Failed Air Layers- Help

Lazylightningny

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Attached is a photo of 5 air layers I attempted this spring, May 5. It was done after the leaves hardened off. I removed a ring of approximately 1" on the larger limbs, and 1/2" on the smaller ones. I was careful about removing all the cambium, and dusted with rooting hormone. I packed it with moist sphagnum moss, and sealed the top and bottom with electrical tape. Punched a few holes in the bottom for drainage. When I removed the plastic, the moss was wet, not moist in all cases. As you can see, there was no rooting, just bark growth growing over the wounds.

From left to right are: japanese maple, 2 wild cherries, and 2 cherries. The 2 smaller limbs are approximately 1/2" in diameter.

Any ideas what went wrong?
 

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florida_bonsai

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I might be wrong, but i remember reading another thread on here where an air layer had failed and according to the discussion that followed they hadn't removed a large enough section of bark/cambium so the bark attempted to reconnect, similarly to what happened with your air layers.

You might have to remove a slightly larger section, possibly up to 2", in order to prevent the bark covering the air layer?

They also discussed a root hormone paste? Maybe u can mix a little water with the powder to create a thick paste? I'm just spit balling here and am probably totally off base, hope I was somewhat helpful.
 

Eric Group

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Attached is a photo of 5 air layers I attempted this spring, May 5. It was done after the leaves hardened off. I removed a ring of approximately 1" on the larger limbs, and 1/2" on the smaller ones. I was careful about removing all the cambium, and dusted with rooting hormone. I packed it with moist sphagnum moss, and sealed the top and bottom with electrical tape. Punched a few holes in the bottom for drainage. When I removed the plastic, the moss was wet, not moist in all cases. As you can see, there was no rooting, just bark growth growing over the wounds.

From left to right are: japanese maple, 2 wild cherries, and 2 cherries. The 2 smaller limbs are approximately 1/2" in diameter.

Any ideas what went wrong?

Looks like you didn't make your ring wide enough. It needs to be about an inch or more wider to make sure it won't heal over. You also have to ensure you get all of the green and light green layer under the bark removed. Looks like yours just healed over which means you didn't accomplish one or both of the above things.

You can also tie a wire tightly around it just below where you want the roots to pop, thic can help accomplish the same thing. Tie it really tight, and use a decent sized piece of wire so it won't just heal over the wire also.
 

Dav4

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Definitely need to remove a larger section of bark. Also, when I do my air layers, after I've removed my bark ring, I take a knob cutter and actually bite into the wood a bit, which essentially assures that all the cambium is gone. In this instance, I scraped the cambium with a knife because the material was only about an inch in diameter. This layer was done on an A. p. 'Shishigashira' and was separated in 8 weeks this past spring.

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coh

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Agree with the suggestions that you didn't make the ring wide enough, especially on the two on the left. When I do layers, after I remove the bark I scrape the green off, then wipe the area with alcohol...which supposedly kills any remaining cambium cells.

Even with that, some layers just don't work. I was describing on another forum (BSG) how I had placed 4 separate layers on chinese quince last summer. One each on two potted plants and two on a plant in the ground. I did all the same day, same method. The two layers on the potted trees rooted quickly, were separated, and are growing well this summer. The two layers on the tree in the ground produced huge amounts of callous tissue but never rooted. This summer I placed 2 new layers on that tree and the same thing is happening...lots of callous but not roots (and the cut is wide enough that bridging has not occurred). The same day I put a layer on a potted maple and it is rooting well.

Overall, I've had a much higher success rate (nearly 100%) with layers on potted trees compared to those in the ground. Some of that has to do with species but even with the chinese quince I couldn't get the yard tree to layer. Anyone else noticed this or am I unique?

Chris
 

Dav4

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Agree with the suggestions that you didn't make the ring wide enough, especially on the two on the left. When I do layers, after I remove the bark I scrape the green off, then wipe the area with alcohol...which supposedly kills any remaining cambium cells.

Even with that, some layers just don't work. I was describing on another forum (BSG) how I had placed 4 separate layers on chinese quince last summer. One each on two potted plants and two on a plant in the ground. I did all the same day, same method. The two layers on the potted trees rooted quickly, were separated, and are growing well this summer. The two layers on the tree in the ground produced huge amounts of callous tissue but never rooted. This summer I placed 2 new layers on that tree and the same thing is happening...lots of callous but not roots (and the cut is wide enough that bridging has not occurred). The same day I put a layer on a potted maple and it is rooting well.

