The science of air-layering

[petegreg]

View attachment 169370 View attachment 169371 Two years ago i experimented with a pot designed for air layering which i purchased from Lee Valley. Thought the results may be of interest. I chose a shimpaku that had grown out too leggy and applied four at one time. All four took. Here are a couple of pictures to show the results.

Nice results, something similar to this Rooter Pot?
http://www.bonsai.de/rooterpot-p-12610.html

 

[Gary McCarthy]

View attachment 169370 View attachment 169371 Two years ago i experimented with a pot designed for air layering which i purchased from Lee Valley. Thought the results may be of interest. I chose a shimpaku that had grown out too leggy and applied four at one time. All four took. Here are a couple of pictures to show the results.

Will those rooter pots work on any thickness of branch?

Will they work on a horizontal branch?

 

[River's Edge]

Nice results, something similar to this Rooter Pot?
http://www.bonsai.de/rooterpot-p-12610.html

Yes it is. I reccomend a mixture of fine pumice with the addition of a small amount of shredded spaghnum for the media. The only drawback is the diameter of stem the pot will close over. The concept of retaining moisture and allowing oxygen is the key.

 

[River's Edge]

Will those rooter pots work on any thickness of branch?

Will they work on a horizontal branch?

No limited in diameter, not for horizontal as does not retain moisture in the well on the horizontal. For larger diameter or horizontal i use window screening mesh and a higher percentage of spaghnum moss in the mix to keep it from drying out to fast. An advantage to the window screening is ease of watering from the outside, also the ability to allow oxygen to the roots.

 

[River's Edge]

I think it's a great idea! Also adding a bonsai "calendar" with times of the year to perform certain work, like repotting, pruning, wiring, etc. I know the tricky part is how to explain this based on weather which varies so much from location to location.

The other tricky part is the aftercare available to some in terms of facilities,resources, knowledge and skill level.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

View attachment 169370 View attachment 169371 Two years ago i experimented with a pot designed for air layering which i purchased from Lee Valley. Thought the results may be of interest. I chose a shimpaku that had grown out too leggy and applied four at one time. All four took. Here are a couple of pictures to show the results.

@Riversedgebonsai Great example! Can you provide timing information? When did you girdle the tree and how long before you removed the rooter pot to take this photo?

I am a big fan of Lee Valley. Sometimes I feel like I could order 50% of everything in their catalog.

 

[Shima]

I've shown this progression before but I think it's a good example of how much better growing into medium is rather than moss. View attachment 140896 View attachment 140900 View attachment 140901 View attachment 140902

After re-reading this I see that I should have said "for bonsai purposes." The roots shoot out from the cut rather than forming a tangled mass.

 

[River's Edge]

@Riversedgebonsai Great example! Can you provide timing information? When did you girdle the tree and how long before you removed the rooter pot to take this photo?

I am a big fan of Lee Valley. Sometimes I feel like I could order 50% of everything in their catalog.

My problem only occurs when I am there. Although their 9" metal lazy susans were delivered to my door because they had insufficent stock to fill my order. They make excellent bonsai turntables with addition of 15 inch circular wooden accessories.
As for the timing the tree was part of an air layering demonstration that i gave for the Mt. Arrowsmith Bonsai Club on June 11,2016 and the pots were removed on October 1, 2016. So approximately 14 weeks duration.

 

[River's Edge]

View attachment 169370 View attachment 169371 Two years ago i experimented with a pot designed for air layering which i purchased from Lee Valley. Thought the results may be of interest. I chose a shimpaku that had grown out too leggy and applied four at one time. All four took. Here are a couple of pictures to show the results.

I should have included the "result picture" . Works better than my descriptions. Parent tree in center, siblings potted up and independant. No pun intended but noted.

 

[barrosinc]

After layering and during the potting is it recommended to prune the white roots back a bit???

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

After layering and during the potting is it recommended to prune the white roots back a bit???

Hi barrosinc,
No, air layer needs all the white roots it needs for first season, and those roots turn brown after a while anyway. First winter or second depending on climate you can work roots to flatten re box or tile etc.
Charles

 

[River's Edge]

After layering and during the potting is it recommended to prune the white roots back a bit???

No, when doing the potting i just carefully place the roots with a bit of straightening for the upper level future nebari. Trying to avoid circling without damaging the roots.

 

[GailC]

Over those course of two years, I've tried 6 air layers and only had one take. They all seem to be doing the same thing, producing mass amounts of callous but no roots, even after months.

My technique is to girdle the branch, apply a powder rooting hormone to the top cut then wrap spag around everything and cover with plastic.

I wrap the spag really tight, the mass is quite hard and I seal it very well, leaving one small hole for watering.

I'm wondering if I'm wrapping too tight and preventing oxygen from getting to the girdle? Also, how wet should the spag be? I kept it barely damp.

I'm planning more layers the year and would like some success. I'll be working with amur maple and rowen

 

[ConorDash]

Ive had a layer fail but that was due to me not paying enough attention and it kept too wet. Little slugs eat roots, if they are present, it’s too wet.
I would say keep wet enough that the sphagnum is green, not light green. You can see when it’s dry, just keep it before that.

 

[sorce]

only had one take

And I own it? WT....
Lol!

In reading "tight" I get to wondering if you aren't creating a space so tight That you mechanically create a situation where the natural capillary action is just going on continiing as normal.....crazy? Possible?

Likely not...but....why not? Anyway....

We find success with loose perlite so "tight" can be filed in the BS drawer as uneccessary.

I filed hormone in the same drawer years ago and haven't had an airlayer fail ever.

Try looser, hormone free, and wetter.

Sorce

 

[GailC]

Yep, you got my only success lol. I'll try looser and wetter

 

[barrosinc]

Hi barrosinc,
No, air layer needs all the white roots it needs for first season, and those roots turn brown after a while anyway. First winter or second depending on climate you can work roots to flatten re box or tile etc.
Charles

No, when doing the potting i just carefully place the roots with a bit of straightening for the upper level future nebari. Trying to avoid circling without damaging the roots.

Thanks!
I was successfull on a maple with arakawa-ish bark will remove soon.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

On a quick note, a bit late: NAA has the most unpredictable response of all synthetic auxins. I found it to be more inhibiting and ambiguous than any other auxin i have ever experimented with.

GO WITH IBA! Preferrably IBA-K, takes a lot of time to dissolve, but it's worth that wait.

 

[River's Edge]

Thanks!
I was successfull on a maple with arakawa-ish bark will remove soon.

Thanks and well done.
Best in Bonsai

 

[Adamantium]

Over those course of two years, I've tried 6 air layers and only had one take. They all seem to be doing the same thing, producing mass amounts of callous but no roots, even after months.

My technique is to girdle the branch, apply a powder rooting hormone to the top cut then wrap spag around everything and cover with plastic.

I wrap the spag really tight, the mass is quite hard and I seal it very well, leaving one small hole for watering.

I'm wondering if I'm wrapping too tight and preventing oxygen from getting to the girdle? Also, how wet should the spag be? I kept it barely damp.

I'm planning more layers the year and would like some success. I'll be working with amur maple and rowen

Maybe you aren't girdling deep enough?