Cuttings vs air layering

MARZ_TJ

Seedling
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Hi all I have a bougainvillea that I just picked up. I was hoping to turn this 1 tree into 3. I would like to chop above the first set of branches and grow 1 twin trunk and use the two top parts as literati trees.
My question is, are they too thick to be treated as cuttings, or should I air layer them?
 

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sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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Welcome to Crazy!

Layer. One then the other.

Sorce
 

Crawforde

Chumono
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Where are you?
In Florida you can drop bougie cuttings in your garden paths and they will root, grow, and make spines just out of spite.
Kind of kidding, but they are tough. Just keep them moist and or do it in the rainy season. layering is almost always a safer bet bet with older Woody stems on most species, so you can take the safe route or the quicker one.
welcome aboard!
 

Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
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There's not much for scale in the photo so it is a little hard to fully appreciate the actual size of those trunks but given the light stand behind I guess they are finger thick or less. That should pose no problem for striking cuttings of Bougie. i've seen 2" thick trunks strike new roots.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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You have way way way way....

Way more control over the most important piece of a bonsai, the root spread, if you layer it.

Start Correct.

Fruit trees aren't propagated by grafting immature scions of shitty fruit branches to zone 11 rootstock.

Sorce
 
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