Air Layer Confirmation

[Deleted member 32750]

So about 3 weekends ago, I started air layers on 2 Japanese Red Maple seedling nursery plants and a field grown trident maple that I bought last year. This is my first attempt at propagating plants by air layer so I'm not entirely sure how to to know if the technique is successful and the plants are rooting until I actually see the roots in the sphagnum moss.

Well I decided to take a little peek into the bags this morning to see how it looks and I noticed that the Red Maples don't appear to have started doing anything yet, but the Trident has some movement going on.

I took a picture of the Trident and I was hoping if someone who is experienced with layering can tell me if this is a good sign that the plant is starting to root?



I started the layer by cutting a ring into the bark and then I used a knob cutter to cut a ring into the wood as directed by Peter Warren's book "Bonsai" then I applied Clonex with a Q-tip around the top of the Layer

For this tree I took it a step further and put a wire tourniquet on the exposed wood as well. Maybe a little over kill but I wanted to experiment.

But nonetheless, I am observing something in this tree that has the tourniquet and so far nothing in the two red maples that don't have it.

 

[Pitoon]

Be patient, they will root when they are ready. Personally I don't believe the tourniquet helps the process, but at the same time doesn't do no harm neither. Make sure you have good contact with the sphagnum and the girdle.

 

[Deleted member 32750]

Be patient, they will root when they are ready. Personally I don't believe the tourniquet helps the process, but at the same time doesn't do no harm neither. Make sure you have good contact with the sphagnum and the girdle.

I just saw another thread on here where a trident air layer bridged together from the top and bottom cut. Just went and checked and the bottom cut looks the same as the top cut.

 

[Pitoon]

I just saw another thread on here where a trident air layer bridged together from the top and bottom cut. Just went and checked and the bottom cut looks the same as the top cut.

Bridging happens sometimes, when it happens you can make the girdle a bit wider during the check.

They will root.......just sometimes not as fast as we would like them to.

 

[BrianBay9]

That callus is the first step, roots come next. Cover it up again, keep it moist and be patient.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Every time you open up the air layer, scrape with a knife, the cut band to make sure that it does not bridge. Don't take off much more wood, once you are down to wood, stop scraping.

Your photo shows good callus formation. For air layering, callus formation comes first. The roots come from the callus.

Three weeks is not enough time. Most deciduous will take 12 to 16 weeks. Difficult species, like the very few pines that can be air layered, can take several years. Malus, crap apple, should take 16 weeks, but I have an individual that took a full 2 growing seasons before it rooted. So there is also some individual variation. So just be patient.

 

[Pitoon]

Every time you open up the air layer, scrape with a knife, the cut band to make sure that it does not bridge. Don't take off much more wood, once you are down to wood, stop scraping.

Your photo shows good callus formation. For air layering, callus formation comes first. The roots come from the callus.

Three weeks is not enough time. Most deciduous will take 12 to 16 weeks. Difficult species, like the very few pines that can be air layered, can take several years. Malus, crap apple, should take 16 weeks, but I have an individual that took a full 2 growing seasons before it rooted. So there is also some individual variation. So just be patient.

I did an air layering on a Kwanzan cherry that took two seasons to get it to root.

 

[Deleted member 32750]

I understand it takes time, just wanted to get some expert eyes on it to make sure I'm on the right track and it's not just going to bridge over.

I did make the girdle wider as suggested and covered it back up. Now to wait.

Do you all typically do the bag method or the method of wrapping a 3-4 inch pot around the girdle and back filling with sphagnum moss and soil?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I prefer the bag with long fiber sphagnum. I have made at least 20 attempts. Hanging a pot with media simply did not work anywhere near as well. The Malus that took 2 growing seasons was the first 14 months a pot with media hanging in the tree. I had callus but no roots. Removed the pot, replaced it with a sphagnum and wrapped it it, it had good roots 3 months later. Cause and effect? don't know, a sample size was limited and I did not keep many records. The weight of the pot with the media also created issues. Had to use bamboo stakes to prop up the pot.

In your conditions, maybe the pot and media would work better. I just know in my conditions, and with my care routine, long fiber sphagnum moss, wrapped around the air layer and wrapped with plastic works the best for me.

 

[Deleted member 32750]

I prefer the bag with long fiber sphagnum. I have made at least 20 attempts. Hanging a pot with media simply did not work anywhere near as well. The Malus that took 2 growing seasons was the first 14 months a pot with media hanging in the tree. I had callus but no roots. Removed the pot, replaced it with a sphagnum and wrapped it it, it had good roots 3 months later. Cause and effect? don't know, a sample size was limited and I did not keep many records. The weight of the pot with the media also created issues. Had to use bamboo stakes to prop up the pot.

