JBP advice needed

[River's Edge]

I had too many that were extending fast and y'all told me to nip it in the buds! LOL
It's been a bit cooler than normal and a lot of rain.

I believe if you check back carefully i indicated that the longer apical bud helped with root production. At no point did i suggest removing the apical bud. That being said, i was concerned if the current apical bud was extending, that would be a clear indication that growth is progressing nicely.

 

[River's Edge]

I had too many that were extending fast and y'all told me to nip it in the buds! LOL
It's been a bit cooler than normal and a lot of rain.

Here is a picture of the same technique being used to produce roots by airlayer on JWP cultivar. Note the extended apical buds from this years growth already. Zone 8b. In each case the main apical bud was retained and one or two beside. Perhaps i am just reading your photograph incorrectly and the apical buds i see on yours are a second flush beginning already this year. That is also evident on one of my JWP.

 

[Cajunrider]

The first extension came out in February. What you saw was the second one just starting.

I believe if you check back carefully i indicated that the longer apical bud helped with root production. At no point did i suggest removing the apical bud. That being said, i was concerned if the current apical bud was extending, that would be a clear indication that growth is progressing nicely.

Here is a picture of the same technique being used to produce roots by airlayer on JWP cultivar. Note the extended apical buds from this years growth already. Zone 8b. In each case the main apical bud was retained and one or two beside. Perhaps i am just reading your photograph incorrectly and the apical buds i see on yours are a second flush beginning already this year. That is also evident on one of my JWP.

 

[River's Edge]

The first extension came out in February. What you saw was the second one just starting.

Excellent, feel much better. Can't wait to see the roots, have you checked, even a little bit, maybe a tiny peek!

 

[Cajunrider]

Excellent, feel much better. Can't wait to see the roots, have you checked, even a little bit, maybe a tiny peek!

I should have checked when you told me. Yesterday I opened them up and peeked. The roots have formed and then shriveled. I harvested the air-layers anyway. I think one will survive since it still have some viable roots. The other one not so much. At any rate the original JBP is now chopped and is healthy.

The lesson learned for me is that in my area of warm weather the air layer doesn't take very long. 2-3 months and they are ready if they take. I did a couple dozen this year. BC (3 months), Rainbow Eucalyptus (2.5 months) Citrus (2 months)

 

[River's Edge]

I should have checked when you told me. Yesterday I opened them up and peeked. The roots have formed and then shriveled. I harvested the air-layers anyway. I think one will survive since it still have some viable roots. The other one not so much. At any rate the original JBP is now chopped and is healthy.

The lesson learned for me is that in my area of warm weather the air layer doesn't take very long. 2-3 months and they are ready if they take. I did a couple dozen this year. BC (3 months), Rainbow Eucalyptus (2.5 months) Citrus (2 months)

I am surprised the JBP formed roots so quickly, must be ideal conditions and timing! One of my JWP died when the pot fell off the bench and snapped the trunk part way through! I have not opened and checked the other four for roots yet. Waiting till the end of this month.

 

[River's Edge]

I am surprised the JBP formed roots so quickly, must be ideal conditions and timing! One of my JWP died when the pot fell off the bench and snapped the trunk part way through! I have not opened and checked the other four for roots yet. Waiting till the end of this month.

Broke down and checked one of the four JWP Arakawa airlayers. Was surprised to find three callus nodes that are becoming thicker roots, White tips! No evidence of other roots.
Obviously going to be slower than i thought. Will leave till spring and keep in the greenhouse to protect from freezing this winter.

 

[Cajunrider]

Broke down and checked one of the four JWP Arakawa airlayers. Was surprised to find three callus nodes that are becoming thicker roots, White tips! No evidence of other roots.
Obviously going to be slower than i thought. Will leave till spring and keep in the greenhouse to protect from freezing this winter.

Next time I do JBP I will use a clear container to see roots. I'll wrap the container with foil and remove the foil to check. That works well with my citrus, Japanese Tulip Magnolia, and rainbow eucalyptus.

 

[Cajunrider]

I checked today. The surviving airlayer is putting out healthy roots.

 

[Cajunrider]

Fast forward to today. All others are dead or disappeared except for the air layer. It survived. When I get some time I will tend to it.

 

[R3x]

@Cajunrider / @River's Edge - a question here about airlayering JBP/JWP. How do you do it? Do you strip bark/cambium or not? Do you use wire to girdle it? Rooting hormone? What kind of branch? Older/young? Etc... Thank you.

 

[Cajunrider]

@Cajunrider / @River's Edge - a question here about airlayering JBP/JWP. How do you do it? Do you strip bark/cambium or not? Do you use wire to girdle it? Rooting hormone? What kind of branch? Older/young? Etc... Thank you.

See this timeless blog by George Muranaka.

Japanese black pine air-layers explained!

remove shoots from previous year cut top/this years growth remove needles on left side/six inches below top remove need...

muranakabonsainursery.blogspot.com

 

[River's Edge]

@Cajunrider / @River's Edge - a question here about airlayering JBP/JWP. How do you do it? Do you strip bark/cambium or not? Do you use wire to girdle it? Rooting hormone? What kind of branch? Older/young? Etc... Thank you.

First off, air layering mature pines is not something I consider a reliable approach. It has been done and can be done but in my experience the results are very inconsistent. There are several articles suggesting specific detailed approaches that have been published. I have tried several with very limited success.

The most successful approach I have encountered is explained in an article by Carl Morimoto and was published in Golden Statements, March/April 2004. This article describes in detail (11 pages) the various steps for preparation and execution of air layering JBP.
The actual approach is patterned off an original article in Bonsai Sekai from May of 1984. Technical advisor was Oishi and the accompanying illustrations by Keisuke Gun.

Please note this approach is limited to propagation of new material from young stock and based on air layering a one year old wood which is very vigorous and healthy. Typically the apical candle for a potted tree.
Due to the ease of growing black pine from seed, I would recommend this approach be used when trying to propagate specific cultivars or selecting parent trees with very desirable characteristics, such as very short needles or excellent bark characteristics.

For my own purposes I am considering this approach to propagate JWP cultivars rather than the traditional approach of grafting on base root stock. It may be useful and result on the cultivar being on its own roots. Draw back will be slower growth for some cultivars I suspect.

 

[Cajunrider]

How the surviving air layer looks today.