Air layering through winter?

[Inspector34]

I have a healthy Japanese red maple that was planted too close to the side of my house. It's healthy but needs more room to grow. I was going to have a tree service relocate it to the front yard where it has plenty of space to spread its roots, or prune it down to a smaller tree (next spring). Either way, that gives me the opportunity to do some air layering and get 2 or 3 bonsai from a few branches that need to be pruned either way. But I don't want to miss my chance of getting them. If I were to start air layering now, I know the roots would grow, but I don't know if they would grow enough to separate it from the tree before autumn hits. It's hot here all August. Would the cold kill the roots in an air layer if I left them wrapped through winter and harvested in late spring before doing anything else with the tree next year?

 

[NateDyk47]

Why not wait until next year to air layer?

 

[penumbra]

It's iffy in your climate (same as mine). Since you cannot accurately forecast your winter, you are much better off waiting until spring.

 

[Inspector34]

Why not wait until next year to air layer?

The only reason I was asking about this was because if we can't relocate the tree, my wife will hound me to prune it all down next spring so her garden can get more sunlight. I didn't want to lose my chance of getting the branches air layered and ready to remove. But I suppose if my only true chance is to do it next spring, I'll leave the branches there to air layer and prune the others and my wife will just have to live with a few ugly branches sticking up for a couple months

 

[Inspector34]

It's iffy in your climate (same as mine). Since you cannot accurately forecast your winter, you are much better off waiting until spring.

Good point. i have no way of knowing what to expect this winter. I'll wait.