my 1st successful air layer!

[benw3790]

Ive tried my hand at air layering, two or three times in the past 2 1/2 years of starting this hobby. My heart wasnt really in it when i tried, it was kind of an experiment everytime and of course, for all different reasons they failed. Well this year I found a really nice crepe myrtle with wonderful potential. At the bottom.... AND the top. So I decided to get serious about air layering it. The bottom of the tree/ mother has a great, thick main branch with some taper, movement and even a little ramification. The top of the tree pretty much already looked like a bonsai, with perfect branch placemebt and nice thicknesses to the different branches. I bought it just before winter or maybe even during the winter the beginning of winter, I cant remember. But this spring, I started the air layer with plastic wrap, sphagnum moss and zip ties. Well, after about 8 weeks it worked!! I just seperated the air layer about two or three weeks ago. (I should really keep track of my work) and pplanted it in pure lava and crushed granite. With a little bit of pine bark. Didnt even touch the roots or the moss, stuck it right into a colander gently and then potted it up and watered. Both trees are soing super well and the air layer even tried to.bloom flowers for me but I cut them off.. here is a picture of both trees after separation. Thw first 2 are of the parent tree. The last photo is the layer as it looks today. Any input would be awesome and appreciAted. Im proud of this propagation and that I had the patience and skill to pull it off. Also that I have a good eye for potential material as a beginner.

 

[sorce]

Real nice work.

Far as keeping track.
Just take some pics and try to post everything here. That's what I been trying to do. Keeps it more interesting here too!

Congrats!

Sorce

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I know you must feel so proud to accomplish this. I have not attempted this yet. Congrats on your fine accomplishment. Keep us posted with updates

 

[RichKid]

Congratulations! I had my first layer throw roots this season as well. I separated it but I'm a little nervous as to its survival. Did yours have any wilting or anything like that? It's been super hot the past few days here I'm hoping the heat doesn't kill it. I think you have some great material to work with in the future on your hands there. I also had one fail last season. It def feels great to have a success. Congrats again.

 

[michaelj]

I just separated some layers on a large Japanese maple. I did four - 1 with a ball of moss in a plastic wrap and three with pots. The wrap failed. The pots all got roots. Two were already starting to wrap around the inside of the pot. Time to try four more while the sun still shines.

 

[benw3790]

Haha thanks everyone, it is a great feeling. As far as wilting goes, mine did not wilt at all. It didnt skip a beat. It Is still growing just as strong, if not stronger than it was while it was still attached to the parent tree. I left it in mostly shade until new growth appeared and kept it pretty moist. Its potted in a super fast draining mix with moss applied around the trunk, above the new roots as well.

 

[benw3790]

I just separated some layers on a large Japanese maple. I did four - 1 with a ball of moss in a plastic wrap and three with pots. The wrap failed. The pots all got roots. Two were already starting to wrap around the inside of the pot. Time to try four more while the sun still shines.

I hear ya bud! Did you still use moss with the pots or some sort of substrate?

 

[JoeR]

I also seperated my first airlayer a few days ago.

My second successful one should be able to be seperated now, but I want to make certain it will live. Maybe a few more weeks.

 

[michaelj]

I hear ya bud! Did you still use moss with the pots or some sort of substrate?

The wrap had sphagnum moss only. With the pots, I do a base layer of sphagnum moss, then bonsai soil from about the middle to upper part of the cut to an inch or two above the cut, where the roots come out. Then moss on top to retain moisture, and I water it daily. That method seems to work almost every time.

 

[benw3790]

An update on the layer.. the roots are already growing out of all the holes on the coleander and the tree has thrown out quite a few shoots.

The wrap had sphagnum moss only. With the pots, I do a base layer of sphagnum moss, then bonsai soil from about the middle to upper part of the cut to an inch or two above the cut, where the roots come out. Then moss on top to retain moisture, and I water it daily. That method seems to work almost every time.

Ah I see.. I am scared to use the pot method because im afraid it would dry out. Me working so many hours every week, it would be hard to keep it moist.

 

[michaelj]

With layers of sphagnum moss at both the bottom of the pot and at the surface, I've never had to water more than once a day. It's well insulated. If I had to leave them for several days, I might be more nervous about drying out.

I just removed all my bougainvillea layers this weekend, too. 100% success, and lots of roots. This week, I will be setting new air layers on the same maples, some elms, some more bougainvillea, some junipers, ficus and a crape myrtle. Might run air layers on some of my best fruit trees, too. I'll be using the pot method on all of them except for a couple where I'm layering off branches that are not vertical. The one downside of using pots and soil is that it only works on branches that are vertical or mostly vertical.

 

[Robert E Holt]

With layers of sphagnum moss at both the bottom of the pot and at the surface, I've never had to water more than once a day. It's well insulated. If I had to leave them for several days, I might be more nervous about drying out.

I just removed all my bougainvillea layers this weekend, too. 100% success, and lots of roots. This week, I will be setting new air layers on the same maples, some elms, some more bougainvillea, some junipers, ficus and a crape myrtle. Might run air layers on some of my best fruit trees, too. I'll be using the pot method on all of them except for a couple where I'm layering off branches that are not vertical. The one downside of using pots and soil is that it only works on branches that are vertical or mostly vertical.

You can build a wooden box around the branch as well, filled with substrate. That way it doesn't have to be verticle.