Mature Elm Air Layering

[j evans]

I purchased a bag of Perlite last year and was all set to go air layering. Well as we all do I didn't get around to it. This spring I have located several older elms that I have permission to do air layering on. Reading quote a few of these posts I still have a few questions. Using these elms I am wanting not only to get decent trunk stock but some of the great older bark. This will entail using the part of the trees that are 2.5 to say 4" in diameter. I was going to use the perlite, plastic wrap then cover it all with aluminum foil. Are there holes in these materials? I don't have any moss but I already have the perlite. Some of these branches are horizontal instead of vertical, is this a problem? Also, I know that the air layering needs to be watered and it depends on the weather etc., how often, can you overwater? Does the use of rooting hormone help? I appreciate your input and most likely will have more questions. Thanks. Jamie

 

[j evans]

Not a peep?

 

[Eric Group]

I purchased a bag of Perlite last year and was all set to go air layering. Well as we all do I didn't get around to it. This spring I have located several older elms that I have permission to do air layering on. Reading quote a few of these posts I still have a few questions. Using these elms I am wanting not only to get decent trunk stock but some of the great older bark. This will entail using the part of the trees that are 2.5 to say 4" in diameter. I was going to use the perlite, plastic wrap then cover it all with aluminum foil. Are there holes in these materials? I don't have any moss but I already have the perlite. Some of these branches are horizontal instead of vertical, is this a problem? Also, I know that the air layering needs to be watered and it depends on the weather etc., how often, can you overwater? Does the use of rooting hormone help? I appreciate your input and most likely will have more questions. Thanks. Jamie

Older bark is harder to get to root sometimes, especially on "corky" specimens... probably not impossible, but younger growth is certainly easier. Might as well go big and see what you can get!

Using perlite for layers is best done with a plastic pot- cut all the way down one side, hollow out the bottom, fit around the branch, use electrical tape or something to seal the side back up, then fill it with perlite, and water regularly. Once or twice a day if able.. you real,y can't over water straight perlite when trying to root something!

I'm sure rooting hormone doesn't hurt, but I cannot verify it as 100% necessary either.

If horizontal, cut a hole on opposite sides of the pot, slip up both sides from the top of the hole to the rim if the pot and slide it up onto the site you want roots from the bottom... make it deep enough then or you will only get roots on one side, and typically that has been the general result for me when doing these irregardless of how Zillow do it... easier to do a vertical growing branch in my experience..

Ring the bark AND use wire wrapped very tight around where you cut the bark for an extra reassurance it won't grow over. I have been doing this a long time, and still on a vigorous growing tree, they can bridge a layer pretty easy, no matter how well you remove the living tissue! * Contrary to what you may read and hear... better to go a little extra deep than not deep enough, especially on larger branches... Again, contrary to what others may tell you... shouldn't hurt the tree at all. Don't whittle it down to a tooth pick or anything extreme, but remove enough to stop the flow of nutrients back down the branch.

 

[Stan Kengai]

Just my 2 cents. If you can't water the layers every day. You have to use damp sphagnum moss in plastic. Yes, poke holes in the bottom of the plastic. Graham Potter has a good demonstration video using this method on YouTube.

Concerning the orientation of the layered branch, I have found the vertical branches/trunks are much more successful than horizontal. The more vigorous the branch, the more likely success when layering. When I fist attempted layering, I tried using horizontal branches and only had 1 successful attempt. After I was told the above advice, I have only had 1 or 2 failures.

 

[j evans]

Thanks for the help. I am going to try several so hopefully I'll get one or two to take. Thanks again. Jamie

 

[BrianBay9]

I've layered elms many times, using chinese elm, winged elm, cedar elm and American elm. Horizontal branches layer just fine, they're just harder to get set up right and keep moist - hard to water sideways. They root very easily using sphagnum moss, perlite or regular bonsai soil. I always use rooting hormone but I suspect it's not necessary. It's tough if you can't check the layer every day though. My failures tend to be just those situations. Eventually I let them dry out and it's all for naught.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Elms are easy to layer - I normally can separate them in 30 days. Rooting hormone is not needed, but doesn't hurt as long as you use a low level . Too much is worse than none at all.

When you create your reservoir for your rooting material around the airlayer, you have to have a small hole in the top to allow you to water, and a small hole in the bottom to allow water to drain. You do NOT want standing water. For horizontal branches, simply wrap the entire air-layer in plastic and foil, and then once everything is secure, cut a small hole in top and cut a couple holes underneath.

 

[j evans]

Now all that is left is to get off my button and give it a go. Thanks for the help. Jamie

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Where is delete?

Where is you been?
Ability to delete a post

 

[j evans]

If you root a branch that doesn't have any nearby foliage do you go ahead and do a chop when removing the rooted section from the tree? Thanks

 

[cmeg1]

I believe it is good to definately shorten your newly created tree to make sure the new roots can support the foliage,do not want tons of top growth an very little roots.

 

[cmeg1]

Depends which species too,yes after I imediately chopped these zelkova after layering,they responded with budd and made the tree below.
While I did try to retaine a couple shoots,I ended up using new bud growth from the bases of the shoot and removing the shoots. If a good solid abrupt chop,you 'd think it would bud.Worth a try.

This picture of the three layers is what I retained immediately after layer removal,but instead chose to retain new bud pop from the abrupt chop.
All the leaf shoots in the photo you see were removed in favor of new adventious bud growth,so yea,maybe your idea will work if a good abrupt chop of alot of leader growth.

 

[j evans]

OK, I went out and gave it a go this afternoon. Planned on doing 5 but due to the rain only got two done. Took longer than I thought. Here are some photos:


Two problems I see after I am done, I packed the Moss in but the is nothing to hold a lot of pressure on the Moss. It could loosen some. Secondly, using a pot I have no way to see if the roots are growing so I am assuming that I need to anticipate at least a month to 6 weeks Before I can peek. I am figuring on watering every 2 to 3 days. Any comments? Thanks

 

[M. Frary]

I packed the Moss in but the is nothing to hold a lot of pressure on the Moss. It could loosen some

Crank the bucket down with twine or duct tape. Just reef it right down.
I did a layer on one last year and had copious roots in around 6 weeks. It was a trunk if that makes any difference.

 

[j evans]

How often did you water? I'm thinking every 2 to 3 days. Thanks for the help. Jamie

 

[CWTurner]

Took longer than I thought.

Yeah, I like the results, but creating the root ball/medium is a pain. Try it on a firethorn sometime.
CW

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You only need to water to keep the media moist. That is all. The media provides no other benefit other than keeping the new roots from drying out. The upper portion of your air-layer is still receiving all of its water and nutrients via the sapwood of the parent tree.

 

[j evans]

That is as you know the problem, I can't tell. Don't want to over water plus don't want to dry out. Someone said every day but that seems like way too much. Guess I taped them up a bit too tight.

 

[j evans]

It is a week tomorrow. I have watered every three days. Pretty sure that that have retained good moisture. Having a hard time waiting but I am figuring a total of 6 weeks before I unwrap on. Has anyone tried using a weak B-1 or a starter fertilizer mix in the water? Thought maybe using this after a couple of weeks may help any roots struggling to get going. Thoughts? Thanks

Jamie

 

[Bonsai Nut]

If you want to fertilize, fertilize the parent tree. Don't fertilize the roots in the air-layer - you never want to use fertilizer on young roots. The way you get airlayer roots to grow faster is by having as massive a foliage mass above the air-layer as possible.