difficult air-layers.

[byrd]

Hi all. I'm new to this site and new to air-layering. I can't maintain bonsai in pots but try to achieve the same principles of design with the plants in the ground. I'm in charge of plants for a new Demonstration garden that has no budget so I air-layered everything I thought I could in my yard to give me nursery stock for the garden. I'm surprised that most did so well and I made very large cuts to the Japanese maples 3-4'!
To date I have layered:

I've had success with most, growing 42 plants on a dripper line. My failures and difficult plants are frustrating. I had a few with ant nests that ruined the ball. Juniper Feelin' Sunny, American Holly, Azalea Exbury and Loropetalum have formed strong and thick callus but no roots. I'm in zone 8a Athens, GA so freezing probably won't happen until late Nov. or later with the weather we are having this summer.

My question: do I harvest the air-layers that seem to be stalled and pot them up like cuttings so they can grow in the warmth or keep them on the mother plant until the weather turns. Some of the host plants leaves are starting to suffer above the girdles (azalea). These were started in late April!

 

[Japonicus]

No you don’t sever what is “stalled”, it will perish, but since you’re having better luck with layers than me...
...let’s back up and address the “I can't maintain bonsai in pots” issue.
What plants, what soil and location in regards to weather and Sun?
EDIT- please describe “stalled”.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

I like your solutions!

Sorce

 

[byrd]

I think it comes down to lifestyle now. In my younger life, In Florida I enjoyed bonsai in my garden and could make sure I met the plant needs. I still have the coffee tree bonsai (now yrs, old!) but it is in a large pot. Now retired we enjoy RVing for weeks or months at a time. Bummer to any potted plant. I have dripper irrigation but I don't want anything left that is precious to a battery dripper. We are in Hot Athens, GA. I have shade and sun but it's 95 in the shade.

Stalled: These difficult plants have been in the callus stage for at least 8 weeks. It has been killer hot, constant mid-90s and I know that heat stalls regular growing things. It may or it may not be stalling these layers as well. Crape myrtles love heat and will send out roots in 5 weeks. I don't know. The hardest part of air-layering is patience and I'm losing mine. I'm hoping the wisdom of this group will guide me.

 

[River's Edge]

I think it comes down to lifestyle now. In my younger life, In Florida I enjoyed bonsai in my garden and could make sure I met the plant needs. I still have the coffee tree bonsai (now yrs, old!) but it is in a large pot. Now retired we enjoy RVing for weeks or months at a time. Bummer to any potted plant. I have dripper irrigation but I don't want anything left that is precious to a battery dripper. We are in Hot Athens, GA. I have shade and sun but it's 95 in the shade.

Stalled: These difficult plants have been in the callus stage for at least 8 weeks. It has been killer hot, constant mid-90s and I know that heat stalls regular growing things. It may or it may not be stalling these layers as well. Crape myrtles love heat and will send out roots in 5 weeks. I don't know. The hardest part of air-layering is patience and I'm losing mine. I'm hoping the wisdom of this group will guide me.

Some difficult plants can take a long time to airlayer. When they are in pots it is easier to provide winter protection and allow them to proceed at their own pace. With yours being in the ground i would suggest extra wrap and leave them over the winter, check again late spring/early summer. If you separate them too early they will die so really you have nothing to lose by being patient. If their are live branches below the air layers than they will have a better chance of succeeding as the lower branches will keep the roots alive to continue the top growth pattern.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have left a number of air layers in place as long as two years to get successful rooting. Finally new roots would form the second year. Callus the first year, roots the second.

To winter a tree carrying a graft I did nothing different. I wintered the tree exactly the same way I would without an air layer. No extra protection for the air layer. Zone 8a is pretty mild. Just leave the air layers in place.

 

[byrd]

I never would have thought that it could make it through winter, that's been my main concern and rush. Thanks!

 

[Japonicus]

I have left a number of air layers in place as long as two years to get successful rooting. Finally new roots would form the second year. Callus the first year, roots the second.

To winter a tree carrying a graft I did nothing different. I wintered the tree exactly the same way I would without an air layer. No extra protection for the air layer. Zone 8a is pretty mild. Just leave the air layers in place.

Hello Leo. Would you say the same for both deciduous and coniferous trees in our zones?
Your's a bit more brutal than mine, I have 2 JM that are 1 slow, and 2 nothing yet.
Both still alive but shed a lot or most their leaves, not all, no new growth other than buds.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Trees carrying air layers I treat the same as the tree normally. So I protect Japanese maples, and Satsuki azaleas from my viciously cold winters. I would protect them with or without air layers. Amur maples and Siberian elms I never protect, and if they were carrying an air layer I would not provide protection. I've left crabapples, Malus, with late summer air layers outside all winter, no problem, they rooted the following spring-summer. This is true for deciduous and conifers. In fact, conifers are far more likely to take more than one year than deciduous.

But if you normally protect a tree, then protect it. If you normally do not protect the tree then just do what you normally do.

Air layers separated after the autumnal equinox probably should get a little protection if they are marginal in your climate. If they are very hardy in your climate then don't worry about them.

 

[byrd]

Thank you. I was concerned that the juniper I air-layered was headed for failure. In my 8a yard I don't protect anything special plant wise.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I have 3 going right now with 2 that finally just started making some roots. I think another, a dogwood has failed. We are in a real drought right now and have had to start watering to keep landscape plants alive. I’m not sure the dogwood is going to survive the drought and the branch I air layered is really looking dead. On the good side 2 viburnums I air layered in May are finally making roots so I guess I will pack extra sphagnum around them and cross my fingers until spring. I guess as long as we don’t have a killer winter the roots will survive. If not they can make new ones.

 

[Japonicus]

Thank you. I was concerned that the juniper I air-layered was headed for failure. In my 8a yard I don't protect anything special plant wise.

...and I over protect just because of the Arctic Blasts that make their way this far down.
Nothing like having winds desiccate plants when the ambient temperature is < -0ºF. and no snow blanket.

 

[byrd]

Has anyone tried to spray with an anti-desiccant: I've considered it but I think it will kill ihe scion in the heat. My JM leaves shrivel after I separate it from the mother plant, I wonder if it could help.