), just to sort out the roots later. This Bonsai thing takes long enough as it is. This method has gotten me off to a good start on a couple plants, (pom, elm) Now that I remembered to add the support putty, and to take photos, well... Here it is on a ficus.

Photos in order. Backwards.

Materials.
Zip tie. Jewel ham container. Regular soil mix. Finely chopped Sphagnum. Plumbers putty. Broken pot chunks. 4 inch packing film. Sharp knife. Scissors. Tape.

Beleive it or not, salami containers work just as well.

Process.
I mark A/L spots with zip ties as soon as I know they will take place. For a bit of girdle too. I cut off the zip tie and use it to judge the size of the hole to cut in the Radialdisc™ (blue lid, many substitutes), and the container bottom.

Standard ringbarking. Cut deep. Strip with knife from top to bottom.
Apply Radialdisc™. See photo. Just below top cut.
Punch drainage holes in container. Apply.
Fill bottom with soil.
Top with finely chopped Sphagnum.
Add pot chunks(many better substitutes). For a bit of weight to keep Sphagnum compact.
No pic of wrapped in plastic to keep moist.

This was done last night. I will repost when the roots hit the pot side. And repot shortly after with a repost!

About three years ago I had my only failed air layer. On a nursery redbud I was keeping inside. (Go figure) I have since had nothing but success on ficus, elm, pomegranate, and a Cali Plant once.! I look forward to my first Juniper attempt this Spring. And I have my eye on a possible Hawthorn. Dying to acquire one and I blame BVF for that! In a good way!

I know there is a better way to accomplish this. Brainstorming comments welcome.

I have another elm I poured a fast setting concrete pot around. And I would use a kiddie pool as the Radialdisc ™ if I had space.

Thanks for reading. I hope this helps better your Nebari beginnings!

Sorce

Me either. Here's how I do it on the ground, er, lava: Originally in Golden Statements.
Got to scroll down a bit.http://www.marinbonsai.org/images/pdf/June2011_MBC_Newsletter.pdf

M. Frary · Nov 2, 2014

Sorce. It says yamadori now under your name. Put down the plastic toys, get yourself a shovel and get out there and dig boy,dig.
All kidding aside you've come up with a cool way to airliner your trees.
Now start digging!

sorce · Nov 2, 2014

I got permission to dig a fence line of trees at a park. In exchange for litter p/u.

And I got a wicked Ulmus to dig.

And a dogwood.

Spring may bring some material exchange on these here sills. Problem is space.

Got to get rid of some things.

Sorce

skrit · Dec 1, 2014

Sorce, do you use or recommend any particular type of putty to use as a support? I'm sure there's plenty of options out there but I'm not sure what to look for. When I first saw it I was thinking it looked like modeling clay, but that wouldn't provide nearly enough support. I assume it's something horticulture specific?

Alain · Dec 1, 2014

i understand everything except the Radialdisc™, what is that? (it's the beige cone below the blue plastic cover right?)

Also: I saw some AL where the guy apply a wire tourniquet at the top of the cut, some other no...
You didn't, so I guess you don't think it's mandatory, but could you tell me why and what is the purpose of this wiring?

jmw_bonsai · Dec 1, 2014

Great ideas! I just finished 50 this year, but starting to think about better ways to get a good nebari going. I use the plastic wrap and long fiber method LOL.

Thanks for the ideas.

skrit · Dec 1, 2014

Alain said:
i understand everything except the Radialdisc™, what is that? (it's the beige cone below the blue plastic cover right?)

Also: I saw some AL where the guy apply a wire tourniquet at the top of the cut, some other no...
You didn't, so I guess you don't think it's mandatory, but could you tell me why and what is the purpose of this wiring?

Alain, I think he was making a joke and refering to the piece of plastic with a hole cut in it to fit the branch, that is intended to encourage new roots to flare and start forming a nice pre-nebari. (Is that a term? lol) The typical technique results in a big swirling ball of roots which may point in any direction and then need to be trained.

The bit you mention (beige cone) is some kind of putty or plasticine (I think), which is exactly what I was asking about.

Alain · Dec 1, 2014

skrit said:
Alain, I think he was making a joke and refering to the piece of plastic with a hole cut in it to fit the branch, that is intended to encourage new roots to flare and start forming a nice pre-nebari. (Is that a term? lol) The typical technique results in a big swirling ball of roots which may point in any direction and then need to be trained.

