Air-layering timing?

[Cypress187]

Yeay, found my bag of moss!

But., I want to know, is there a difference in timing per type or is it always in spring before the buds go?

I want to air-layer an firethorn (semi-deciduous?), maybe my ficus, and a birch. Also doing a double air-layer isn't a problem right?

 

[petegreg]

In our climate May is the best time for air-layering of woody plants, when they are in the top form and growing strongly.

Double air-layer is not problem if done on different trunks / branches.

Some tropicals can be air-layered successfully almost all the year. I've done some figs AL in summer, chinese elm in fall and carmona in winter.

 

[Bunjeh]

Totally dependant upon the species. Check Harry Harrington's species guide at the following link. http://www.bonsai4me.com/species_guide.html

 

[M. Frary]

I picked airlayer in at high tide when the sun and moon are in congruence.

 

[Eric Group]

I think it is best to do it earlier. The tree will sit there and do nothing until it is ready anyway, but they seem to grow the most roots, and grow them the fastest in early Spring, so you may as well have your layer in place and ready to capitalize as soon as the tree is ready to throw roots!
Obviously I live in a mild climate compared to many people, so my idea of early (start putting on layers a few eels ago!) is probably earlier than yours if you live in a colder climate.

 

[Cypress187]

When do i need root hormone on airlayers? and could i also use honey (i read something about propagating in it).

 

[Dave E]

I think it is best to do it earlier

when do you recommend?
when temps are above freezing at night?

 

[0soyoung]

When do i need root hormone on airlayers?

You don't.

 

[Cypress187]

You don't.

But there is more / better chance right?

 

[0soyoung]

But there is more / better chance right?

Not exactly. Using a hormone preparation that is too strong will actually make rooting take longer because it can reduce the rate of photosynthesis in the foliage. Using too weak a preparation will do nothing but waste money. The Goldie Locks preparation only provides a kick start to the rooting process. With cuttings, one is in a race against time to generate roots before the cutting desiccates. No such problem exists with layers because the xylem is (more or less) intact and continues to supply water and mineral nutrients.

Roots are generated by the accumulation of auxin that was produced by the foliage and buds above a restriction (tourniquet or girdle). The excess auxin induces some cambium cells to differentiate into root initials. Once initiated, these grow on the supply of photosynthate from the foliage - the growth, of course, is stimulated by the continued supply of auxin.

 

[Dave E]

Using a hormone preparation that is too strong will actually make rooting take longer because it can reduce the rate of photosynthesis in the foliage. Using too weak a preparation will do nothing but waste money.

not to change the subject but what strength rooting hormone would you recommend for cuttings-say for elms and maples

 

[Cypress187]

not to change the subject but what strength rooting hormone would you recommend for cuttings-say for elms and maples

There are different strenghts?

 

[0soyoung]

Maples 3000 ppm IBA. RooTone powders are based on NAA; 2000 ppm is roughly equivalent. Both are good, general purpose.

Hormex makes IBA powders and liquids in various concentrations of IBA upto 4.5%.

 

[bonhe]

Roots are generated by the accumulation of auxin that was produced by the foliage and buds above a restriction (tourniquet or girdle). The excess auxin induces some cambium cells to differentiate into root initials. Once initiated, these grow on the supply of photosynthate from the foliage .

You get the point. That is a reason why I always perform air layering when the leaves are adult. I don't use artificial root hormone at all.
Bonhe

 

[Eric Group]

Not exactly. Using a hormone preparation that is too strong will actually make rooting take longer because it can reduce the rate of photosynthesis in the foliage. Using too weak a preparation will do nothing but waste money. The Goldie Locks preparation only provides a kick start to the rooting process. With cuttings, one is in a race against time to generate roots before the cutting desiccates. No such problem exists with layers because the xylem is (more or less) intact and continues to supply water and mineral nutrients.

Roots are generated by the accumulation of auxin that was produced by the foliage and buds above a restriction (tourniquet or girdle). The excess auxin induces some cambium cells to differentiate into root initials. Once initiated, these grow on the supply of photosynthate from the foliage - the growth, of course, is stimulated by the continued supply of auxin.

I am doing a couple layers with varying substrates, some with hormone and some without... I want to see if rooting hormone is helpful or not... Doing a side by side of Sphagnum wrap vs perlite in a pot too.. I have three with various combinations on different branches of the same large tree. Doing Jap Maples and Trident Maples right now. I am planning to try azaleas this year. Never done a layer on one, but I have a few BIG ones I want to try it out on...

