Too late to remove an air layer?

WNC Bonsai

Omono
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Last year I began an air layering project on a couple native viburnum in my yard. Well it didn't work last year so I left the sphagnum in place and this summr a little root action began but it was slow going. Now it is early September and there appear to be a numnpber of big fat roots but the sphagnum is not chock full of the, loke you see in the photos. Because it is so late I am concerned they won’t have enough time to establish enough roots to make it through the winter. So should I leave them on the trees until next summer or take the chance? At this point we have a almost 2 months before leaf drop here. I guess I could remove one and leave the other and play it 50:50.
 

leatherback

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At this point we have a almost 2 months before leaf drop here. I guess I could remove one and leave the other and play it 50:50.
Same here. I separated 3 layers last weekend.
So.. I would say: If you have plenty of roots, you are good to go.
Senescence is the moment dat many deciduous trees have a big rootpush, moving sugars around in preparation of winter.
 

Javaman4373

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In an online video on propagating fruit trees by air layering, the presenter waited until leaf drop in the fall to separate the air layered branch. Potted it for the winter, after pruning it back to reduce the burden on the new roots in the spring. I would think the same principle would apply to air layering for bonsai with a deciduous plant. Any comments? I have several apple air layerings in progress now. Also of interest, in an instance where the air layer had only callous, he shaved off some tissue and bark on opposite sides and potted it for the winter. He was optimistic it would root in the spring.
 

leatherback

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In an online video on propagating fruit trees by air layering, the presenter waited until leaf drop in the fall to separate the air layered branch. Potted it for the winter, after pruning it back to reduce the burden on the new roots in the spring. I would think the same principle would apply to air layering for bonsai with a deciduous plant. Any comments? I have several apple air layerings in progress now. Also of interest, in an instance where the air layer had only callous, he shaved off some tissue and bark on opposite sides and potted it for the winter. He was optimistic it would root in the spring.
My thought? It would work fine.
 

WNC Bonsai

Omono
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OK, the experiment is begun. I whacked them off today and stuck each in a pot of long fiber sphagnum moss. This is a trick Peter Chan uses a lot on his air layers and also to resurrect old trees. These may not make it as they really didn’t have much foliage on the branches which might be why they took so long to produce roots. We’ll find out next spring when it comes time to bud out—or not.
 

AlainK

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As long as the air-layer has enough roots that can be protected from frost, to me it's OK.
 

WNC Bonsai

Omono
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I think they’ll be Ok, they made it through the winter still attached to the tree. I can dig them in and put them in an area protected from the winds. And, they are native trees that volunteered in the small woodlot in my backyard.
 

walee

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Just curious, how did your air layer do this year? I just removed an air layer in October of this year and in a similar situation as you were! A lot of the leaves were turning red for the fall and were falling.
 
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