Unusual air layering techniques.

[Trenthany]

I’m starting this thread for interesting ideas for layering that may or may not improve success. Things like RadialDisk or funny cuts in the bark or differing media.

 

[Trenthany]

Anyone use hydrogels? You could put fertilizers and rooting hormones in the media to speed it up. I found a mention in reddit about using burn bandages. I was contemplating other ideas after that and it reminded me of the trend in the 90’s to sell potted plants in those watering beads in a clear vase. Thoughts?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

No bark ring, but some vertical slits have worked for me in the past. It takes longer, but when a plant variety easily drops damaged branches it might be the only way to do it.
Air layering without even cutting something can work too. Given that you brush the bark as clean as possible, otherwise it'll rot.

Not a big fan of gels or other polymers because fungi love them more than plants do. Once they go mushy, bacteria join in on the fun and then the ants too.

I apply hormones both on the wound and as a foliar application. Especially in junipers this seems to benefit root formation.

Some plants benefit from a downward U-bend. With the layer being on the right side of the bend and the mother plant on the left. The gravitational pull on the bend seems to have a positive effect. I see this rarely applied in bonsai, I think because we usually don't have that many long and flexible branches to layer.

That's about all uncommon techniques I know about.

A thing worthy noting is that some auxins don't work on some plants. It's good to try different ones if one type fails. I have both NAA, IAA (breaks down rapidly, keep frozen until use) and IBA, 2,4-D. Sometimes combinations with trace amounts of BAP or zeatin work wonders too! Coconut water shouldn't be forgotten about either, but it does attract ants, fungi and bacteria. Check orchid forums for the right brands, I know they use that stuff a lot for their tissue cultures because it contains everything a plant needs; from hormones to nutrients and sugars.
Alcoholic solutions don't work well on exposed tissue unless you want it dead, so if you're going with synthetic hormones, don't forget to drop a few dollars on HCl and KOH. Don't go with NaOH, ever. I do have to stress that KOH is so darn cheap that it's fairly easy to buy forty lifetime supplies for less than 10 USD. I use one flake (100mg) for a years worth of hormone stocks, and 5 euros got me 4 kilos of KOH. If oil wasn't so expensive around here, I'd be making soap right now.

 

[cmeg1]

I show my stuff all the time...seedling layers........2 days into aeroponic seedling air-layers....see how this goes.........something new.
Zelkovas root in 2 weeks.

the little korean hornbeam seedling were treated same way with a girdle(ringbark removal) and place roots and all in my cloner.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Now that I see Cmeg1's post, I remember rock wool is commonly used too. Check your local ganja supplier!
It is hard to remove though.

 

[Trenthany]

I show my stuff all the time...seedling layers........2 days into aeroponic seedling air-layers....see how this goes.........something new.
Zelkovas root in 2 weeks.

the little korean hornbeam seedling were treated same way with a girdle(ringbark removal) and place roots and all in my cloner.

The cloner being the grow box with a type of shelf to hold this little cardboard pot things? Made to purpose or modified? Would this work with cypress? I’m gonna need something like this to keep up with all my bonsai dreams! Either that or a ton of cash for cypress! Lmao. Don’t ask why, maybe it was the ancient (several hundred year old) BC at Shelby when I was twelve but I love cypress for bonsai.

 

[cmeg1]

cardboard pot things?

Huh?

 

[Trenthany]

Huh?

These! Cardboard? Styrofoam? Lol. I have no idea what the cloner is. Been running around and need to get on google.

 

[cmeg1]

These! Cardboard? Styrofoam? Lol. I have no idea what the cloner is. Been running around and need to get on google.

Ah.Aeroponic cloning machine.New technique for me.I have succesfully rooted zelkova cuttings in one month.Trying seedling air-layers this go around.
The resevoir is filled with 4gallons of water with added suppliments and hormones to induce rooting by means of a fine mist that sprays onto the cuttings/roots to give a very oxygenated moisture.
I find it preferable to propogation trays because of less transplant or humidity shock.

get crazy vigorous roots too!!

 

[penumbra]

cardboard pot things

They are neoprene rooting collars.

 

[Trenthany]

They are neoprene rooting collars.

Ohhhh see like I said no idea what the whole set up was. definitely interesting!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

One thing I will toss into this thread... remember that you can cut your girdle at a very sharp angle. I have also seen partial girdles work when you remove the bark from one side the tree and then lay the tree on its side with the cut section at/below soil level (for a group or raft planting).

 

[Davidlpf]

I’m starting this thread for interesting ideas for layering that may or may not improve success. Things like RadialDisk or funny cuts in the bark or differing media.

Another interesting "technique" is made the arilayer in two steps, one in order to have roots (High humidity level), and the second in order to have TOO many roots.(high ventilation level)

I stole the idea form here click,click

I made an arilayer in my shindeshojo the 6 of April


It sprouted many roots (sphagnum moss 100% inside a plastic bottle)


so I opened the bottle the 22 of June


And I extended the roots in a fruit basket


This time the soil was phagnum 30% akadama 70%


In order to let dry the root that grow downwards


But letting them grow horizontally.

I'll plan cut the air layer in the fall, with a massive root ball if everything goes well, will see.

Greetings

 

[Davidlpf]

Update, the "system" worked!

At first glance, plenty of roots


But, sadly, there was about 120 degrees without roots


So I attached it to a wooden board


And put it in a big container


At 22nd of April, it's doing quite well

We'll see how it does when the heat start!

Cheers!

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

Ah.Aeroponic cloning machine.New technique for me.I have succesfully rooted zelkova cuttings in one month.Trying seedling air-layers this go around.
The resevoir is filled with 4gallons of water with added suppliments and hormones to induce rooting by means of a fine mist that sprays onto the cuttings/roots to give a very oxygenated moisture.
I find it preferable to propogation trays because of less transplant or humidity shock.

get crazy vigorous roots too!!
View attachment 313300

We use to build cloners in the mid 90s before they even had these I should have sold the ones we were making, we’d be retired. PVC tub, drilled holes in the lid, fuel line in the holes, bubbler siliconed to the bottom, Christmas timer 10 mins on 10 mins off and plants sticking through the fuel line to get misted. Change the water everyday. If only…

 

[Davidlpf]

On 03/05/2022 I did a new airlayer

I cut the airlayer on20/11/2022

Today, 04/04/2023, every looks ok!

Cheers

 

[cmeg1]

BASIC GROUND-LAYER OR GIRDLE ON AN TWO MNTH OLD SEEDLING.


So this a total of 16 mnths from seedling air-layered at 2 mnths old ……and early season growth in co2 fertilization hybrid outdoors for a natural season dormancy.

The last picture is about 2 weeks ago…….nearing another trim!!!!

 

[cmeg1]

HERE IT IS BROUGHT OUTDOORS FOR THE SEASON………BIGTIME EARLY START!!!!!

It will slow in this early Spring chill,but this could be good as these extensions just halt for awhile and photosynthesize and backbud and build energy befor I cut back again.
Also the growth was equalized by trimming and leaf pulling for its break.

 

[andrewiles]

View attachment 480172

What is the pink coating on the cut?