Bottom heat for an air layer shindeshejo

[Johnnyd]

I have been trying to air layer some of my grafted Japanese maples ( In particular shindeshejo). I was wondering if anyone has placed a bottom heating mat under the the air layer pot( while on the tree). I'm using a split plastic pot and perlite with some spagnum moss on top and bottom . I plan on starting the layer as soon as the leaves emerge. I'm in NJ 6b.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

I have been trying to air layer some of my grafted Japanese maples ( In particular shindeshejo). I was wondering if anyone has placed a bottom heating mat under the the air layer pot( while on the tree). I'm using a split plastic pot and perlite with some spagnum moss on top and bottom . I plan on starting the layer as soon as the leaves emerge. I'm in NJ 6b.

Hi Johnnyd,
Haven’t heard of bottom heat, but some use IBA brushed on to girdled area for increased % strike rate.
I have done both the pot and bag methods this season (late summer here) with no success on either of my favorites , Shindeshojo or Chishio. Have done cuttings with strong IBA, mist and bottom heat as a second attempt etc.
Let me know how you get on as my air layer via pot I used perlite/bark but maybe too wet is my guess.
Charles

 

[0soyoung]

with strong IBA

What is "strong"?
4.5%????
0.3%???

 

[Johnnyd]

I was planning on using. 31 clonex gel. I have had difficulty with shindeshejo airlayers . I would like to try this heating mat idea. Not sure what it would do.

 

[0soyoung]

I have a shin deshojo that I've successfully layered many times, with and without IBA, it doesn't seem to matter. The only failures I had were because I leaf a bridge of cambium across the girdle that (sometimes hard to see on a landscape tree).

I presume that my cool summers (daily highs rarely ever warmer than 80F) account for why it takes pretty much the entire season (late August / early September) to have enough roots to harvest the layers. So maybe heating will help your effort (however inconvenient it may be to do).

I've made more than a dozen layers over the last several years and have lost all but one them the following spring. They seemed healthy, leafed out and collapsed. Last year I just recognized that, for years, the mother tree has gotten what I thought was wind burned leaves in early spring and that this also appeared on the layers from the previous season. I now think this is an air borne pathogen (why I refused to recognize this before baffles me, but I am pretty amazing anyway ). Have you ever seen similar blackened margins on the first leaves?

 

[River's Edge]

I have been trying to air layer some of my grafted Japanese maples ( In particular shindeshejo). I was wondering if anyone has placed a bottom heating mat under the the air layer pot( while on the tree). I'm using a split plastic pot and perlite with some spagnum moss on top and bottom . I plan on starting the layer as soon as the leaves emerge. I'm in NJ 6b.

I have successfully completed many airlayers on Maple using fine pumice and shredded sphagnum moss. Small amount of shredded sphagnum say 10% of the mix. I use the pumice fines that sift out of the smallest standard screen in the round 3 screen bonsai set.
I have lost airlayers that were not protected from freezing the first winter after separation. The most effective containers i have used were "Rooter Pots" but have also had good success with plastic bags and split pots. I prefer to water more often and ensure drainage and ventilation is available.

 

[Johnnyd]

I have successfully completed many airlayers on Maple using fine pumice and shredded sphagnum moss. Small amount of shredded sphagnum say 10% of the mix. I use the pumice fines that sift out of the smallest standard screen in the round 3 screen bonsai set.
I have lost airlayers that were not protected from freezing the first winter after separation. The most effective containers i have used were "Rooter Pots" but have also had good success with plastic bags and split pots. I prefer to water more often and ensure drainage and ventilation is available.

Some great ideas. I'm definitely going to chop some spagnum and add pumice fines. I will post a pic once I get the mat set up. I appreciate the help.

 

[River's Edge]

Some great ideas. I'm definitely going to chop some spagnum and add pumice fines. I will post a pic once I get the mat set up. I appreciate the help.

If you can find a way to set it up and control the heat it should be of benefit. Would like to see it. Here is a sample of what an airlayer in pumice can look like. It was the last one i did on a juniper. I do not have a picture of the maples ones. You can see how easily the fines fall away from the new roots. This is an advantage for repotting and arranging the roots going forward.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

What is "strong"?
4.5%????
0.3%???

Hi Osoyoung,
Um, I think it is 1% IBA, so yeah not that strong I guess. I used this as a 1:2 recipe with 2 parts water etc.
I can get the exact recipe if you would like as my boss makes his own hormone concentrate.
Charles

 

[Johnnyd]

If you can find a way to set it up and control the heat it should be of benefit. Would like to see it. Here is a sample of what an airlayer in pumice can look like. It was the last one i did on a juniper. I do not have a picture of the maples ones. You can see how easily the fines fall away from the new roots. This is an advantage for repotting and arranging the roots going forward.

Wow Very nice rootball! Just looked up rooter pots. Looks promising. I like the idea of having a top that keep moisture inside the pot.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[River's Edge]

Wow Very nice rootball! Just looked up rooter pots. Looks promising. I like the idea of having a top that keep moisture inside the pot.

The key to the rooter pot is the ventilation and drainage to the well in the bottom. Keeps the humidity while allowing ventilation. Same advantage for the pumice due to its properties.

 

[0soyoung]

Hi Osoyoung,
Um, I think it is 1% IBA, so yeah not that strong I guess. I used this as a 1:2 recipe with 2 parts water etc.
I can get the exact recipe if you would like as my boss makes his own hormone concentrate.
Charles

Not necessary, I just wanted clarification. Std/norm concentration is about 0.3%. If you are diluting 1% with 2 parts water it is about 0.333333333333333333333333%

I have done layers on standard palmatum and stewartia with 4.5% IBA powder (Hormex). It gave the foliage a strong red tint that became an absolutely spectacular red in fall. I think all this anthocyanin expression should have radically slowed rooting and maybe even done some permanent damage, but nonetheless, it didn't seem to. I am not recommending doing such, but for me it was a very interesting. I also did this to a Japanese hornbeam that had not produced roots in previous attempts. It's leaves turned brilliant yellow and this layer also failed to produce any rooting.