Air Layering Juniperus

[berobinson82]

Greetings.

I've been all through this forum and haven't been able to find a definitive answer. I've googled, youtubed, and purchased magazines. I don't currently have any books but I managed to score a xerox of a horticultural article almost addressing the point.

I'm looking to air layer some junipers. Not only a shimpaku in the back yard, but a big branch off of a juniperus chinensis torulusa at the driving range (thank you business owner). I believe I understand the method. The timing is somewhat unclear. I've read to start them in early spring (Now) and wait 2 - 4 months. I've read it will take over a year. I've read to start the air layer in fall and remove it in the following spring... It's all confusing due to so much conflicting information.

Is anyone here able to share some successful juniper airlayering stories/advice?

Many thanks as always.

-B

 

[Dav4]

I've successfully air layered J. chinensis, basically using the same technique I'd use to air layer a maple, meaning I remove a 2" strip of bark down through the cambium layer, apply rooting hormone to the bark of the upper edge of the incision, and either wrap in a plastic bag full of sphagnum moss or bonsai soil. Starting near your last frost date, and assuming the parent tree is healthy and you don't let the rooting medium dry out, I'd bet you'd be able to separate the layer within 4 months (the bag needs to be quite full of roots to safely separate, though).

 

[berobinson82]

I've successfully air layered J. chinensis, basically using the same technique I'd use to air layer a maple, meaning I remove a 2" strip of bark down through the cambium layer, apply rooting hormone to the bark of the upper edge of the incision, and either wrap in a plastic bag full of sphagnum moss or bonsai soil. Starting near your last frost date, and assuming the parent tree is healthy and you don't let the rooting medium dry out, I'd bet you'd be able to seperate the layer within 4 months (the bag needs to be quite full of roots to safely seperate, though).

Thanks Dav4,

We just had a frost a week ago and now it's 80F in VA. It's going to be 86 tomorrow! So it seems the season for this procedure was short this year I appreciate very much your reply. I use the same method you are but I'm using bubble wrap. I don't know where that came from. I must have seen it somewhere before. The location of the branch is decently shaded, but do you cover yours with aluminium?

This particular location is loaded with the most amazing golf-course-adori. The owner is thankfully a great guy and doesn't mind me poking about in the bushes.

Thanks again.

 

[Dav4]

I've never used aluminum...I guess it reflects the sun and keeps the rooting medium from overheating. As far as last frosts go, that's more of a guidline instead of hard and fast rule. You can get it going anytime, I think. Good luck.

 

[siggie]

Just wanted to bump this thread and see if there's any further advice about airlayering with Juniper. I have gotten permission to take from a very large Juniper and am looking for guidance on what to consider when choosing the branch to airlayer (not design, but size, age, etc.).

 

[nathanbs]

Just wanted to bump this thread and see if there's any further advice about airlayering with Juniper. I have gotten permission to take from a very large Juniper and am looking for guidance on what to consider when choosing the branch to airlayer (not design, but size, age, etc.).

you should only be considering the design. Is there a portion of a branch if air-layered would make an excellent bonsai? If no, then no. You can always do it for practice

 

[siggie]

Its so massive, I can't even see smaller branches. I'll need to climb in there some other time and take a look to choose. Here's the base... It's a crappy phone shot, but you get the idea of size I think. I think I'll bring some peat moss and stuff and give it a go next week with this one and the Camellia. Exciting!

 

[Dav4]

Whenever you're considering developing stock by airlayering, or for that matter, collecting stock by digging, you really need to decide whether the fruits of your labor will be worth the effort. Good juniper bonsai will always have interesting trunks, usually with deadwood features, along with good taper and movement. The trunks shown in your picture are relatively straight, have minimal taper, and no branches (big problem with most conifers). Personally, I don't think, based on the picture provided, that this material is good enough to bother airlayering. I could be wrong and would need to see the whole shrub to be sure. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say...that there is probably better material out there and you just need to keep looking. Good luck,

Dave

 

[siggie]

Whenever you're considering developing stock by airlayering, or for that matter, collecting stock by digging, you really need to decide whether the fruits of your labor will be worth the effort. Good juniper bonsai will always have interesting trunks, usually with deadwood features, along with good taper and movement. The trunks shown in your picture are relatively straight, have minimal taper, and no branches (big problem with most conifers). Personally, I don't think, based on the picture provided, that this material is good enough to bother airlayering. I could be wrong and would need to see the whole shrub to be sure. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say...that there is probably better material out there and you just need to keep looking. Good luck,

Dave

Yes, completely! The bush itself is a good 6+ feet wide though and this is just the main trunk. It's too thick higher up to see the branches. I was thinking to look further up for an interesting branch that would make a good trunk. That might be the case, right? I couldn't even remove one of those branches pictured; they're just too large. It might not be worth the effort with the other branches either for the specimen they'd produce, but I'm hoping the experience will be worthwhile still since I've never airlayered before.

