Is It Beneficial To Fertilize An Airlayer (With Roots) While Still On the Parent Tree

[Saddler]

I have been fertilizing my airlayer that I can see roots on. It definitely doesn’t seem to be hurting the roots, but does it help? Anyone have any experience, good or bad?

 

[coh]

I've done it, though usually I don't bother (especially if it's a layer that is wrapped in plastic). Never seemed to cause any problems. How much did it help, no idea. I would just make sure to use a relatively weak solution.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

When I investigated factors at play during the rooting of cuttings, I found that nitrogen acted as an inhibitor.
Which is quite logical; a root that finds available nutrients and water doesn't go searching for more. Energy could be spent otherwise.
However, it might help the part up top to gain more strength. Nutrients are building blocks, without them, there's not much building going on. On fuel alone (carbohydrates) it usually doesn't work out.

I think the best option is to meet in the middle: weak fertilisation only.

 

[Lorax7]

Remember that an air layer is being supplied with the water through the sapwood from the roots of the parent tree. So, if the parent tree is being fertilized then the air layer is receiving those nutrients. Anything being taken up by the new roots in the layer is minuscule in comparison to sustenance derived from the roots of the parent tree. So, it’s unlikely that it makes a difference in meeting the tree’s nutritional needs.

If it helps or hurts, the mechanism of action is most likely to be through whatever effect it may have on the levels of hormones regulating root growth. That said, I do not know what effect, if any, it has on those regulatory processes.

 

[Cypress187]

Doesn't fertilizer burn the tiny baby roots?

 

[coh]

Doesn't fertilizer burn the tiny baby roots?

Too much would...

 

[0soyoung]

Doesn't fertilizer burn the tiny baby roots?

Most adsorption of minerals (fertilizer salts) and water is done by the extended walls of single cells on the exterior of the root, just a few millimeters back from the growing root tip. Any one of these only lasts for a few days, but they are continually being made as the root tip extends. A root tip that isn't growing doesn't do much.

IOW, there is no difference between the tip of an old root that is growing or a new root that is growing. In this sense, the part of roots that do the work is always young.

 

[M. Frary]

Doesn't fertilizer burn the tiny baby roots?

If that were the case smoke would be coming out of my pots every Saturday. All trees have new baby roots.

 

[Saddler]

I have been fertilizing all my trees daily at 1/10 rec. dose. I could avoid fertilizing the airlayer but it is mildly inconvenient to do so. With what I am reading here, it isn’t good or bad. I’ll just watch and see how it goes.

 

[Saddler]

If that were the case smoke would be coming out of my pots every Saturday. All trees have new baby roots.

Now that he isn’t on the forum, maybe he will.