Nana air layer without cutting bark

Housguy · Feb 2, 2022

I know the most common way of air layering is to girdle the branch, put growth hormone and bag to keep moist until you have root growth. I know this is not new when it comes to junipers, but I thought I would share one of my nana air layers where I just place a container of soil over the bumps of the branch I want to air layer and treat it just like any other potted tree, water and wait to see what happens. Those bumps on the branch will grow roots if they are buried or potential branches if not buried. This particular nana air layer took around two months to start growing roots, I cut it off on the third month and now letting it grow in the container for a little bit before I put it in a nursery can.

19Mateo83 · Feb 2, 2022

Housguy said:
I know the most common way of air layering is to girdle the branch, put growth hormone and bag to keep moist until you have root growth. I know this is not new when it comes to junipers, but I thought I would share one of my nana air layers where I just place a container of soil over the bumps of the branch I want to air layer and treat it just like any other potted tree, water and wait to see what happens. Those bumps on the branch will grow roots if they are buried or potential branches if not buried. This particular nana air layer took around two months to start growing roots, I cut it off on the third month and now letting it grow in the container for a little bit before I put it in a nursery can.

I learned something new today. I didn’t even think to try without girdling.

Crazy Diamond · Feb 2, 2022

Many junipers can root without ring, if you look close in the trunk they have tiny bumps those are primordial buds that can form roots, its common in nursery junipers to send aerial roots

Bonsai Nut · Feb 2, 2022

Nevermind this post... I didn't realize the image was after you already separated the simple/ground layer.

The entire point of girdling the branch is to trigger a hormone imbalance at the girdle which will trigger root generation. Some trees might root without it. The other obvious reason to create a girdle is that you control the point at which the new roots will grow - hopefully all around the trunk. I'd be concerned that I would bend a branch down, stake it in the ground, and then wait some indeterminate period of time to check to see whether any roots have sprouted... just to find that there are several roots scattered down the side of the trunk.

However... that's the way they do it when people are seeking to create a raft, because it is how rafts are created in the wild.