 

[GrimLore]

Might have the starting of an awesome RAFT there...

 

[jkd2572]

I would spend an hour removing all of the brown dead growth underneath. It will really open it up for you to see. Wear gloves. They are going to be super prickly.

 

[berobinson82]

I'm glad you actually search before posting, siggie. Refreshing.

FWIW, The shimps did well. The torulosa not so much :-/

 

[siggie]

Might have the starting of an awesome RAFT there...

You, sir, are terrible! Stop getting me even more excited!

I would spend an hour removing all of the brown dead growth underneath. It will really open it up for you to see. Wear gloves. They are going to be super prickly.

Sounds like a good weekend project and a worthwhile effort. I'll try to do that in the next couple weeks and see what I can clear away and try to take a better photo from underneath so we can collectively see if there's anything promising there. I'm hoping if I get down low practically on the ground and use my wide-angle lens, I might be able to capture it.

I'm glad you actually search before posting, siggie. Refreshing.

FWIW, The shimps did well. The torulosa not so much :-/

Thank you! It's a pet peeve when people don't search and you avoided another one by using such a helpful descriptive title... It's much nicer to have collections of information on a single topic in one place under a clear and easy to find heading.

I'm glad the shimps made it at least. Do you know what went wrong with the torulosa? In other words, were you able to learn anything from its death for next time?



Edit to add:

Here's another terrible photo, but this time of the whole bush.

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

What I've done to air layer juniper (and others).

Cut a 1-2" ring of bark off the branch where the desired air layer is. You're cutting down to hard wood and peeling the bark and cambium cleanly off. If you start pulling without having a good cut then it could damage or kill parts of the trunk as the bark separates.

Apply rooting hormone then add pre-soaked sphagnum moss (maybe even soaked with rooting hormone ) all around the wound and then wrap with several layer of aluminum foil. Puncture a few holes in for air flow and drainage and you're good to go. Some trees require tight pressure and then plastic wrap is much more effective but I have not noticed that with junipers.

Finally, if you're trying to air layer a huge piece you may need to wait a year until the moss is full of good roots. Then attach another larger pot after removing the foil. Then wait one more year until you remove the air layer from the mother plant. Otherwise, I would take the air layer and treat it as a cutting with continual misting and heat provided. Chances of survival are questionable...



*Hint: Get the aluminum foil started as a bottom collar and then really fill it up with moss.


Let us know how it goes!

 

[John Ruger]

Take a crack at it. Sometimes they work sometimes they don't, but either way you'll learn. Here's a quick 2 pics. of one I separated last year. It failed; I'm guessing the heat since it had plenty of roots.

View attachment 29799

View attachment 29799

 

[bonsaibp]

Truthfully I think you'd be better off buying a 5 or even better a 15 gallon Juniper that you can start to design right away rather then spend at least one maybe two years to get the layer, another year to let it grow and get strong enough to work on something that may or may not have some potential.
With a nursery juniper you'll have at least the general framework of a tree, get the satisfaction of working on it and of learning pretty much right away. Also with a juniper that size you can usually make something that looks like a bonsai pretty quickly.
I would suggest spending a year or two or more working with nursery plants before you attempt collecting or airlayering for material.
Of course if your objective is to learn how to do an airlayer thhen by all means go ahead.
It's hard to tell but that looks like Tam Juniper which are not the easiest to turn into bonsai, in which case I'd have to question whether it's worth the effort or not. I've been airlayering a really old 15 gallon staked procumbins juniper for 4 years now and have gotten maybe 12 small and medimum trees from the top parts and will make another bonsai from the base this year.

 

[GeorgeAlexander]

I've successfully air layered J. chinensis, basically using the same technique I'd use to air layer a maple, meaning I remove a 2" strip of bark down through the cambium layer, apply rooting hormone to the bark of the upper edge of the incision, and either wrap in a plastic bag full of sphagnum moss or bonsai soil. Starting near your last frost date, and assuming the parent tree is healthy and you don't let the rooting medium dry out, I'd bet you'd be able to separate the layer within 4 months (the bag needs to be quite full of roots to safely separate, though).

Can you keep airlayers on shimpaku through winter in Michigan? Think your from the area, maybe you’ve had experience with it. I have 2 with some roots growing just not sure there’s enough to separate and it’s getting later in the season. Thanks!

 

[Dav4]

Can you keep airlayers on shimpaku through winter in Michigan? Think your from the area, maybe you’ve had experience with it. I have 2 with some roots growing just not sure there’s enough to separate and it’s getting later in the season. Thanks!

I've only been in MI for 2 years and have never left a layer on the parent plant through the winter, so I can't give you personal advice. My gut would tell me to separate if you have some roots...

 

[GeorgeAlexander]

I've only been in MI for 2 years and have never left a layer on the parent plant through the winter, so I can't give you personal advice. My gut would tell me to separate if you have some roots...

Thanks again.