Arakawa Maple air layer?

[BarkLeafTrees]

I’ve found an Acer Palmatum Arakawa for sale near me but I’m unsure whether to go ahead with buying it. I knew they’d be a graft that I’d have to air layer off but the rough bark just gives me the idea that it won’t air layer as easy as other maples?

Has anyone else had any success layering an arakawa that’s got such rough bark?

Thanks
Ben

 

[Davidlpf]

IMHO, if you cut a ring of bark, the roots will grow from the exposed cambium, so no matter if the bark was rough or smooth, if it goes away

I don't like an arakawa with white foot at all!

Cheers!

 

[R3x]

I have read here that Arakawa airlayers pretty easily. So I'd try if the price is OK.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I airlayered a branch last year and just set a ground layer on one to accomplish what you are looking to do. I have full confidence it will work

 

[BarkLeafTrees]

@Davidlpf @R3x @Hack Yeah! Thanks for your advice guys, I’m gonna go ahead with the purchase and shall be posting progress updates in the future!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Absolutely.

Japanese Maple, 'arakawa'

Here is a stock plant I bought in fall '08, worked down the roots pretty hard in spring '09, and stuck it into a big wooden box and forgot about it for a couple years, except to layer a couple branches out of it. Yesterday I noticed it was pushing growth pretty hard, so I decided to repot...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[BarkLeafTrees]

Absolutely.

Japanese Maple, 'arakawa'

Here is a stock plant I bought in fall '08, worked down the roots pretty hard in spring '09, and stuck it into a big wooden box and forgot about it for a couple years, except to layer a couple branches out of it. Yesterday I noticed it was pushing growth pretty hard, so I decided to repot...

www.bonsainut.com

Just read through and see the progress really inspiring work!
I’ve left the air layer on but noticed a few weeks ago that there seem to be a couple of roots in the bag. There isn’t enough roots to support the tree if I take the layer off, if I leave it on until the next growing season when the tree begins growing again the roots should in theory fill up the bag aswell?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I would leave it until next summer. Hopefully you can keep it from getting too cold...mid-20s F is about as low as I’d let it get.

 

[BarkLeafTrees]

I would leave it until next summer. Hopefully you can keep it from getting too cold...mid-20s F is about as low as I’d let it get.

Should I protect the roots in the pot and the air layer from getting too cold? Maybe cover the pot with a layer of bark then some kind of fleece and just wrap the layer in fleece?

 

[R3x]

Should I protect the roots in the pot and the air layer from getting too cold? Maybe cover the pot with a layer of bark then some kind of fleece and just wrap the layer in fleece?

Ryan Neil stated in one of his videos that he never got frost damage on fresh airlayers. I have left an pear airlayer through the winter unprotected (only in plastic wrapping) and it was just fine.

 

[leatherback]

Should I protect the roots in the pot and the air layer from getting too cold? Maybe cover the pot with a layer of bark then some kind of fleece and just wrap the layer in fleece?

How cold is your winter? If you update your porfile to add you location and/or climatic zone it is a bit easier to understand what risk you have.

In my garden this would be separated. BUT that is partially because our winters have been a joke the last years AND I have a shed AND I have a greenhouse. So I can offer plenty of alternatives in case we do get a cold spell the next 6 weeks. Also, I do not mind loosing some airlayers as I have too many anyways. Considering this is AP Arakawa you might want to be a bit overprotective and ensure it lives.

What you coudl do is unpack the layer, place a rim arount is (e.g., the top of a large pot) and fill that with substrate. That way the roots have place to go. I think you will find that in spring the new substrate will have roots growing in it. Then separate in spring, at normal repotting time (Around budbreak).

 

[BarkLeafTrees]

Ryan Neil stated in one of his videos that he never got frost damage on fresh airlayers. I have left an pear airlayer through the winter unprotected (only in plastic wrapping) and it was just fine.

How cold is your winter? If you update your porfile to add you location and/or climatic zone it is a bit easier to understand what risk you have.

In my garden this would be separated. BUT that is partially because our winters have been a joke the last years AND I have a shed AND I have a greenhouse. So I can offer plenty of alternatives in case we do get a cold spell the next 6 weeks. Also, I do not mind loosing some airlayers as I have too many anyways. Considering this is AP Arakawa you might want to be a bit overprotective and ensure it lives.

What you coudl do is unpack the layer, place a rim arount is (e.g., the top of a large pot) and fill that with substrate. That way the roots have place to go. I think you will find that in spring the new substrate will have roots growing in it. Then separate in spring, at normal repotting time (Around budbreak).

I’ve got multiple other air layers on another maple that’s not an arakawa but they don’t have any roots as yet so am just going to leave those as they are but as @leatherback is saying I don’t want to lose the arakawa one especially as it’s rooted already.

Should I leave the current moss on and wrap the pot around the trunk and fill the space with substrate? Is there any particular substrate you’d recommend using?

Ive updated my profile with my hardiness zone and location.

Thanks

 

[leatherback]

Right now the roots are still very brittle and weak. So it is key to not move them in any way. Which means that putting a broad rim around the trnk is already tricky. Certainly do not teason out the moss.

In London you do not get a lot of frost, normally. The thing should also be fine leaving it as is.

 

[leatherback]

 

[BarkLeafTrees]

Right now the roots are still very brittle and weak. So it is key to not move them in any way. Which means that putting a broad rim around the trnk is already tricky. Certainly do not teason out the moss.

In London you do not get a lot of frost, normally. The thing should also be fine leaving it as is.

I think I might try to secure a pot like you are saying just to be extra safe. My layer is further up the main trunk line which is going to make it even more awkward!

 

[leatherback]

My layer is further up the main trunk line which is going to make it even more awkward!

Is it?
Oh, the picture made it look to me as if it was close to the pot surface. You probably do more harm than good trying to add a pot to it then?

 

[TomB]

You're in London, it's not going to get particularly cold. If you've got a shed, unheated garage, or greenhouse, just stick the tree in there and it should be fine.
If not, then you could wrap the layered area in horticultural fleece. Messing around with extra pots full of substrate is likely to do more harm than good.
Realistically though you probably don't need to protect it at all, with the temperatures we're likely to get.

 

[BarkLeafTrees]

Separated the air layer today. Thinned out the canopy and cut back. Have got about 50 cuttings aswell so hopefully they should take!

 

[leatherback]

Good stuff!

 

[BarkLeafTrees]

Good stuff!

Used your technique for the cuttings they’re in sealed bags and will keep them misted but went for full perlite instead as I had it handy, hopefully still does the trick!