Dead above the layer

bonsai barry

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I tried air-layering several trees. In three cases, all the growth above the cut died. Does this mean that when I cut my ring around the tree it was too deep?
 

irene_b

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Sounds like it.
What kind of trees were they, and what hormone did you use?
Irene
 
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What were you using as a substrate and did you allow it to dry out at any time. Is there callous formed at the cut or any signs of roots that started?



Will
 

bonsai barry

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What were you using as a substrate and did you allow it to dry out at any time. Is there callous formed at the cut or any signs of roots that started?



Will

Hmm good questions for which I should have provided the information already. I used sphagnum moss around the cut and enclosed that within Calidama. It was then covered in a slightly transluscent plastic and secured with electrian's cables. In the case of the elm, it was enclosed in an open-aired four inch plastic pot, which never fully dried but became drier than I would have liked.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Barry;

Did you see my thread down in the Elms forum about air-layering a cork elm? I am about to air-layer several more elms, but don't typically take photos since they take some time to set up, upload, etc. But I will be willing to do so if you have more questions.

- Greg
 

John Hill

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Barry,
Long time, What was the reason for layering?

A Friend in bonsai
John
 
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Barry,

Have you taken a look at the air-layer since the tops died? Is there callous formed at the cut or any signs of roots that started? I am just curious as to why the top died and was wondering if any healing activity started.


Will
 

Graydon

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could it be...

I see this is active again and I would like to point out a huge (stupid) mistake I made not too long ago, wondering if you did the same thing.

I was had a grafted pine, otherwise junk based on the height of the graft but a nice cultivar none the less. I have several of them I am growing out as scion material but this one had some nice movement so I thought I would layer it. In my haste one afternoon I decided to do it while the growing season was young. I cut a ring around the trunk, peeled it and let the area dry out a bit. I applied a paste of a proper hormone, did the plastic bag pouch with moist chopped moss/akadama and loosely closed the top so I could add water as needed. All went well - or so I thought. Several days later I realized I had made a huge boo boo. I cut the ring below the lowest growth and left no branches below the cut to support the roots during the layer period. It was a slow stupid death.

In my haste I did not think about what was needed to support above and below the layer. I know better and it was not my first layer but I was rushing and simply goofed up. Oh well - another tree in the ever growing pile of dead ones.
 

bonsai barry

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Sorry not to reply sooner, but I was away from computers for a week. To answer some questions:

Will, there was a little callousing on one but none on the other two.

Graydon, there was branches below in all cases. In fact, on the wisteria, it was just one of many branches.

Thanks for your responses. I'll try again next year.
 
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