Waste of time?

[luvinthemountains]

I have a bad habit of preserving my moments of stupidity on the internet for all to see. I also have a bad habit of impulsively trying horticultural methods based on memories of something I read years ago. So with that intro...



Looking at a low-hanging branch on my Mulberry tree that really needs to go, I thought, "bet I could airlayer that!" It is about 4" thick and maybe 10' long above the airlayer. Since it is nearly horizontal, I stuck it through the side of a nursery pot after girdling, then filled the pot with 50/50 potting soil and Perlite mix, soaked in rooting solution. Then I covered the top with tinfoil, and have been thoroughly watering every couple of days.

Do I have even the slightest chance of this working? If so, what timeframe should I expect? This was started at the end of June. What about if I have to leave for a few days? Will the mix I chose spell death to any roots that might be forming?

Please tell me this was actually brilliant...

 

[AZbonsai]

Should work. How long is a few days? You could wrap the whole thing in foil until you get back. As far as time it just depends. You can unpack it a bit and check the progress periodically. Going to be hard finding a horizontal bonsai pot.

 

[luvinthemountains]

Going to be hard finding a horizontal bonsai pot.

Maybe...

Above the layer site, there is a hard curve and a conveniently placed sub-branch. I was looking at it this morning and thinking when I remove the layer, I could just cut back to the sub-branch, turn it upright, and hope that new growth re-orients itself to the new "trunk".

 

[AZbonsai]

Should be fine. I like your air layer set up. I use a plastic water bottle cut in half.

 

[Rjoyce]

I have done something similar and although it worked there was an issue of roots only growing from the underside so that there was not an even distribution of roots. Check out my thread on it here.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I have done something similar and although it worked there was an issue of roots only growing from the underside so that there was not an even distribution of roots. Check out my thread on it here.

Really useful. Also, I am jealous. I sure would like to add a crabapple to my collection!

 

[Rjoyce]

I've got about 20 crabapple air layers going right now, of you are willing to wait until next year.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Being fearless is an important component of a successful bonsaiist, and everything else. Pursue your dream. Push that envelope. Learn from mistakes. Never stop trying or learning. You will have your successes, and your failures will disappear into the past.

 

[leatherback]

Looks like a proper setup to me.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I removed the layer about a month ago. In the process of cutting it off (reminder to self - sawzall is not the right tool for this procedure), I lost a large chunk of roots. But with daily watering and a lot of leaf drop, it seems to be recovering. I think it might make a decent cascade style tree someday.

Sorry for the terrible photo.

 

[luvinthemountains]

Last year's horizontal air layer was "successful" to a point. Look at this monster, starting to bud out. Ugly as sin, I don't know if it will ever be anything more than something to play around with. Maybe some practice with the die grinder?

 

[luvinthemountains]

Still ugly as sin. The warm weather has buds about to pop - they just need to wait out the potential freeze tomorrow night!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Yep, ugly, but cool. When you have time take a Dremel or other grinding tool to that big flat cut scar, it can become a nice feature as a hollow, or something.

 

[BobbyLane]

Nice material, you can send it across the pond of you dont like it!