tantric
Yamadori
what it says. the lilac i tried to air layer just regrew its bark, though i was sure i cut deep enough
looking for detailed photos of air layering, showing depth of cuts
- Thread starter tantric
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leatherback
The Treedeemer
Even if you cut deep enough, it may heal the wound.
You have to make sure the cambium dies off at that spot. I sometimes let the whol thing sit in the wind for an hour, before making the final clean cut on the upper bark and wrapping the thing with substrate.
Here you can get an idea of the leftover bits of cambium: It has browned substantially during the drying:
http://bonsaitechniek.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Marcotteren-3.jpg
You have to make sure the cambium dies off at that spot. I sometimes let the whol thing sit in the wind for an hour, before making the final clean cut on the upper bark and wrapping the thing with substrate.
Here you can get an idea of the leftover bits of cambium: It has browned substantially during the drying:
http://bonsaitechniek.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Marcotteren-3.jpg
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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I've got some descent pictures of the layering process in this thread. Granted, it's a maple but the process doesn't really change from species to species.
http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/some-projects-for-next-spring.13228/
http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/some-projects-for-next-spring.13228/
cmeg1
Imperial Masterpiece
Make the ring at least two times the diameter of the trunk or branch and then scrape the white wood to a pith with a razor blade to get rid of all the cambium.
Ironbeaver
Chumono
Can you scrape too much material off?
ColinFraser
Masterpiece
http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/japanese-maple-air-layer.18273/
http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/purple-plum-air-layer.18954/
Here's two I did this year that were successful and have decent photos.
http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/purple-plum-air-layer.18954/
Here's two I did this year that were successful and have decent photos.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Yes. At a certain po0int the branch will break.
(Oh, and the wood below the bark transports sap to the branch. So you do not want to go too deep).
If you do this in spring, almost all trees will very clearly have an area where the bark comes off the wood smoothly. THat is the spot you need to hit, and then scrap the moist layer away till you get woddy fibres.
ColinFraser
Masterpiece
Yep; if you get all the way down to the heartwood there will be no sapwood to transport water up to the leaves:
You want to get off all the bark (which includes the phloem - "food" conducting tissue), and scrape a bit into the sapwood (water conducting tissue) to be sure all of the cambium (think of it like "stem cells" ready to regenerate lost tissue) is gone/dead.
It might be instructive to dissect a few stems/trunks when pruning, or find a landscape tree and lop a branch off to see if you can identify the layers in cross section. Once you get the feel for tree anatomy, air layers will make more sense and be easier.
jquast
Chumono
Yes, I've killed the top of a tree doing this. I use a razor knife held perpendicular to the trunk and scrape off some wood after removing the outer bark ring. In years past, I've opened up the layer and cut off any callus that looked like it might bridge the gap.
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
Wipe with isopropyl alcohol if you cannot cope with leaving it open for a day or two before covering it up. Its a good practice even if you scrape the exposed wood.
The other take away from your failure is that you now know what to do should you seriously damage the bark (such as happens sometimes when removing embedded wire, for example) on one of your trees.
The other take away from your failure is that you now know what to do should you seriously damage the bark (such as happens sometimes when removing embedded wire, for example) on one of your trees.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
The wire is just there to hold up the container. I scraped,let it dry a day then wiped it off with alcohol. 
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
A take on Sorcerers radia layer set up.
The Sorcerer that is!
The Sorcerer that is!
My understanding is that when the bark regrow the issues are: 1) you didn't cut deep enough and some cambium remain (which doesn't seem to be the problem), 2) you didn't cut wide enough.
Now lilacs have they own issues, they grow suckers all over the place for instance, may be the species is particularly resistant to air layer and has the ability to easily heal itself?
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
That is 'never' the problem.
BTW, if you are patient, you can just tighten a wire tourniquet around the stem (no cutting) - eventually it will grow roots (if that area of the stem is capable of rooting).
ColinFraser
Masterpiece
I don't think that's always true. Vigorously growing trees can swallow up a piece of wire and go right on growing.
I agree with Colin, my neighbor has a mulberry which swallowed its fence in several places of its trunk...
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
. It is always true but there has to be moss or soil to keep the area moist. In fact you don't even need the wire, it will grow roots just from being moist. Cutting a branch or trunk as in a ground layer insures roots grow from predetermined spot radially around the trunk or branch. One can just slap moss on a branch without cutting and it will grow roots there. I have seen trees touch overhang on roofs and grow roots on the shingles moss that collects there.
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leatherback
The Treedeemer
yup
Yeah sure, in theory.
And also in real life where one could see even more extreme set up. But in fact how many trees will die before one roots in such environment?
If it was that easy to get roots then we would just have to chop branches and trunks at the right place, put them in a pot and water them constantly to get a new tree no?
I actually did that with a retusa and it worked but the true is that their is a high % of chance that it will fail, unless you do that with a willow.
