acer palmatum arakawa air layer attempt

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Arakawa maples are not easy to find. Arakawa's with good nebari are nearly not present or are extremely expensive. So 2 years ago i found an arakawa import, young plant with good cork to layer. Placed the layer and had it happy until summer came and it died in 2 days time. All brown. Not a single root and since there was no branch below the layer i lost the rest too...

Last year i acquired a new one. A few too big roots in the nebari but for the rest reasonable (for the price). I've put it in a big container with akadama and since it was already leafed out to far (think it was the end of april) i wanted to build strength to layer this year.

Layered the end of april so far there are good signs.
above the surface (june 6)

under the pot

The tree has 2 trunks so i layer this one this year and i will see what i do with the rest. Depends on the rootbase if i let it grow for a while to keep the base or i do start a next layer. Fingers crossed.

 

[JudyB]

Good luck Dirk!

 

[Eric Group]

Clearly a success! Layering with a pot a substrate like this is a much better way to do it than the sphagnum wrap IMO.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Yes i do have better results like this than before i used this. I use a SMALL portion of sphagnum near the cut site, but you must be very careful not to overwater in the beginning. The akadama should be dry on top before watering. Now it is more guessing where the roots are, but its less tricky. I would like to plant one in the ground vor having a big one when i'm retired...

 

[Eric Group]

It is just so much easier sorting the roots out after removal this way. I did three layers on one of my JM this year and the two that were done like this (I generally use perlite, but same principal) came out of their substrate no problem. I tried one with the sphagnum in plastic and it was just impossible to remove the sphagnum from the roots! Had to plant the whole wad of sphagnum in the pot with it. I will have to try to remove it when a I repot next time after the roots are more mature and able to handle the pulling and stress... So, I have no clue what kind of root system I am working with. I mean yeah, good... Lots of roots! But are they radial? All coming from one level? All sticking off one side? No clue! Just a hope and a prayer with all that moss in the way... If done with a little pot and some perlite or bonsai soil, you can get it all off and really examine the roots, make changes if needed..

 

[sorce]

Lots

So you have to pack it in tight? Or just leave it loose?

I want to try it like this soon...very soon...but I don't want to fizail.

Sorce

 

[Eric Group]

So you have to pack it in tight? Or just leave it loose?

I want to try it like this soon...very soon...but I don't want to fizail.

Sorce

Not sure what you mean? Sphagnum or perlite?

 

[petegreg]

If you can check & water it every day, you can leave it loose/open. Sure depends on your climate, air humidity...

 

[sorce]

Not sure what you mean? Sphagnum or perlite?

Perlite

Sorce

 

[AlainK]

It is just so much easier sorting the roots out after removal this way.

Yes, you've got a point there. I sometimes add a bit of shredded sphagnum moss and/or composted pine bark to akadama. The pine bark helps balance the pH since the water here is very hard.

 

[Eric Group]

Perlite

Sorce

Oh, I just fill it and let it pack down normally as it is watered... I don't take any care to pack it down. You can add some sphagnum over top of the perlite if you have concerns about it drying out...

 

[ConorDash]

Arakawa maples are not easy to find. Arakawa's with good nebari are nearly not present or are extremely expensive. So 2 years ago i found an arakawa import, young plant with good cork to layer. Placed the layer and had it happy until summer came and it died in 2 days time. All brown. Not a single root and since there was no branch below the layer i lost the rest too...

Last year i acquired a new one. A few too big roots in the nebari but for the rest reasonable (for the price). I've put it in a big container with akadama and since it was already leafed out to far (think it was the end of april) i wanted to build strength to layer this year.

Layered the end of april so far there are good signs.
above the surface (june 6)
View attachment 107560
under the pot
View attachment 107561
The tree has 2 trunks so i layer this one this year and i will see what i do with the rest. Depends on the rootbase if i let it grow for a while to keep the base or i do start a next layer. Fingers crossed.

My only experience with air layering so far, I have used the technique of plastic cling film, moss, root hormone. But still learnt there are many other techniques, such as your one here. I think in the future I will be trying it this way.

I have heard differing opinions on the use of root hormone. Either it being no help at all, or it'll help but a tiny amount. Where do you guys stand on this?
Its also surprising to know that the mix used, akadama, perlite (basically fired clay granules in general) can be used over a very organic, water retaining moss. But, of course, I know it works from people saying they have had it work.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Good reminder for me to check this one. I've put it aside somewhere in the back, making place to build some benches. Watering from far. I'll check tomorrow. Yes there are lots of ways of doing the same. Keep thinks moist but not wet, the way you do it doesn't matter. If rooting hormone helps, i don't know, but it doesn't hurt so... I've made lots without (ground layering) with good results.

 

[Les]

Nice post Dirk, I picked up big trunk Arakawa this year. I will be going some air layering and thread grafting next year. Congrats!

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Checked today. The pot "feels" full and firm. Tree is growing good. I'll take the tree to workshop in september, we will see if we take the step already. Those arakawa's grow like crazy...

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Well, i did it without workshop. Rootball was firm. Didn't fall apart after removing the container.

Had to work hard to find the level of roots. Had to cut lots of roots growing down. Only left one layer of roots. Almost perfect. This is the mother below.

Potted it up in akadama (big particle size), i left the wire, not that i think it will give extra swelling, but you never know...

In spring 2018 i'll put it on a board. The basic structure is there. Now the big work begins... The rest of september mostly we have moderate temps, so it will have time to settle (i hope).

 

[baron]

Did you manage to get this onto a board @dirk hoorelbeke?

Recently got myself a couple really young Arakawa's, but they are grafted so I'll be dealing with that in the future..
Glad to see they take well to it!

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

@baron sorry for the late answer. I did not repot it since if I remember correctly. Lot of fun for next spring. It is healthy growing since the larger internodes and bigger leaves I think I will upgrade this one to a large one over the years. Hope to post pictures before April next year. If not, remind me...

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Two years after separating it was time to scrape the top of the soil and look what the tree has to offer. The crate was full of roots and since I did pot it deep to promote optimal conditions to grow I had to dig a while.


Letting the tree grow aided the tree to how a base and the thumb-thick stick has some potential. The roots are reasonable at first sight but will be better seen at the next repot. I might give it a bigger box.
Akadama did not break down after two years.

 

[Shun]

Wait.. that girth is all from 2 seasons of growth?????

From zero to hero!

Congratss!