Air Layering - Location of root formation

Hi guys,
I have been doing air layering on Japanese maples for the last few years.

I am always looking for extra information to help with success.

After watching and reading, I notice a lot of people applying rooting hormone to the actual ring cut. My assumption was that the callus forms actually at the top of the ring not on the actually cambium cleared part. And with that I thought that would be where the roots would form from the callus area or even above. Basically the sugars are coming down and stopped an the top of the ring.

So I am confused when I see people applying hormone or actually wrapping just the wounded are not the top of the wounded area.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Your understanding is correct. There are mixed opinions on whether rooting hormone actually helps anyway, even when applied to the correct area.

Thanks for the reply.
I was really wondering more for where to center my moss wrap. I have been focusing on the top part of the one to be the center of my wrap. Such that the moss is in contact from the top of the wound to an inch or so above. Not focusing on getting the wrap to cover the wound itself. Of course the wrap does cover some of it, but if I can see some of the wound below the wrap I don't really care. Was starting to wonder when I see people focusing there hormone/wrap on the wounded part.

I just found another post on here where someone linked a French bonsai site tutorial on air layering. It has awesome diagrams of the tree piping/flow system and what happened when you wound it, and where the roots form. It shows what we were thinking, basically they arise from the very top wound.
It also has some nice diagrams showing what happens when you don't cut deep enough (sap continues to flow down and no roots) or to deep (no water flows up and the branch dies)
http://www.espritsdegoshin.fr/bonsai-pratique/cours-pratiques-de-bonsai/53-marcotte.html


And yes, the last time I did them I didn't use any rooting hormone with the same success rate.

This year I went back to trying, why?
just because, LOL.

I usually try to get a good inch of barck above the cut covered with moss, and having the centre of the moss just around the top of the cut, allowing the roots space to grow down. If the bottom of the cut is outside of the moss/plastic, I do not care.

Thanks for the confirmation I'm not crazy. Well that's still debatable.

But you guys made me feel better, I pretty much do the same.

When watching tutorial videos I often see people putting hormone on the ring cut out, like that is where they expect roots.

I looked thru some pictures of previous years layers and I have one that is cut off, full of roots, and the moss/wrap still has an inch of the ring cut hanging out showing that the roots came from the top cut area.

If I can figure out how to post a picture, I will post it.

I just put on 20 or so layers this last weekend and might do a few more next weekend. I'm an avid maple collector (couple hundred cultivars) so layering is a perfect way to prune and develop stock for future Bonsai. Also started setting up a misting/cutting tent. Got the frame built last weekend and have plastic and shade cloth on the way for the final touches.

Yes, a little air layer crazy. When the wife wants to prune one of my maples I would rather try and produce some pre bonsai stock out of it.

This is a Acer palmatum 'Wilson Pink Dwarf'

You're doing it right.

how easy or hard is it to layer wilsons pink?

good info and good post...
thanks.

The "Wilsons Pink Dwarf" rooted fairly well. I would put it up in the easier of the maples.