Air Layering

Awesome, thank you Jim I appreciate your patience.
Its alot easier when you have direction..

JimLewis wrote:And I always recommend Deborah Koreshoff's "Bonsai, its art, science, history and philosophy." It is out of print (again!) and hard to find. Try www.abebooks.com .

Wow, i found a used copy on azamon for 29.99 dollars but some new copies are over 200 dollars!!! Is the book that good Jim?

It is the best overall, comprehensive, book on bonsai I have found. It isn't really for true beginners, but I refer to it more often than any other -- including the highly-touted Naka twin books. If you found it at that price, BUY IT!

More often it sells used for $50-70.

JimLewis wrote:It is the best overall, comprehensive, book on bonsai I have found. It isn't really for true beginners, but I refer to it more often than any other -- including the highly-touted Naka twin books. If you found it at that price, BUY IT!

More often it sells used for $50-70.

I should be able to handle it, i've been into bonsai for almost 2 years and have already read a few botany books. My problem is'nt keeping the tree alive it is styling. It's wierd, i have always been OK at art i just can't picture styles in my head. Witch in turn has probably caused me to miss ALOT of trees to collect. Well i guess that will come in time (i pray) if not, i don't know what i would do . I have a pretty nice san jose juniper that will be ready to be styled in the spring. We'll see what happens.

Thanks again for the time,

Neil

will baddeley wrote:Even with little information, airlayering is only done while trees are growing. Spring and Summer.

I beg to differ. There are a few articles by japanese growers that advise to begin the airlayer at the end of winter, quite a few weeks before trees start growing and I have first and second hand experience that it does works. I have, though, not enough experience to compare success rates in each case.

i've been into bonsai for almost 2 years and have already read a fewbotany books. My problem is'nt keeping the tree alive it is styling.

I've been doing bonsai twenty times as long as you and I have the same problem.

All I can suggest is to keep on looking at trees. Do NOT look that hard at other bonsai -- though they can inspire as well. That only encourages the making of bonsai that look less like trees and more like bonsai. Generic.

JimLewis wrote:

i've been into bonsai for almost 2 years and have already read a fewbotany books. My problem is'nt keeping the tree alive it is styling.

I've been doing bonsai twenty times as long as you and I have the same problem.

All I can suggest is to keep on looking at trees. Do NOT look that hard at other bonsai -- though they can inspire as well. That only encourages the making of bonsai that look less like trees and more like bonsai. Generic.

Wow, ya, that makes sense. I find myself looking at bonsai and saying i want one JUST like that one. I guess that is one of the worst things to do. You can only do so much with what you have. Thanks Jim i thing i just had a revelation

Neil

Alain Bertrand wrote:

will baddeley wrote:Even with little information, airlayering is only done while trees are growing. Spring and Summer.

I beg to differ. There are a few articles by japanese growers that advise to begin the airlayer at the end of winter, quite a few weeks before trees start growing and I have first and second hand experience that it does works. I have, though, not enough experience to compare success rates in each case.

In Bonsai Today 48 & 49 is an article about a large beech that was layered in late winter before any bud movement. Since reading that article I have experimented on numerous trees, deciduous(numerous), Pinus radiata & thunbergii, Cedrus. All being successful, the deciduous by removing a ring of bark as per normal and then gauging into the wood a short way to help prevent the tree from healing over instead of rooting. With the pinus I cut notches around the branch in several places.

I say have a go, one thing to think about is what you practice your techniques on. By all means make your layers on the pines as long as its material you dont mind sacrificing if it fails. Having said that most layers dont fail until they are removed. They often heal over the cut you have made, if so recut & put some sort of barrier (strip of thick wire etc) to try & stop that & encourage root. Some species can make roots in as little as a few weeks (eg Ficus during the growing season) others can take several years. The methods, medium, species and age of the bit you want to layer will all affect the outcome & length of time the process will take.

Heres links to 2 layers I currently have going Pyrus Calleryana Cedrus Atlantica the pear has lots of photos at each stage & was started in April (my fall), it is yet to show root but has considerable callous. The Cedrus was ringbarked in July (my winter) and is starting to show roots, 2cm dia & 20cm tall. The Callery pear is approx 15cm dia multi trunk the tallest is 25cm & 8cm dia. The base of the pear will also be regrown for shohin.



Have a go & show us your results.

Matt

Wow thankx matt..!!!!

Hello Matt. There is a big difference between airlayering at the start of Winter and when the tree is about to break bud in late Winter, early Spring. Perform this now and the cut edge will sit cold and wet right through Winter. Not a good idea. The tree has to be growing to issue new roots.

Good Morning, everyone!

Will, I have said elsewhere in IBC about my airlayers, a prunus, a pomegranate, a bougainvillea and a hibiscus syriacus.
It's been since the end of October that I have cut already the pomegranate and prunus as they have got roots.
The hibiscus though has only one or two small white tiny roots, so I closed the plastic bag again and let it be. Do you think that next spring will continue the process of growing roots or the existing will die back during winter?

Thank you!

Good morning to you too. Some trees airlayer very easily, perhaps just a few weeks, and others can take much longer. Your Hibiscus has only issued a few roots, there is probably a lot of callousing though, which will be good protection through the Winter. Another growing season will give you enough root to separate next year. If the tree you are layering is in a pot, it is a good idea to rotate the pot for an even distribution of roots.

Thank you Will for your response!
The tree is in the ground.
Sok, I hope next year, God willing, I will have one new syriacus for me to train.

Climate will have a lot to do with whether this will work over winter or not. Sub tropicals in Athens are going to be much easier to root over the dormant period than Pines or Beech in freezing Britain or colder parts of the USA. Everyone needs to read up local information or experiment and find out what works for them in their zone. All of my many successful layers were started in late spring.

Alain Bertrand wrote:

will baddeley wrote:Even with little information, airlayering is only done while trees are growing. Spring and Summer.

I beg to differ. There are a few articles by japanese growers that advise to begin the airlayer at the end of winter, quite a few weeks before trees start growing and I have first and second hand experience that it does works. I have, though, not enough experience to compare success rates in each case.

Very little in it Alain. The end of Winter/ beginning of Spring. Trees are growing when the soil temp is above 9 degrees and although the buds are dormant still, the roots are growing.

Hi Will,
Like most things, it depends on where you live but I've read about the 9 degrees but also found an article that stated "The critical temperature for significant root growth is ≈ 6°C, which is close to the worldwide mean soil temperature at climatic tree lines".
Here in the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest (much like many parts of Europe) we’ve had root growth start at a soil temp. of 4 degrees and above).
I think the key is that the tree becomes way more active than it can show outwardly (swelling buds etc)….when the buds are swelling its been active for some time.

So give it a shot in late winter and keep us posted on your project.