Air Layering a Young Acer Palmatum?

[Hoody Yolkin]

I just received this grafted Acer Palmatum 'seiun kaku'. I plan to air layer it next spring but wanted to check and make sure it was old enough to handle the procedure. The tree is approximately 2 feet tall, 1/2" in diameter at the base and slightly less above the graft. Granted I do everything correct, will a tree at this stage of development handle an air layer?

 

[0soyoung]

It is all good to go in those respects.

The risk, though, in this procedure is that girdling the trunk below all the foliage means the roots are not being fed carbohydrates and the auxin that stimulates their growth. If anything goes wrong with the adventitious rooting, there is a chance of loosing the entire tree when the roots exhaust their reserves and die (about 18 months in my experience). Usually the root stock will pop a new shoot or two, but you may, instead, want to layer up here



where there is a branch that would feed everything below.

Then, if all has gone well (which it likely will), you will have lots of options with what is left on the root stock too. The root stock is a generic green palmatum that can be a good start for another bonsai by itself. You could toss it, chop off the remaining cultivar stem and use the root stock, or layer off the remaining cultivar stem and maybe have three trees, or what ever appeals to you -- you will already have most of the cultivar you bought on its own roots.

 

[MrWunderful]

Heres one of the smaller one im doing this year, standard JM. Its a bit smaller so you should be ok, assuming its not one of the varietIes thats doesnt layer well.

Edit Pics didnt work

 

[Hoody Yolkin]

It is all good to go in those respects.

The risk, though, in this procedure is that girdling the trunk below all the foliage means the roots are not being fed carbohydrates and the auxin that stimulates their growth. If anything goes wrong with the adventitious rooting, there is a chance of loosing the entire tree when the roots exhaust their reserves and die (about 18 months in my experience). Usually the root stock will pop a new shoot or two, but you may, instead, want to layer up here

View attachment 323527

where there is a branch that would feed everything below.

Then, if all has gone well (which it likely will), you will have lots of options with what is left on the root stock too. The root stock is a generic green palmatum that can be a good start for another bonsai by itself. You could toss it, chop off the remaining cultivar stem and use the root stock, or layer off the remaining cultivar stem and maybe have three trees, or what ever appeals to you -- you will already have most of the cultivar you bought on its own roots.

Thank you very much. I was unaware with the issues that may have arisen had I have layered below the entire foliage mass. I'm especially keen on the idea of keeping the root stock for future practice. This was my first post on Bonsainut and you really knocked it out of the park with such a detailed response.

 

[sorce]

Home run 0so!

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