Should I bother with airlayer?

[Spdyracer]

I have this river birch I planted in my yard two years ago. Two of the trunks the tops died out after a bad storm we had. All last year I thought about cutting those two out and leaving the one good tree to grow but I haven't done anything yet.

Now I'm considering doing an air layer or two on the biggest of the two trees and just cutting the smallest of the bad trees to the ground. Should I bother trying to do this? Just trying to figure out if it would be worth it. Don't think river birch is considered the best material. It would give me practice with air layering but if it works would it be worth the effort?

Any opinions would be appreciated.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Nebari...does it have it?
Taper from the section you plan on using...yes, or no?

I've heard birch can drop a branch soon as look at it, I looked at a weeping variety to do bonsai with. And was talked out of it. I don't see stunning material...but maybe I'm not seeing it in a 2D photo. But...the tree itself even if it had good bones...has hiccups for bonsai material. The dropping branches one of them that made me scratch it off my want list. (Back when weeping trees was my thing.)

 

[M. Frary]

Two of the trunks the tops died out after a bad storm

And this the problem I see with birch trees.
A storm killed it. What happens when you chop it?
Dig it up? These trees are alive one day ,dead the next.

 

[Spdyracer]

Nebari...does it have it?
Taper from the section you plan on using...yes, or no?

I've heard birch can drop a branch soon as look at it, I looked at a weeping variety to do bonsai with. And was talked out of it. I don't see stunning material...but maybe I'm not seeing it in a 2D photo. But...the tree itself even if it had good bones...has hiccups for bonsai material. The dropping branches one of them that made me scratch it off my want list. (Back when weeping trees was my thing.)

Confused a little on the nebari part because it would be an air layer. So no nebari. No taper either on the part I would be using.

Guess the thought crossed my mind just because I was going to probably cut them down to the ground anyway to get rid of them so would be my chance to do it before I just cut them off.

If there was any qualities in the tree worth trying thought I would give it a shot but if not then I'll just cut them and get rid of them.

 

[Spdyracer]

And this the problem I see with birch trees.
A storm killed it. What happens when you chop it?
Dig it up? These trees are alive one day ,dead the next.

I will say it was a very bad storm that came at the worst time. I had just planted the tree about a week and a half before the storm. The wind was so bad the tree was was blowing sideways from half way up the tree to the top.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Confused a little on the nebari part because it would be an air layer. So no nebari. No taper either on the part I would be using.

Guess the thought crossed my mind just because I was going to probably cut them down to the ground anyway to get rid of them so would be my chance to do it before I just cut them off.

If there was any qualities in the tree worth trying thought I would give it a shot but if not then I'll just cut them and get rid of them.

Good point on air layering not needing Nebari that slipped past me as I began looking at your photos...I mean, if you want to try your hand at an air layer. But, it's not the best material for bonsai. You get your initial style in...and you've lost it from dropped branches. You must rebuild. I personally wouldn't waist my time. Because of the characteristics of behavior this has. The one I looked at had character in the trunk...but, wasn't worth the thought of redeveloping what I spent years on. I would just remove them...and find better material that in the long run is less frustrating.

 

[AlainK]

I wouldn't...

 

[LanceMac10]

I would leave it and have a classy-barked Birch in the yard.

Ruler straight....you want to layer a telephone pole?

 

[namnhi]

Airlayer will give you another tree which you can cut down low and star to build taper. The way I see it. If am going to cut it down anyway. Why not.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Airlayer will give you another tree which you can cut down low and star to build taper. The way I see it. If am going to cut it down anyway. Why not.

Just because it can be worked into bonsai ...doesn't mean one should. I think the characteristics of this tree is more of a headache than naught. If the characteristics weren't so poor for bonsai...

I myself prefer a bit of character on my bench and a tree that responds well to bonsai techniques. I see absolutely nothing other than air layer experience under ones belt with this material. Only frustration...but at the end of the day...posters bench not mine.

 

[Spdyracer]

Just because it can be worked into bonsai ...doesn't mean one should. I think the characteristics of this tree is more of a headache than naught. If the characteristics weren't so poor for bonsai...

I myself prefer a bit of character on my bench and a tree that responds well to bonsai techniques. I see absolutely nothing other than air layer experience under ones belt with this material. Only frustration...but at the end of the day...posters bench not mine.

No I agree with you. I know I can cut low and let it grow out to get taper but if there's not enough potential then don't really want to bother. I have a few trees right now that are ok but not the best to have and are going to have there own challenges. I'm fine with having a couple trees like that but I don't want to keep adding more problem trees.

Think I'll chop the top off more and see if a new leader will start but if not I'll chop the two off and just have the good single tree.

Thanks for the help and opinions.

 

[namnhi]

Just because it can be worked into bonsai ...doesn't mean one should. I think the characteristics of this tree is more of a headache than naught. If the characteristics weren't so poor for bonsai...

I myself prefer a bit of character on my bench and a tree that responds well to bonsai techniques. I see absolutely nothing other than air layer experience under ones belt with this material. Only frustration...but at the end of the day...posters bench not mine.

Cadillactaste,
I agree with you. My comment was more toward air layer in general. If a tree isn't bonsai friendly then there is no point of making it into bonsai in the first place but if because the material has no taper now that doesn't mean one can't build a new one. That's all am saying.

 

[ConorDash]

If you want a new tree, some learning experience and a long term project. Go for it.

If you want a good piece of material to develop and that will look good in 2-3 years, I dont think so.