In your conditions, maybe the pot and media would work better. I just know in my conditions, and with my care routine, long fiber sphagnum moss, wrapped around the air layer and wrapped with plastic works the best for me.

I will definitely use long fiber next time. I shredded the sphagnum and it just crumbles apart when you try to ball it up on the girdle.

 

[Pitoon]

I understand it takes time, just wanted to get some expert eyes on it to make sure I'm on the right track and it's not just going to bridge over.

I did make the girdle wider as suggested and covered it back up. Now to wait.

Do you all typically do the bag method or the method of wrapping a 3-4 inch pot around the girdle and back filling with sphagnum moss and soil?

You're doing good so far. Just don't let the sphagnum dry out.

I prefer to do the bag method with chopped sphagnum moss. I've used long strand before but find it's difficult to remove the moss without damaging the roots after you severe to transplant.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I will definitely use long fiber next time. I shredded the sphagnum and it just crumbles apart when you try to ball it up on the girdle.

I buy the long fiber sphagnum from either New Zealand or Chile. The reason is that the sphagnum from these two countries have a significantly higher phenolic content compared to Wisconsin or European sphagnum. The phenols work to slow bacterial and fungus issues. Whether you chop up or shred the long fibers is up to you, and does not change performance.

Wisconsin and Canadian sphagnum has the lowest phenolic content of any of the sphagnum species tested in the article I read years ago.

I know from experience that Chilean sphagnum will last 3 years of use for orchids, where Wisconsin sphagnum can deteriorate to muck in as little as 9 months when used as media for Phragmipedium orchids.

So that is why I use the Chilean sphagnum, not because of the length of the fibers, but because of its phenolic content.

 

[Pitoon]

@Leo in N E Illinois off topic but do you have any vanda's?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Right now Hausermann's Orchids has long fiber sphagnum that was originated in Chile, but imported from Chile to China to Chicago, and they were able to get it cheaper than direct from Chile. Go figure.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Leo in N E Illinois off topic but do you have any vanda's?

Not right now, I'm down to a handful of Paphs and Phrags. I downsized the orchids when I bought the blueberry farm. Now 6 years later, I sold the farm, and am thinking of what I might get in to next, maybe Killiefish? Maybe a new dog. Maybe back into orchids. Don't know yet.

 

[Pitoon]

Not right now, I'm down to a handful of Paphs and Phrags. I downsized the orchids when I bought the blueberry farm. Now 6 years later, I sold the farm, and am thinking of what I might get in to next, maybe Killiefish? Maybe a new dog. Maybe back into orchids. Don't know yet.

I was thinking about getting a couple and make some custom pots for them. I figured you might still be working with them.

 

[Deleted member 32750]

I buy the long fiber sphagnum from either New Zealand or Chile. The reason is that the sphagnum from these two countries have a significantly higher phenolic content compared to Wisconsin or European sphagnum. The phenols work to slow bacterial and fungus issues. Whether you chop up or shred the long fibers is up to you, and does not change performance.

Wisconsin and Canadian sphagnum has the lowest phenolic content of any of the sphagnum species tested in the article I read years ago.

I know from experience that Chilean sphagnum will last 3 years of use for orchids, where Wisconsin sphagnum can deteriorate to muck in as little as 9 months when used as media for Phragmipedium orchids.

So that is why I use the Chilean sphagnum, not because of the length of the fibers, but because of its phenolic content.

That is interesting. I wasn't aware of the phenolic content in sphagnum moss playing a factor in microbial protection. Thank you for sharing that. I buy a brand of New Zealand sphagnum just because that's what has the best reviews on amazon.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I was thinking about getting a couple and make some custom pots for them. I figured you might still be working with them.

Most of the Vanda that I have seen, and even the ones I've grown myself, are grown without the use of a pot. Healthiest Vanda I've seen were all grown completely bare root as epiphytes. Empty hanging baskets or just tied to wire. I had a Vanda coerulea that was grown just tied to a wire, it was happy in my basement lights set up for a good 15 years, once it finally got large enough it bloomed every year. Sold it in a fit of "down sizing". No pot, no basket, just tied to a wire hanger.

Orchid pots would be great for the smaller species, like the Pleurothallids, and the terrestrials. I have a few Chinese made orchid pots for my Cymbidiums. Now I just need to pick up a few Cymbidiums again. Cymbidium goeringii is a great "bonsai companion" for kusamono or an accent.