What went wrong?

[RichKid]

I layered my JM Sangu Kaku this spring and it was moving along just fine for almost a month if not more. Then all of a sudden i noticed the leaves weren't looking as good as the rest of the tree and underneath the layers area the bark, which is normally coral, turned brown. I scratched it and it scratches brown as well. So now the leaves are all wilted and basically dead and curling. I'm just curious as to why it didn't work. Normally it would stay alive but just heal over right? This was my first layering attempt.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

seems likle it couldnt support itself on the root system. It used all its stored energy trying to survive. Did you over fertilize? Perhaps weak roots and string fertilizer? Did you remove some foilage to lessen transpiration?

 

[Poink88]

Can you post pics?

Can you describe how you did your layer (step by step)? Provide details so we won't have to guess or make wild assumptions.

 

[jk_lewis]

And was your tree 100% healthy and growing nicely before you started the layer?

 

[Bill S]

Dry, or constantly wet medium in your layering efforts can kill off your efforts. It isn't automatic it would callous over instead of rooting.
Is it just the layered section dying off(actually sounds gone)? or all of the tree?

 

[Jason_mazzy]

is this an airlayer that was seperated or still on the tree?

 

[TheSteve]

The whole tree died? above and below the layer? did you repot it before you layered?

 

[RichKid]

Sorry everyone for the late response had a busy week. The tree was not in a pot it is in the ground. Only the layer died, actually it seems like the rest of the tree responded favorably with a burst of new growth below the dead layer where it had actually been a bare trunk. I did the layer as normal. Cut down to the xylem added rooting hormone and wrapped in sphagnum. It did well for about a month then it just declined. And now sadly it is completely dead. I think Beng had posted one time something how sometimes the xylem get clogged and can no longer transport moisture n nutrients up. I'm thinking maybe this is the cause. I did not remove any foliage to reduce transpiration because I was under the impression you want as much foliage as possible to push the new roots. I haven't taken any pics. Yet.

 

[RichKid]

On a positive note though, a crape myrtle I thought was dead but decided not to throw out just began to leaf out out of nowhere. I guess u win some and lose some.

 

[Nybonsai12]

My guess would be maybe you cut too deep when removing the bark for the layer. especially if it was shooting out growth beneath the layer.

 

[RichKid]

NY I was wondering that too but I was instructed to cut down to the wood which I did. It was a beautiful top too. Would've def made a grade A bonsai eventually.

 

[Poink88]

NY I was wondering that too but I was instructed to cut down to the wood which I did.

And you have to do that to reach the cambium (very thin layer). The secret is not destroying the xylem. I now just go that deep and scrape it (cambium) lightly then wipe with alcohol to kill the remaining cambium.

Good luck with the next one.

 

[RichKid]

I wish I would've tried my first one on something less beautiful. Patience is key.

 

[0soyoung]

The tree was not in a pot it is in the ground. Only the layer died, actually it seems like the rest of the tree responded favorably with a burst of new growth below the dead layer where it had actually been a bare trunk. I did the layer as normal. Cut down to the xylem added rooting hormone and wrapped in sphagnum. It did well for about a month then it just declined. And now sadly it is completely dead. I think Beng had posted one time something how sometimes the xylem get clogged and can no longer transport moisture n nutrients up. I'm thinking maybe this is the cause. I did not remove any foliage to reduce transpiration because I was under the impression you want as much foliage as possible to push the new roots. I haven't taken any pics. Yet.

I don't think you did anything incorrectly. This happens sometimes and I am still searching for an answer as to why it happens. I've done dozens of JM air-layers without issue, but I have had this very thing occur a few times. I've ruled out its being caused by a bacterial or fungal infection primarily because every layer I have attempted on one tree (a Higasayama) over the last 4 years has met this end.

Exactly as you describe, the layer is doing great and then suddenly the leaves are going brown progressively from the girdle up. The cambium below the girdle has died, causing the bark to turn brown/black, as shown in the attached annotated photo. I've sectioned the wood just above the girdle and noted a stain that refelects clogged xylem, just as Beng indicated, and which must be a consequence of the cambial death.



Also note in the second photo (the section is on the backside of the twig as shown in the first photo and rotated 90 degrees) how the cambium continued to live below the node closest to the girdle where there was a continual supply of photosynthates, auxin, and __ . I think this is the standard pruning reaction. Cut the branch (we only girdled it) and it somehow 'knows' to clog up the xylem. Quite often in JMs the pruned end dies back to the nearest node below exactly as seen here. Yet despite this we all know that air-layers can generally be made without this dieback happening. So, how does the tree know (so to speak)?

The features shown in the photograph of the section make me think that a continuing basipedal flow of auxin might be essential. This would mean applying auxin below the girdle could prevent this sad event. It could also be something else like striolactone or maybe it really is due to a microbe.

 

[Poink88]

It looks like the tree decided to detour all the resources to the lower healthy branch instead of continually supporting the layer. Smart choice actually LOL.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

I'm curious if using a steel band and girdling it would work better?