The bit you mention (beige cone) is some kind of putty or plasticine (I think), which is exactly what I was asking about.

Ok I get it now

So the cone is just to hold the blue plastic (could be a pair of nails, a big shoot of superglue of whatever) which is here to help the roots starting horizontally and star-like...

English isn't my first language and the States isn't my first country, sometimes some subtleties are lost in translation.

Anthony · Dec 1, 2014

Cool Sorce,

a simple method to get radial roots.
Try not to get it too even as it will look like an octopus.

Also see if the actual tree has surface roots.

Try this with the ficus, a shallow pot say 1" deep, and for us down here, just builder's gravel and compost. Produces amazing surface roots leading into the trunk, and does not not stop the tree's trunk from expanding.
Good Day
Anthony

sorce · Dec 2, 2014

Yes. I just used the tm symbol for kicks. Now, after a phone update. That's over! My licencing ran out lol!

It is Oatey plumbers putty. Mold resistant qualities. I've used it for cut paste.

No roots yet.

Anthony. I actually put one tiny cutting in a bonsai pot,(6in round 1in deep) ficus Ben, and I am amazed at the thickening of the base and lower trunk.

Nothing like it in deeper pots.

Sorce

Anthony · Dec 2, 2014

Sorce,

even though our local ficus can and does become a proper tree, it takes root all over San Fernando [ Sando ] on the roof tops, old concrete and in drains etc.
Situations where there is no real soil.

So it looks as though, they feed well on very little, like an orchid, you know, bird droppings, decaying concrete, leaves and so on.

They don't do well in deep pots, probably too wet, as the root is exposed to so much air outdoors.
Good Day
Anthony

sorce · Feb 2, 2015

Just tiny hair roots on this layer.

But I cut it off to see what will happen.

This will never be good material.

However, I will expose the roots mid summer to see what it has done.

Sorce

sorce · Feb 22, 2015

Roots took off after separation!

Likely due to its move closer to the window.

Shazzam!

Sorce

sorce · Mar 20, 2015

Well, screw mid summer!

I tried to throw some stuff out today, managed to dump 2 ficus, then thought to take these pics, update, and toss this, but.....

From below, with Radialdisc removed, finely chopped Sphagnum still in place.

The large crossing one was removed. Cutting the stub below was too easy!

From the top.

See the big root cut at the bottom.
Reckon those thick ones will need a tamin'..... mid summer?

Sittin right flat.

I kept it!

So much for cleaning house!
Maybe this will be something!

Sorce

sorce · Apr 5, 2015

I'm convinced.

Here's another. Its an Elm. Pretty sure I've posted it here before. The OG sock sweater sporter. You can see the Sphagnum here, and the disc.

I should have removed it before winter. Everything touching the Sphagnum was black and dying. Luckily, I scraped most of it off the New roots. They look like crap too, They are barely alive.

Upside down you can see the dead stub and the disc, and the new roots.

The black stub had the Sphagnum fully surrounding it, I was surprised to find NO roots below the layer. They were thriving before winter. Just look at the dead black stub. Maybe that's the easiest way to remove the bottom? Kill it!

All snipped, this works so well, the bottom is nearly healed. Sawzall it, scissors, concave cutters, you can cut the bottom off with anything and not touch the new roots. Dead Flat!

Its new pot, I had to paper the sides, have to make it thru summer!
Those 2 front and center may get removed next year.

Hope to cut every other next year.

Poor thing. F Sphagnum and winter.
Never again! Ever!

Sorce

Coming soon, a poorly treated Pomegranate potting, the last Radiallayer. And some more applying early summer.

bonsai beginner · Apr 5, 2015

I like this method Source. I use coconut fiber and seed starter soil here in Houston it seems to be doing well so far. On the next one on my RJM I'll use a container like this. great idea

bonsai beginner · Apr 5, 2015

Sorry for the typo let me correct the way I spelled your name oops Sorce

Brian Van Fleet · Apr 5, 2015

That's how you do it! The next year you will be patting this year's you on the back!
Next year's you should shorten them by another half of what this year's you left.

Try that 5 times fast!

Radialayer™ a season saver.

Nonsense Rascal

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