Copper Beech Airlayer1

[BobbyLane]

Inspired by Peter chan and his airlayering shenanigans i thought i would try my hand at air layering a couple of Beech trees i picked up from a nursery today.
i went out specifically to find trees that had potentially good tops with lots of established branches, the bases do not matter at this point in time.
ill post both trees here, when i begin the layers ill do another thread for tree 2.
i will attempt multiple layers from each tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

Its perfect timing to attempt beech air layers as theyre just getting ready to move...shall i wait until they break bud?

the taller one i will try a clump, has all the bones, see..



the layer attempt will be made at the orange line.

 

[BobbyLane]

Inspired by Ryan neils Hornbeam raft, i want to attempt a raft style tree with Beech air layer two, has the bones, see...



i will make the layer at orange line


i plan to use chopped spagnum moss, im about to order some rooting homone, the powdery stuff.

 

[BobbyLane]

I started on the clump layer today, then i began a second layer, probably another clump further up the tree.
i think 2 layers on this tree will be enough for now.
on the second i actually used large ryuga knob cutters, i found them to be quicker and more effective at rippling the cambium and lifting it up, then i cleaned up with the knife.

 

[BobbyLane]

Thinking ahead, crude virtual of clump/multi trunk, i couldnt figure out how to blank out the background in windows paint. just bored playing around, this is what i see in the material and why i chose it.

 

[Woocash]

I started on the clump layer today, then i began a second layer, probably another clump further up the tree.
i think 2 layers on this tree will be enough for now.
on the second i actually used large ryuga knob cutters, i found them to be quicker and more effective at rippling the cambium and lifting it up, then i cleaned up with the knife.

I am intrigued to see if this works well on beech. I’ve often seen beech with great potential way up from the base so I really hope it works for you. Both projects seem like they’ll be great long term as well. Did you use any hormone or anything?

 

[BobbyLane]

I am intrigued to see if this works well on beech. I’ve often seen beech with great potential way up from the base so I really hope it works for you. Both projects seem like they’ll be great long term as well. Did you use any hormone or anything?

Thats true, i often see tall beeches n hornbeams with amazing potential higher up at the nurserys but always opt for smaller stuff until now.
they do work tho, check this out, recently posted on FB before n after page, layered Beech,

its hit and miss for many though. its important to use good fresh S moss according to one chap who has success with beech n hornbeam layers. so ive done that, i also used homone, this one because ive rooted trident cuttings with it before. i sprinkled some in the bucket with water the moss was in. pasted a little on the top cambium as well. time will tell

 

[Woocash]

Thats true, i often see tall beeches n hornbeams with amazing potential higher up at the nurserys but always opt for smaller stuff until now.
they do work tho, check this out, recently posted on FB before n after page, layered Beech,
View attachment 371874
its hit and miss for many though. its important to use good fresh S moss according to one chap who has success with beech n hornbeam layers. so ive done that, i also used homone, this one because ive rooted trident cuttings with it before. i sprinkled some in the bucket with water the moss was in. pasted a little on the top cambium as well. time will tell
View attachment 371876

Wowee that’s a definite positive transformation!

I reckon you’ve set them up well anyway. I tried a hornbeam layer last year which bridged the gap quite easily despite cleaning it up like you have so a girdle is a good idea as well. Good luck!

 

[BobbyLane]

the layer at the top is showing signs of root, but i might leave it till spring to sever it. i severed a green beech layer a few weeks ago that had way more roots and was taken at a similar time

 

[hinmo24t]

jealous. saw those vids of his and love beech

 

[NaoTK]

Has anyone had any issues allowing the layer to freeze solid over winter? I also plan to leave some layers over winter

 

[BobbyLane]

Has anyone had any issues allowing the layer to freeze solid over winter? I also plan to leave some layers over winter

i can remember seeing some threads where there was no concern about leaving layers on over winter, as many dont remove until the following spring. i could still be tempted to sever it over autumn though will see.

 

[Paradox]

I've been wondering how well beech air layer. I've got a European beech I want to ground layer

 

[F0E]

Hello, rookie here. I am curious to know what the benefit of waiting until spring would be? To give it a better chance of growing once cut or to allow more time for roots to form?

 

[BobbyLane]

I've been wondering how well beech air layer. I've got a European beech I want to ground layer

It's only my second layer attempt. ive severed one already this season, a green beech that put out lots of roots.

 

[BobbyLane]

Hello, rookie here. I am curious to know what the benefit of waiting until spring would be? To give it a better chance of growing once cut or to allow more time for roots to form?

yeh i'd like to see more roots, but there could be quite a bit more root deep inside, but when i looked two weeks ago these copper beeches had no signs of any roots hence me thinking about leaving them until spring, in fact i opened up two of these and there wasnt a single root, so this one looks like the only one thats been a success out of the copper beeches.

Mach5 had layered beech, who also left this one on until spring

MULTI-TRUNK JAPANESE BEECH

This Japanese white beech was purchased two years ago from Julian Adams. The tree was offered for a very reasonable price. It had a well developed top but for me the trunk was uninteresting and too tall. The nebari was also quite poor. The only way to make the best out of this material was to...

www.bonsainut.com

there will be many examples around the forum of layers being left until spring to maximise success. im new to layering.

 

[Vali]

Has anyone had any issues allowing the layer to freeze solid over winter? I also plan to leave some layers over winter

I left a layer on last winter without protection. In the spring, the roots seemed to be dead. They were white and flattened. It could have been because of the excess moisture and the freezing. In the spring, I messed around with the sphagnum moss to see if there was anything alive or looking better inside, but didn't have any luck. Probably ripped off some small ones. The good part of the story is that the tree woke up this spring, grew normally and, at this time, it has a few roots formed, but not yet enough. It is a euonymus europaeus and the temperatures were very low last winter. I'm quite sure there were even -20 C in some nights.

 

[leatherback]

I would just separate. We are still 6 weeks out till first frost, under early winter conditions. The trees will continue pushing roots for a bit longer. (In fact, I put a layer on a maple today, to see whether a late-summer layer would root fast, considering the push into dormancy includes pushing roots).

 

[BobbyLane]

Decided to go ahead n sever. hopefully theres enough here to sustain the tree im confident it will be ok. this time i didnt tease much moss out like i did on the green beech on another thread, that one is lagging a bit. so this one ive treated a bit differently. ive also opted for a deeper pot...

 

[BobbyLane]

You can see why this section was worth layering. theres maybe a twin trunk tree here, with those two middle trunks, some nice lines and movement in here..

i managed to get it quite firm in the pot, will leave in shade for a couple weeks now.