Radialayer™ a season saver.

[bonsairxmd]

Yes. I just used the tm symbol for kicks. Now, after a phone update. That's over! My licencing ran out lol!

It is Oatey plumbers putty. Mold resistant qualities. I've used it for cut paste.

No roots yet.

Anthony. I actually put one tiny cutting in a bonsai pot,(6in round 1in deep) ficus Ben, and I am amazed at the thickening of the base and lower trunk.

Nothing like it in deeper pots.

Sorce

So the roots push through that plumbers putty or only form below it? No rooting hormone used?

Thanks

 

[sorce]

That's how you do it! The next year you will be patting this year's you on the back!
Next year's you should shorten them by another half of what this year's you left.

Try that 5 times fast!

If those roots were as healthy as yours, next year's me wouldn't have to pull last year's me's foot out of his ass!

I hope to get good healthy ram this year to do just that!

Thanks

Sorce

 

[sorce]

So the roots push through that plumbers putty or only form below it? No rooting hormone used?

Thanks

The putty only holds up the disc and the container. It actually serves as a bit more of a barrier from downward growth, although they could grow through it I reckon, they haven't yet.

On the ground layered elm, no putty was used.

I sniff a line of root powder while I do this, but that's all I've found it necessary for, and even that, everyone tells me, is quite unnecessary.

Sorce

 

[bonsairxmd]

I sniff a line of root powder while I do this, but that's all I've found it necessary for, and even that, everyone tells me, is quite unnecessary.

Sorce

Nice. At least I know why my trident layer failed last year and my nasal septum is still intact. Lol.

 

[Smoke]

If you were really to snort that stuff you would probably have cancer within a month. Highly carcinogenic stuff. Shouldn't even get it on your hands.

 

[sorce]

If you were really to snort that stuff you would probably have cancer within a month. Highly carcinogenic stuff. Shouldn't even get it on your hands.

Damn.

I'm throwing it out!

Sorce

 

[erb.75]

going to try this next weekend on some elms...wish me luck! great idea!

 

[erb.75]

here's a question i've never found an answer for...what is the advantage of doing air layers vs hardwood cuttings? Do any nutrients go through the wood that's not hacked off on an air layer?

 

[erb.75]

and also, what is your cutoff dates for doing air layers? post frosty period to mid summer?

 

[sorce]

No luck. Skill!

Here's the last one.
A pomegranate. Removed fall.
On a seedling twig for S&G.


It's kind of one sided. You can make out the white wire around the twig.
Again fully dead so it fell off, real easy. I snipped the roots back to the disk rim.

And left the disk on this one, buried it like so.


It sat so small and flat it fit in this 3in terra cotta saucer.

This one is kind of lame.
But overall. I'm satisfied with these results and can't wait, "Till the leaves harden!"

Don't put that ketchup on a hot dog ya feel me!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

here's a question i've never found an answer for...what is the advantage of doing air layers vs hardwood cuttings? Do any nutrients go through the wood that's not hacked off on an air layer?

I'm all for an airlayer. A drive by cutting may be worth taking, but a good a\l gets a good root start. Almost always.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

and also, what is your cutoff dates for doing air layers? post frosty period to mid summer?

I'll never leave another elm (or anything) in moss over winter. I'm bout to do mine in a month or 2 and off them 2-4 weeks later. Maybe more. I will post em.

Post yours too! Its good to have the start and end dates saved!

Sorce

 

[erb.75]

that's a good idea

how do you know how deep to make your cuts? I know there's the outer bark, then you cut away the next layer that's green, and the harder layer under that you keep right?

 

[erb.75]

good God, b-nut is awesome...honestly it is at least as helpful as the local bonsai club...and the most I read/post the more it tips the scales in favor of this website

 

[erb.75]

makes me not understand that guy who was all like "i want my profile removed from the website...wah wah wah"

 

[sorce]

that's a good idea

how do you know how deep to make your cuts? I know there's the outer bark, then you cut away the next layer that's green, and the harder layer under that you keep right?

I saw a dude whittle down to a cartoon Apple core )( . Some folk use alcohol to kill the remaining cambium.

I cut into it good. Both top and bottom. And scrape the bark DOWN. So as to keep the top edge real defined. When it's not slimy, you went far enough.

Just remember to chop your Sphagnum fine, so a rinse can get it off. And prethink a peekhole, so when you get curious, you don't have to rewrap the whole thing!

Sorce

 

[erb.75]

OK...here's my radialayers...i did one elm with the traditional air layer method with moss+foil, and then two "radialayers"...I used plastic ham containers and just transferred the ham to a plastic zip bag...wonder if my wife will notice...

I cut the lids so that they fit inside the ham container. The lids aren't SUPER flush with the tree, but as long as the moss is on top it and it has more room to grow that way, I should get SOME if not MOST of the roots going that direction...The bottom layer was a mix of horticultural vermiculite, high quality inorganic bonsai soil mix, and sphagnum moss. I drilled a hole in the bottom of both containers since they are not perfectly level (the part that points downward is the part that water would pool in the container, so I just gave it a little way out. I am actually happy that the containers aren't level, I'm trying to not only get radial roots, but position the tree to be SLANTED + get radial roots. If sorce does this to get what he wants faster, I figured I might as well do this to get what I want faster too. Bendy twisty trunks make erb a happy bonsai master

without further delay, here are the pics. great idea sorce...i'll post updates in about a month

 

[erb.75]

before pics....that straight middle trunk/branch on my yatsubusa was competing for the focal point and was distracting...has to go....into another bonsai pot!

 

[erb.75]

scraping away to air layer...I don't think I cut too deep on any of my trees...at least not all the way around. i can smell the ham still...ham hands ham hands!

 

[erb.75]

used the duck tape that fell in the washer...still good!