Jetson1950
Yamadori
So here is the back story. On my trip to Texas last month, I knew I wanted to get down to a big tree farm in Marble Falls, Texas because I saw that they kept a stock of Japanese Maples. If true, I knew those trees would be acclimated to south Texas climate heat which is close to mine here in Florida. Well the flood waters receded and I was able to get down there. I found this beauty and the owner was practically giving it away. I couldn’t resist. Its 4’ tall with a good graft and I suspect at least 5-7 years old. The owner got it from a tree farm in Washington state, but he has had it here in Texas for three years. He wanted to move it now. Tree looks extremely healthy with very short internodes all the way up.
So here is the problem. Yes, Texas summer heat and humidity are very close to central Florida, but our winters are drastically different. Texas gets extremely cold weather, snow and temperatures below freezing for months but here in central Florida we might get two days below 32 degrees. I keep lots of Japanese maples, but have to play Mother Nature for them in the winter. They won’t get good winter chill time here so I provide it by refrigeration from Dec thru Feb. Works great and they grow like weeds when I bring them out in March. Unfortunately this guy won’t fit in my refrigerator as is, so I need to do some air layers now so that I can dissect it into four trees by December. Most of the short small branched I will start rooting as cuttings.
So here is the plan on what I want to do.
First two pictures are just reference of entire tree front and back. The locations of the air layer will be at areas that are 3/8” to 5/8” diameter.
On this picture, the red lines show the air layer area for the tall left side of the tree. There will be another air layer higher on that main trunk. The blue line shows trimming out the left main trunk so the thick branch to the right will become the new trunk. Trying to incorporate the turn on that branch.
Remove this branch where the main trunk and big branch Y’ed to prevent bulging there. I’ll make cuttings of this branch.
This will be the air layer on the new trunk. Later I will remove most of the branching above and make cuttings from them.
This is the second air layer on the original main trunk.
I know this is a lot, but I know from experience if I don’t give these things the dormant chill time here, they won’t make it past 2-3 years. It’s no problem just saving the trunk and roots, but I want to save the entire tree. I’ve actually already started 10 cuttings from the upper branches.
I would be doing three air layers at one time. Two on the same trunk. Do you think that’s too much stress on the tree.
Do my choices on where to air layer and new trunk choice look good?
Last question. How many people think I’m absolutely crazy?
Any comments and advice is greatly appreciated.
So here is the problem. Yes, Texas summer heat and humidity are very close to central Florida, but our winters are drastically different. Texas gets extremely cold weather, snow and temperatures below freezing for months but here in central Florida we might get two days below 32 degrees. I keep lots of Japanese maples, but have to play Mother Nature for them in the winter. They won’t get good winter chill time here so I provide it by refrigeration from Dec thru Feb. Works great and they grow like weeds when I bring them out in March. Unfortunately this guy won’t fit in my refrigerator as is, so I need to do some air layers now so that I can dissect it into four trees by December. Most of the short small branched I will start rooting as cuttings.
So here is the plan on what I want to do.
First two pictures are just reference of entire tree front and back. The locations of the air layer will be at areas that are 3/8” to 5/8” diameter.
On this picture, the red lines show the air layer area for the tall left side of the tree. There will be another air layer higher on that main trunk. The blue line shows trimming out the left main trunk so the thick branch to the right will become the new trunk. Trying to incorporate the turn on that branch.
Remove this branch where the main trunk and big branch Y’ed to prevent bulging there. I’ll make cuttings of this branch.
This will be the air layer on the new trunk. Later I will remove most of the branching above and make cuttings from them.
This is the second air layer on the original main trunk.
I know this is a lot, but I know from experience if I don’t give these things the dormant chill time here, they won’t make it past 2-3 years. It’s no problem just saving the trunk and roots, but I want to save the entire tree. I’ve actually already started 10 cuttings from the upper branches.
I would be doing three air layers at one time. Two on the same trunk. Do you think that’s too much stress on the tree.
Do my choices on where to air layer and new trunk choice look good?
Last question. How many people think I’m absolutely crazy?
Any comments and advice is greatly appreciated.
