Beni Maiko Japanese maple

[Johnnyd]

I have recently been trying to develop this material. It has been compared with deshojo in leaf characteristics. I have noticed a very vigorous response to a trunk chop this spring.
My question is would it be possible to air layer (remove the graft) at this time. There is a considerable amount of new foliage.

 

[discusmike]

No! You have done alot of work,i would wait till next spring after the leaves harden,if it were mine i would grow the trunk out,then layer.

 

[0soyoung]

My question is would it be possible to air layer (remove the graft) at this time. There is a considerable amount of new foliage.

Yes.

 

[discusmike]

What was your reason for root work if your going to layer??

 

[ysrgrathe]

He didn't say there was root work, just a trunk chop. I've found simply repotting a young maple doesn't seem to slow it down at all.

 

[Johnnyd]

What was your reason for root work if your going to layer??

I was not too rough on the root prune. I wanted to place on an angle to air layer on an angle(I read about gravity affecting auxins), want to start with a larger base at a slant. Also if I can save the graft and make another tree from the root stock. There are many shoots below where I would layer.

 

[Johnnyd]

Yes.

Thanks for the reply! Have you had any experience with this cultivar. It seem to be more vigorous in my limited experience.

 

[discusmike]

I have experience with seigen,seiga,deshojo,chisio improved,kiyo,koto,kashima,shishigashira to name a few,my layers always grew at a snails pace for a few seasons after layering,growing them out with the graft in the ground,then layering seems to speed things up,all the red leaved cultivar seem to be weaker n prone to more problems then the green n seedlings in my experience.

 

[Johnnyd]

Yes.

Trying the split colinder method with pumice. I'm starting to appreciate pumice. I can water like a maniac.

 

[0soyoung]

Trying the split colinder method with pumice. I'm starting to appreciate pumice. I can water like a maniac.

One merit of this approach is to water the layer just as you water the tree - 'one and done'.

 

[Johnnyd]

One merit of this approach is to water the layer just as you water the tree - 'one and done'.

I have another layer that has bonsai soil on the bottom and sphagnum on top (radialdisc). I'm never really sure how much to water. Some say never let it dry out completely or the roots will die. I may do a test to see how long it takes for a bowl of sphagnum moss to completely dry.

 

[ysrgrathe]

I am no expert, so take this with a grain of salt, but I keep mine sopping wet. As long as they can drain it seems fine. I've lost layers to underwatering. I don't think I've ever lost one to overwatering. That goes double if I'm using Boon mix instead of spaghnum.

 

[Dav4]

I'll be very interested to see how this works out. In my mind, straight pumice in a colander is going to dry out quickly, and newly formed roots will be extremely moisture sensitive. You're going to have to really be on your watering this summer. At the least, I might cover the pumice with a layer of chopped sphagnum to assist in keeping some moisture in the rooting medium. Good luck!

 

[Johnnyd]

I'll be very interested to see how this works out. In my mind, straight pumice in a colander is going to dry out quickly, and newly formed roots will be extremely moisture sensitive. You're going to have to really be on your watering this summer. At the least, I might cover the pumice with a layer of chopped sphagnum to assist in keeping some moisture in the rooting medium. Good luck!

That is a great point. Then if needed I can remove the sphagnum from the top if it needs to overwinter before separating. I've been hearing some people in my zone having issues overwintering and sphagnum.

 

[Johnnyd]

I am no expert, so take this with a grain of salt, but I keep mine sopping wet. As long as they can drain it seems fine. I've lost layers to underwatering. I don't think I've ever lost one to overwatering. That goes double if I'm using Boon mix instead of spaghnum.

I was thinking the medium needs to dry somewhat to create a need for the roots to grow. I have had some failed layers last year using just sphagnum. This year I'm mixing it up a bit. One pumice, one turface, one radialdisc (combo- chopped sphagnum over Boon's mix). See sorce's thread on Radialdisc a season saver!

 

[0soyoung]

I was thinking the medium needs to dry somewhat to create a need for the roots to grow.

The conditions to make roots grow is an accumulation of auxin (affected by a tourniquet or girdling the stem) and a moist exterior environment (else the nascent roots get air pruned --> never develop.

 

[ysrgrathe]

Just removed this one. 13 weeks, boon mix, watered 3x per day. I don't think pumice can get too wet.

 

[Johnnyd]

Just removed this one. 13 weeks, boon mix, watered 3x per day. I don't think pumice can get too wet.

Nice roots!

 

[Johnnyd]

About a month ago I opened the colinder and found one lonely root. I made several vertical slices in the bubbling edge of the cambium with a grafting knife that was dipped in clonex. A month later there were plenty of roots. This appears to coax root formation when roots are slow to form. Not sure what the risk is but it seems to be working. The roots were very fragile so a few broke off. Hopefully with the right aftercare it will survive.
Love the spring color!

 

[drew33998]

It appears they are all on one side. Id do the cut and hormone on the side without roots