Air layer super old juniper HELP

[Tulsabonsigh]

This juniper/ ERC is at least 100 years old. It was listed as “50 year old cedar” on original house plans in 1954...
I want to air lift a branch from it.
many specific tips???

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

Thoughts?

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

I have never personally air layered a juniper, but from what I understand, the branch you layer has to have another living branch underneath it.

Good Luck!

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

I have never personally air layered a juniper, but from what I understand, the branch you layer has to have another living branch underneath it.

Good Luck!

that’s helpful! Thanks

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

!

 

[sorce]

You fixing to bear climb it?

Sorce

 

[Schmikah]

Thoughts?

In order:
Calm down. Search for air layering on this forum. Take deep breaths. Look for specific posts on junipers. Listen to calming music. Figure out how you are going to get fifteen feet in the air to air layer any of the lowest branches. Share you findings

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

I’ve got a 20’ ladder.

 

[Schmikah]

I’ve got a 20’ ladder.

Alright. Junipers are hard to air layer (not my personal experience, just the 100% anecdotal evidence I have heard). I've heard some people have waited 2-5 years for a successful air layer to produce roots. Most just end in a dead branch or callused over wire tourniquet.

That being said, I'm about to start experimenting on ERC air layering at my mom's house (they grow in the wood line like weeds). I would personally suggest you find another subject that has branches at a more attainable height and where you can more thoroughly inspect the potential branches.

If you are dead-set, find a smaller branch, low on the tree that you can experiment on. If one or two of the smaller branches don't respond within 1-2 years, I would suggest referring to the above.

P.S. you should get some air layers off that sycamore the next yard over, it looks like the one in the park near my house. If only I could get a sycamore bonsai.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I think the foliage on this Juniper is dense enough to attempt some air layers. If it doesn’t work, you could also try some root grafts and try collecting some berries/seeds while you’re at it. I don’t have any species specific advice as layering ficus is my main success with layering, and that is like fishing for fish.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Alright. Junipers are hard to air layer (not my personal experience, just the 100% anecdotal evidence I have heard). I've heard some people have waited 2-5 years for a successful air layer to produce roots. Most just end in a dead branch or callused over wire tourniquet.

That being said, I'm about to start experimenting on ERC air layering at my mom's house (they grow in the wood line like weeds). I would personally suggest you find another subject that has branches at a more attainable height and where you can more thoroughly inspect the potential branches.

If you are dead-set, find a smaller branch, low on the tree that you can experiment on. If one or two of the smaller branches don't respond within 1-2 years, I would suggest referring to the above.

P.S. you should get some air layers off that sycamore the next yard over, it looks like the one in the park near my house. If only I could get a sycamore bonsai.

Junipers root pretty easily actually. They send out dormant root 'buds' if the humidity along the trunk is high enough, those little warts you can find close to the soil. And also at branch crotches, where old bark has built up and can hold moisture for longer periods. As soon as you wrap some moss (or raffia) around it, they start rooting.
Cuttings are harder, those can take years and do result in a lot of lost material - in my case at least.
Ground layering is also something I regularly find on junipers from nurseries if they've been planted too deep.

 

[Tieball]

...........I had this visual image of you laddering and climbing up to air layer that very top of the tree.

 

[just.wing.it]

I think the foliage on this Juniper is dense enough to attempt some air layers. If it doesn’t work, you could also try some root grafts and try collecting some berries/seeds while you’re at it. I don’t have any species specific advice as layering ficus is my main success with layering, and that is like fishing for fish.

Would be a interesting thing to see.
I've heard that ERC will get gangly in a container.

 

[Schmikah]

Junipers root pretty easily actually. They send out dormant root 'buds' if the humidity along the trunk is high enough, those little warts you can find close to the soil. And also at branch crotches, where old bark has built up and can hold moisture for longer periods. As soon as you wrap some moss (or raffia) around it, they start rooting.
Cuttings are harder, those can take years and do result in a lot of lost material - in my case at least.
Ground layering is also something I regularly find on junipers from nurseries if they've been planted too deep.

Maybe its been my club's experience then. Like I said, its anecdotal evidence, but everyone seems to think ERCs are much more difficult to air layer. Maybe its just ERC they were talking about, not junipers in general.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Brand new starter junipers are pretty cheap.

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

Junipers root pretty easily actually. They send out dormant root 'buds' if the humidity along the trunk is high enough, those little warts you can find close to the soil. And also at branch crotches, where old bark has built up and can hold moisture for longer periods. As soon as you wrap some moss (or raffia) around it, they start rooting.
Cuttings are harder, those can take years and do result in a lot of lost material - in my case at least.
Ground layering is also something I regularly find on junipers from nurseries if they've been planted too deep.

I love your quote about not doing bonsai, instead you do mini versions of cultured nature!

also, thanks so much, I’m gonna get my ladder out and wrap my trees elbows in some moss this week!

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

Brand new starter junipers are pretty cheap.

yeah I can dig up free ones everywhere around here, but I’m being dumb and I want a clone of this one for stupid reasons.

 

[Pitoon]

Why go through all that work to try to attempt an air layer? Is there a significant reason why it must be this particular tree?

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

Why go through all that work to try to attempt an air layer? Is there a significant reason why it must be this particular tree?

Yes.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Maybe its been my club's experience then. Like I said, its anecdotal evidence, but everyone seems to think ERCs are much more difficult to air layer. Maybe its just ERC they were talking about, not junipers in general.

It might have something to do with the fact that ERC are considered to be some of the hardest junipers to do bonsai with in general. They go juvenile whenever there's a little stress and they seem to be very susceptible to apple cedar rust. Most people think ERC isn't worth the trouble.
There are some cultivars though, that seem to lack the juvenile finnickyness.

I have quite a few varieties of junipers, and in general they root pretty well from layers. But it might depend on who you ask and what their baseline for 'easy rooting' is. Most herbs take less than 21 days, most fruiting trees, like cherries and apples, can take three months. Waiting an entire spring and summer and possibly fall, might seem long to those people.