Successful(?) Coast Live Oak Air Layer

[JJshives]

So I started an air layer on a coast live oak in my yard about a year and a half ago and recently separated it. My only previous attempt at an air layer was with a ficus and apparently they are one of the easiest/fastest so thats not saying much. I didn't find much info about successful layers on this species, quercus agrifolia, prior to starting it, so I just went with a basic approach. I had difficulties with ants, consistent moisture, and then there was the amount of time it took to get roots. The first year was nothing but callous. I re-scraped the cambium in late January this year and then we finally had a couple good rain storms and all the local oak trees exploded with growth. We have been in a drought so I think this had something to do with the amount of new foliage produced and in turn the roots produced from the air layer. The pictures show root growth over a 2 month period.



Based on observations from this one, I wonder if I had started a fresh air layer in January when I re-scraped if it would have still produced roots or if the callous, which was substantial, was necessary for the root production? The trees of this species around me seem to grow intermittently all year but put on the most growth in spring.

Also, when I chose a spot to start the air layer I chose an area with decent taper and branching. A lot of the taper was lost as the tree grew, unfortunately. So, was this the result of the time required to successfully air layer this species? Or does this happen to a certain extent with any air layer?

The roots and medium were like concrete when I separated so I soaked the roots in a bucket with some Superthrive as I have with other successfully collected coast live oaks. After that, I removed the rest of the old trunk up to the callous as best I could and planted it in a shallow nursery pot. Hopefully it makes it, but so far so good.

 

[justBonsai]

Nice work. I've read that oaks do not generally air layer well but if you're to air layer one, agrifolia is the one most likely to take. If I had an oak tree in my yard, I'd attempt air layers all the time. Oaks are among my most favorite of trees.

 

[milehigh_7]

So I started an air layer on a coast live oak in my yard about a year and a half ago and recently separated it.

Awesome sauce! Please keep us up to date and keep notes so that the collective knowledge can improve on this.

 

[sorce]

Awesome sauce!

Hey, I only know one other person that says that!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Hey, I only know one other person that says that!

Sorce

Your twin sister?

 

[sorce]

Your twin sister?

Sorce

 

[milehigh_7]

You guys sound very pleasant.

 

[M. Frary]

Sorce

I knew you'd get it!

 

[JJshives]

Awesome sauce! Please keep us up to date and keep notes so that the collective knowledge can improve on this.

I had more pics and notes including dates but got a new phone and computer over that time. I may have the pics and data on the old computer but the battery is dead. To be honest I had given up on this layer more than once. It wasn't until I saw the callousing in late January that I thought it had a chance. There was basically a whole colony of ants in the pot the whole time. Maybe they helped with heat and moisture. I have no way to know though. They would come pouring out when I watered it. Its just a waiting game now to see if it survives after separation.

 

[JJshives]

I think this one can be considered a success at least in terms of survival. Whether it has potential as a bonsai is still to be determined. After only about half of the layer pushed any growth in April/May, the rest came alive with the second flush of growth that all the other oaks are showing now too. I had removed the old dead twigs/branches and its pushing growth from those points as well as a few others.

 

[JJshives]

I need to trim back the branches that I left on originally because they had the only remaining leaves and I was being cautious. I think I'll wait until next year before the spring growth to do that however.