 

[Eric Group]

Yeay, found my bag of moss!

But., I want to know, is there a difference in timing per type or is it always in spring before the buds go?

I want to air-layer an firethorn (semi-deciduous?), maybe my ficus, and a birch. Also doing a double air-layer isn't a problem right?

Firethorn is incredibly easy to root in my experience. Grows naturally as a viney spreading tree anyways so it makes sense... Cuttings for even pretty large pieces seem to take with amazing consistency!

 

[Cypress187]

Firethorn is incredibly easy to root in my experience. Grows naturally as a viney spreading tree anyways so it makes sense... Cuttings for even pretty large pieces seem to take with amazing consistency!

Is it possible to cut the top off, root it as a cutting, ánd air-layer the remaining top? (there are enough branches and leaves over the entire height of the trunk). Or will the chop wound prevent / hinder the process of the layer?

 

[Eric Group]

Is it possible to cut the top off, root it as a cutting, ánd air-layer the remaining top? (there are enough branches and leaves over the entire height of the trunk). Or will the chop wound prevent / hinder the process of the layer?

You do need top growth to get a layer, so it is pretty hard to say yes or no on hat one without seeing it.

 

[jomawa]

Yeay, found my bag of moss!

Congratulations, and welcome to airlayering 101. Just started a couple air layerings myself on vine maples, specifically prior to bud break. I initially thought the roots would form on the area of bark removal, so was planning bark removal location in relation to where I thought the roots would be. Wrong. The physics involed in airlayering is the nutrients coming into the plant from the roots travel up throught the plant via the hardwood core, and the stuff (sugars) gained from photosynthesis through the leaves travels downward via the cambium layer just under the bark. Sooo, doing the bark removal, (girdle-ing a branch/trunk) it is important to also remove all the cambium in the same area because doing so stops the downward flow (specifically auxin), which causes swelling just above the bark removed area, and excess auxins encourage roots in the point of swelling, above barkless area. (Also see @osoyoung above, post #10)(see also @Ericgroup, post #5).

I want to know, is there a difference in timing per type or is it always in spring before the buds go?

Sooo, I refer you to @Bohne, post #14 "You get the point. That is a reason why I always perform air layering when the leaves are adult. I don't use artificial root hormone at all." (Back to my opinion) So now you can airlayer before bud break or chose to research the fine points of waiting, and then wait till after leaves are on and conceivably dumping massive amounts more "stuff" and auxin downwards through the cambium to get stopped up where they can't go no more (your barkless and cambiumless area) forming a nice bush of root for you.

Also doing a double air-layer isn't a problem right?

(see @petegreg above, post #2) "Double air-layer is not problem if done on different trunks / branches". (Back to me) Be certain "if" (did you notice "if"???) but "if" you tried a double air layer on a plant, I tend to think you would want to make absolutely certain they were not double stacked on the same branch/same trunk, because you would probably get one success and one failure, (or both failures?).

honey

(see post #6 above) I have hives, uh, that is beehives, honeybees, and honey, so I come across a lot of specualtive and non-speculative (actual use like anti bacterial) uses for honey. Point: Honey is a dehydrated (hygroscopic) fluid so when a cell, like a bacterial cell, comes in contact with the honey, the moisture in the cell gets absorbed/sucked up into the honey, which in turn causes the bacteria to dehydrate and die. I believe this is the realm/purpose for using honey in propagation. Where I live in SW Washington, I have ample honey, and we have moss growing rampant. I use moist moss for air layering rather than waste some perfectly good honey on a questionable bonsai use of honey.

 

[leatherback]

As for timing.. MOre and more I start to come to a conclusion.. It is a 2 fase thing: First, the cutwound starts to callus over. From the callus, roots emerge. So you want to have the callus ready, when foliage begins to unfold: By the time the leaves start to emerge, the whole plant is in a 'recovery from winter' modus. This includes creating new roots (Which is why repotting in spring is so easy: Hardly any foliage, and explonding root development). This might be a reason for putting a layer in just as the buds are waking up.

I am tempted to aim for earlier layering then typically recommended. I have a few to set this year, and will do so when the buds start to pop on the plants.