Air layer a Willow Oak

esteve59

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Has anyone had success with air layering Willow oaks....
I have tried 2x this season and both times I just got I guess what is called
scar tissue....looks like a bumpy lump....
I am trying to layer the apex which has about a 3/4" trunk.
I used a device called the "Rooter pot" which is ok....it is a neat concept but it is kinda cheap....the latches tend to break.....

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=46938&cat=2,47236

Steve
 
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DaveV

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Hi Goshi, I had air layered 3 American elms starting in May. Only one of them was successful. All three were done the same way but only one was successful. I noticed the same thing that you described on the two that did not succeed - bumpy white nodules around the cut area. I did not use the device you are describing.
 

irene_b

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What Hormone strenght did you use?
Irene
 

esteve59

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Ah,
I believe I used Rootone...which I realize (now) that it is a low stregnth.....
 
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Much to my disappointment, I discovered that a hackberry I tried to airlayer did the same thing - just generated a layer of callus. The ring of bark I removed was about 1/4" wide. Maybe next year I should just be more aggressive.
 

Kirk

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Much to my disappointment, I discovered that a hackberry I tried to airlayer did the same thing - just generated a layer of callus. The ring of bark I removed was about 1/4" wide. Maybe next year I should just be more aggressive.

The callus can happen if the airlayer girdling cut isn't wide enough. It will also occur on some trees if you make an airlayer cut with "bridges" of tissue left running across the cut to connect the bark/cambium on the lower part of the tree to the upper. Going a little wider (or being more aggressive) on the airlayer cut could help if its a species condusive to that propagation method.

Kirk
 

rockm

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Kirk is right. You probably didn't make the cut wide or deep enough.
 

esteve59

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air layering

Anyone know the correct stregnth hormone to use when air layering a Willow oak.....?
 
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