Air Layer Young Maple
- Thread starter turnyface
- Start date
leatherback
The Treedeemer
I think I would not risk it anymore in Minnesota.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
I guess @leatherback means it is probably a bit late in the season rather than Minnesota now being a terrible place to layer maples
Safer to put up with the graft for a few more months and get an early start next spring. Spend the time getting your maple strong and healthy so it will respond quicker when you do the layer.
turnyface
Yamadori
Do you think I can safely (and very carefully) slip pot the tree into a pond basket with either 50/50 coco coir and perlite or 1:1:1 of coco coir, perlite, and pine bark fines?I guess @leatherback means it is probably a bit late in the season rather than Minnesota now being a terrible place to layer maples
Safer to put up with the graft for a few more months and get an early start next spring. Spend the time getting your maple strong and healthy so it will respond quicker when you do the layer.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Well, minnesota now is the combi I did mean. If I look at their winter temps, I would not risk it. An early onset of winter might mean the separated layer has not established enough. In my sissywinter climate, I would have less concerns (In fact, I put a layer on today!)
Jrmcmich
Shohin
Is this needed if you plan to air layer in spring?
turnyface
Yamadori
Just want to give the tree more space to expand its roots. They’re starting to wrap around the bottom of the pot.
Jrmcmich
Shohin
Ok makes sense. I recently did that with a tree I got but was in 4” pot and probably 2 feet tall so was too heavy so slip potted to 1 gal
leatherback
The Treedeemer
I see no reason to do this. Just leave the tree alone. Stop your urge to do things.
Ininaatigoons
Shohin
I live in Minneapolis, Metro and I try to start layers in May and take off in August if they're ready. Layers need a couple months to blast roots out, and then harden off. What is your winter plan for the tree?
turnyface
Yamadori
Let it get a few cold blasts throughout the fall then move into my attached garage in a styrofoam box and cover the tree up to the trunk with mulch. Probably around thanksgiving, but this is my first year trying to preserve any tree over the winter.
Ininaatigoons
Shohin
Sounds like a good plan. The key temperature is 20 degrees. I've seen 26 to 32 being the perfect temperature. At 15 degrees Fahrenheit damage happens and above 40 for a few days in a row the water starts moving eventually pushing buds. The "spring dance" is a real thing. I move around 100 trees several times in and out of the garage. So with my attached garage It seldom goes to that 15 degrees, but I keep a thermometer next to the trees and during the cold snap in January I utilize a space heater at night. Keep trees higher up. The cold rushes in when the garage door opens a the ones lower down get hit. I have some nice big shelves 6 and a half feet off the ground.
turnyface
Yamadori
Great information, thank you! Luckily, I only have 5 trees at the moment, so the dance won’t be too annoying.
Ininaatigoons
Shohin
There are some species that can winter outside. Larix, Scotch Pine, Jack Pine, mugo pine and a couple of the local maples I don't put in the garage. Of course, if any if these ever get to the point that their irreplaceable, then I'd probably give them the extra protection. So far I've kept em in grow boxes outside for 10 years or so and running.
