Air layer
- Thread starter nurvbonsai
- Start date
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Are you hoping to see the steps, or are you implying that you might be requesting help?
Because I read you're just hoping. If you want help, let us know!
Because I read you're just hoping. If you want help, let us know!
SeanS
Omono
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nurvbonsai
Mame
Oh, definitely need any assistance possible. Thanks
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
The leatherback video is good, except for the good man CUTTING TOWARDS HIS FINGERS!
Do not do that. Sure, it's easy and fast and it goes right 90% of the times. The time it doesn't, you're going to hit bone because it's always sharper than you think. If you need help not cutting towards your own hand, hold a knife in one hand, and use the other hand to push it. This way they're both occupied and can't accidentally grab the trunk. I've been playing with knives, scalpels, box cutters, chisels, and other sharp tools for 30 years now and honestly, I need to remind myself every single time I try a new operation.
In addition to the video, I recommend using some alu wire or some zip ties on the ring cut to prevent the cut from healing over; in especially small material that's growing vigorous, it will bridge in a couple weeks.
Wood lice are an issue here, they eat away most of my callus tissue just before the roots develop. So treating the sphagnum moss with some kind of detergent, permethrin for instance, might be useful.
Start your air layers just after the leaves have flushed out, this is faster than when you start them earlier or later. I think it has to do with the immediate hormonal and wound-healing response you get in an active season, as opposed to delayed responses outside of it. That is, for most broadleaf. Prunus species seem to do better when layered just after flowering.
nurvbonsai
Mame
nurvbonsai
Mame
nurvbonsai
Mame
I’ve ordered a permethrin spray 0.5
shohin_branches
Chumono
Generally you should wait for the leaves to fully open and harden off before cutting the bark for an airlayer.
nurvbonsai
Mame
and I seem to remember that the inverse taper was a graft. Are there any experiences in air layering a graft? Thanks.
nurvbonsai
Mame
Oh! No.
Jrmcmich
Shohin
Can’t tell if still some Cambium layer left? I see green color which you want to remove it will bridge
nurvbonsai
Mame
Jrmcmich
Shohin
Just a suggestion for next time and I’m still learning myself but you could have possibly done a clean cut using clean razor utility blade to get widest area (red line) for start of root base to add flare at base. Just a thought
nurvbonsai
Mame
Thank you. I used a small craighill blade but it was not cutting as sharp as I would have liked.
So in theory would that have shortened the scope of area to scrape? I am still learning myself so more will be revealed.
I was hoping to cut later but it must be too late.
nurvbonsai
Mame
Can you clarify what should be said?I've been looking at this thread, reading what is said, and looking at pictures and I am still not sure how, why, or, what is going on here.
Not at this late date my friend.
shohin_branches
Chumono
This tree is grafted right here. It is common for the scion to not have the same diameter as the understock and there are many options to fix that. Sometimes the best thing to do is weigh options first then come up with a plan.
For your next air layer you don't have to strip a lot of bark off, just enough to stop the flow of Auxin and nutrients to the roots and prevent bridging. It's also recommended to let the cut dry out for a day before putting soil around it. This is helpful if your airlayers keep failing due to bridging since this gets the last of the cambium to dry out. About this much bark should be removed for this diameter of tree. The top and bottom cut should be sharp and clean.
For your next air layer you don't have to strip a lot of bark off, just enough to stop the flow of Auxin and nutrients to the roots and prevent bridging. It's also recommended to let the cut dry out for a day before putting soil around it. This is helpful if your airlayers keep failing due to bridging since this gets the last of the cambium to dry out. About this much bark should be removed for this diameter of tree. The top and bottom cut should be sharp and clean.
