Bloodgood maple failed air layer.

[apexmusic420]

I tried to do an air layer on my blood good, and it just didn't turn out good. After 8 weeks I checked and I was disappointed with the initial way I did the layer. Very sloppy. I was in a hurry.
So I chopped it and kept it potted anyway.
Been cutting off the dead branches here and there. I have a bag over it for increased humidity.
Never the less back the to main tree, it wasn't doing so hot after the prune and nearly all the leaves were dying off, (100⁰ days)
So I pruned the few leaves off and now I'm stuck wondering what is going to happen. I see maybe 2-3 buds swelling.
It stays in the green house tent I have that is water cooled and the pot sits on the moist ground which keeps the roots cool on the hot days. I still haven't repotted it since I got it last year. So it's still literally in potting soil Just wondering if I can give it a dull fertilizer watered down or somthing to help it during this terrible misunderstanding of bonsai.
I've learned alot these past months and the past 2 years I've been into it. So any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Photos of the tree? Bloodgood should be pretty heat tolerant.

 

[Jrmcmich]

I tried to do an air layer on my blood good, and it just didn't turn out good. After 8 weeks I checked and I was disappointed with the initial way I did the layer. Very sloppy. I was in a hurry.
So I chopped it and kept it potted anyway.
Been cutting off the dead branches here and there. I have a bag over it for increased humidity.
Never the less back the to main tree, it wasn't doing so hot after the prune and nearly all the leaves were dying off, (100⁰ days)
So I pruned the few leaves off and now I'm stuck wondering what is going to happen. I see maybe 2-3 buds swelling.
It stays in the green house tent I have that is water cooled and the pot sits on the moist ground which keeps the roots cool on the hot days. I still haven't repotted it since I got it last year. So it's still literally in potting soil Just wondering if I can give it a dull fertilizer watered down or somthing to help it during this terrible misunderstanding of bonsai.
I've learned alot these past months and the past 2 years I've been into it. So any help is greatly appreciated.

Was tree healthy prior to starting air layer?

 

[AcerAddict]

I'd ditch the humidity bag on the air layer. JMs can get fungus if you overdo the moisture. They're not a desert tree, but not a jungle tree either. Also, I'd stop cutting off dead branches. You may cut too far and then the tree has further die-off. JMs can frequently die back further on a branch than where you actually made the cut. In fact, you need to do very little to the air layer the rest of this year other than keeping it mostly shaded and not letting it dry out totally. What soil is it currently in?

As for the main tree, Bloodgoods are quite, um, good at tolerating heat. I've got one in the yard that is about 8 or 9 feet tall and sees full southern sun all day long. In the first year it was planted, it would definitely get stressed and have a tough time if it wasn't watered enough. It's in year four now though and doing very well. No leaf burn at all. 100 degrees is hot any way you slice it though. I'd get the main tree to a shady or filtered sun area and leave it there until it recovers some. As with the air layer, just keep the roots watered. Don't let the leaves or branches be constantly moist. Speaking of the leaves, you didn't mention their status, but if they're all burning up and turning crispy from the heat, then the tree will evaporate less water, and therefore use less water, so make sure you aren't drowning it. Since it's in plain potting soil, that'll stay pretty wet. Check the soil in the pot each morning, and if it's dry a few inches down, then you can water it. You want to water trees in the morning as opposed to the evening. This sets them up with enough water to make it through the heat of the day. As for the fertilizer, we're obviously past the time when Bloodgoods make that big leaf push. However, if you haven't fed it in a few months, you could give it a little, but be cautious.

Both the air layer and the main tree sound like they are quite stressed out right now. There's a saying that nothing good happens fast in bonsai. Be diligent in caring for these trees and they might make it. You'll certainly learn a lot from this experience if nothing else. Knowledge can come from a book or a website or a forum post, but wisdom comes from experience. Best of luck with these trees!

ps. before anyone else mentions it, put your USDA plant hardiness zone into your profile. Amarillo, TX is in zone 7a.

 

[Kodama]

I'll recommend protecting all your pruning cuts on the maple. I've had big branch dieoff further than the next node as I did not use cut paste and lost alot of moisture.

 

[apexmusic420]

Ok so the layer is in 100 percent pumice, and I did use cut paste on it, as for location they sit on the ground in my pop up tent greenhouse that I have irrigation on and inside aswell. Inside the tent I erected a sun shade aswell for added protection from the sun, uv is usually extreme everyday.

 

[19Mateo83]

Ok so the layer is in 100 percent pumice, and I did use cut paste on it, as for location they sit on the ground in my pop up tent greenhouse that I have irrigation on and inside aswell. Inside the tent I erected a sun shade aswell for added protection from the sun, uv is usually extreme everyday.

Any pictures of the air layers roots when you separated it?

 

[apexmusic420]

Any pictures of the air layers roots when you separated it?

There was not even any roots, only calusus where a few wanted to form but I didn't give it enough time.

 

[apexmusic420]

Ok so the layer is in 100 percent pumice, and I did use cut paste on it, as for location they sit on the ground in my pop up tent greenhouse that I have irrigation on and inside aswell. Inside the tent I erected a sun shade aswell for added protection from the sun, uv is usually extreme everyday.

Here is temp and humidity data

 

[19Mateo83]

There’s your problem. The layer was basically was a cutting at that point. It’s more than likely a goner.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

There was not even any roots, only calusus where a few wanted to form but I didn't give it enough time.

No roots, no air layer. Should've left it on til you had root growth. Try again once the parent plant is strong enough again.

 

[apexmusic420]

Yeah I kinda already let go emotions for the (cutting) but I'm wondering if my bloodgood will leaf out again or not this season

 

[Dabbler]

Yeah I kinda already let go emotions for the (cutting) but I'm wondering if my bloodgood will leaf out again or not this season

if the parent tree has nothing left on it you mostly likely just killed everything - it may come back as I had a squirrel destroy a J maple of mine in mid summer and it did leaf out again

 

[apexmusic420]

Dammnnnnn

 

[dbonsaiw]

I know you're not happy about this, but it really is a good learning experience. In fact, this is really the only way we learn in bonsai. These failures are what make us hone our craft and improve. You will do much better next time.

 

[Dabbler]

I know you're not happy about this, but it really is a good learning experience. In fact, this is really the only way we learn in bonsai. These failures are what make us hone our craft and improve. You will do much better next time.

sooo true, so even though it stings its great!

 

[apexmusic420]

Well thanks for the info I've changed locations after watching this video I feel like I might have been over watering. Youtube

 

[ponderingsage]

I would say it too hot in the greenhouse… i pull everything out of mine before May.

Lots of peoples in the threads that they do well and he and full sun, which I will not deny, but in the neighborhood I live in it was built in the 60s all the Bloodgold maples are planted on the north side of houses.just my 2 cents.