When to air layer Dawn Redwood?

So I have 2 Dawn Redwoods grown from seedlings in a grow bed (soil mix equal parts top soil, pea gravel, sand and compost mulch). They are getting close where waiting any longer to trunk chop them will leave me with very little taper. Since these I need to purchase online, I want to make the effort to air layer them. I still need to read through the informative info on air layer our admin @Bonsai Nut was kind enough to post in another thread, but when is the best time to attempt this (zone 5). They are just beginning to leaf out. I have several pics of both, feel free to offer advice on how many air layers to attempt on each and where the last should be with a trunk chop in mind at the bottom. These were purchased on Ebay a few years back about 1' tall at the time and are 7'+ at the present time (I'm 5' 10" and they tower over me).

I'll call the left one in this pic DR #1 and the right one DR #2 for the sake of reference.
It was raining on and off today so the grey rubbermaid container was housing my phone and blue tooth speaker, why its there.

Closer pics of DR #1

herzausstahl said:

Closer pics of DR #1

View attachment 142757 View attachment 142758 View attachment 142759 View attachment 142760

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Sorry for double pic posts, still learning nuances between posting thumbs and full image, got it now! As a side note, which do you prefer when reading a thread? A thumbnail to click on or the full image inserted?

DR #2, full images inserted for comparisons sake

Do these airlayer well?

barrosinc said:

Do these airlayer well?

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There was another member on here who has success with it, just can't remember the post. Honestly I don't know, & if mine fail it will be my first attempt at an air layer so it could be do to that or to that they don't. But that's half the fun! Trial & error!

Also why $30-50 is my tree limit until my experience level improves!

@bonsaibp tried, ask him if he was successful.
http://bonsaibpsbonsaiblog-bonsai.blogspot.cl/2011/05/air-layering-redwood.html

barrosinc said:

@bonsaibp tried, ask him if he was successful.
http://bonsaibpsbonsaiblog-bonsai.blogspot.cl/2011/05/air-layering-redwood.html

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Actually it was a redwood I air layered not a dawn redwood.
But to answer the when question- I'd give it until the new growth starts to harden off. It would probably be ok now but safer then.

Some better photos. @bonsaibp thanks for the advice, I can't remember who I saw that air layered these but they lived down south somewhere. Later allows for repotting projects first anyway. lol

I actually started air laying my Japanese maples and a pear tree when the buds were extending this year following the instructions from this Youtube video.


Both the pear and Japanese maples have leafed like nothing happened. This is probably to give extra time for the roots to grow before winter. I guess it makes sense when you think about it. No sugar ever gets to go down at all so maybe it would root sooner?