Overall, I've had a much higher success rate (nearly 100%) with layers on potted trees compared to those in the ground. Some of that has to do with species but even with the chinese quince I couldn't get the yard tree to layer. Anyone else noticed this or am I unique?

Chris

Chris, I'm guessing but suspect this has to do with overall vigor of the given tree, or species. From a physiologic standpoint, it makes sense for the branch to try to bridge the gap and re-establish itself with the parent tree...forming roots is secondary. A tree in the ground will be a stronger grower then one that's potted, and can invest more energy in creating bridging callus tissue. The only tree I've successfully layered in the ground was a Japanese maple. Along these lines, I've never had success layering a trident, potted or not. They seem too vigorous and just bridge the bark ring. I know many people have layered tridents, but also know of many who have tried and failed.
 

iant

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I've heard prunus are hard to air layer. The maple, however, should work.
Ian
 

coh

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Chris, I'm guessing but suspect this has to do with overall vigor of the given tree, or species. From a physiologic standpoint, it makes sense for the branch to try to bridge the gap and re-establish itself with the parent tree...forming roots is secondary. A tree in the ground will be a stronger grower then one that's potted, and can invest more energy in creating bridging callus tissue. The only tree I've successfully layered in the ground was a Japanese maple. Along these lines, I've never had success layering a trident, potted or not. They seem too vigorous and just bridge the bark ring. I know many people have layered tridents, but also know of many who have tried and failed.
That was almost exactly what I posted as my theory over on BSG, and I asked if anyone had any thoughts or similar experiences. Not a single response. Glad to hear that someone else has seen evidence of this as well.

Chris
 

coh

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Does the diameter of the branch have anything to do with it? Two of the branches were pretty thick.
How thick?

Were these potted trees, or trees in the ground? I assume the wild cherries at least were in the ground, what about the others?

Chris
 

sorce

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You couldve left them on till spring and tried again.

Lop city!

Cut deeper too.

Sorce
 

Bonsai Nut

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You need to make the rings wider. Another trick of the trade I have heard is to brush the bare wood with rubbing alcohol to kill any leftover plant cells.
 

rollwithak

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Agree with the suggestions that you didn't make the ring wide enough, especially on the two on the left. When I do layers, after I remove the bark I scrape the green off, then wipe the area with alcohol...which supposedly kills any remaining cambium cells.

Even with that, some layers just don't work. I was describing on another forum (BSG) how I had placed 4 separate layers on chinese quince last summer. One each on two potted plants and two on a plant in the ground. I did all the same day, same method. The two layers on the potted trees rooted quickly, were separated, and are growing well this summer. The two layers on the tree in the ground produced huge amounts of callous tissue but never rooted. This summer I placed 2 new layers on that tree and the same thing is happening...lots of callous but not roots (and the cut is wide enough that bridging has not occurred). The same day I put a layer on a potted maple and it is rooting well.

Overall, I've had a much higher success rate (nearly 100%) with layers on potted trees compared to those in the ground. Some of that has to do with species but even with the chinese quince I couldn't get the yard tree to layer. Anyone else noticed this or am I unique?

Chris
Chris, did your calloused material look anything like this? Thought this one would take, but this is all I got. It’s in a big 15 gallon pot.
 

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leatherback

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Chris, did your calloused material look anything like this? Thought this one would take, but this is all I got. It’s in a big 15 gallon pot.
You can see the pictures above. They did not look anything like this. Yours have not grown over.
 

coh

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Chris, did your calloused material look anything like this? Thought this one would take, but this is all I got. It’s in a big 15 gallon pot.

I have seen layers that look like that! Usually they will eventually root but it can take a couple of seasons.

I've been working on a ground layer attempt on a viridis Japanese maple for several years. It produces a lot of callus (not as much as your photos, but similar in appearance) but just won't produce roots. Each spring I've recut the layer below the callus figuring I must have missed some cambium, even though I haven't seen strong visual evidence of bridging. It must somehow be getting "food" to the roots because the main root system is still alive and well. Anyway, on that one I've finally resorted to root grafts. Hopefully I can remove the old root system in a year or two and then the callus will start throwing new roots.

BTW, what type of tree is that?
 
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