First attempt in Air Layer

Xs121

Xs121

Well-Known Member
Today I decided to try my hand in air layering tiny stems. Note, I've never tried air layering on really tiny stem, so here we go :bigjoint:

The pen is just a regular pen, for size reference
I scraped off the skin/bark about half an inch all around
air-layer 1.JPG


Then I cut off a 1"x2" capillary mat (1/4 thick, anything that would hold moisture)
air-layer 2.JPG)


Then I coat the upper part of the scrape with rooting powder (I should have use gel :wall:) then wrap it with the capillary mat and tie it with twist tie to hold it in place
air-layer 3.JPG


Wish me luck :hump: lol

air-layer 4.JPG
 
Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
you might need to add black plastic around it to make it not dry out so fast and block light but I haven't tried this. Good luck man!!
 
Xs121

Xs121

Well-Known Member
Nizza said:
you might need to add black plastic around it to make it not dry out so fast and block light but I haven't tried this. Good luck man!!
Click to expand...
The mat can block the light but I think you're right about drying. Was just checking on it a few minutes ago and it seems to be drying. I think I'm gonna wrap it with plastic.
 
Herb & Suds

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
Use a pill bottle split in half or tape to hold the moisture
I have air cloned rhododendrons never weed , good luck
 
Xs121

Xs121

Well-Known Member
BluntMoniker said:
Noob question...

But what does "air layering" do? Never seen this before
Click to expand...
It's cool

Old school, call it marcotting
Now, its commonly called air layering

from Google
"a form of layering in which the branch is potted or wrapped in a moist growing medium to promote root growth. "
 
Just Be

Just Be

Well-Known Member
Xs121 said:
I figured the mat is light proof and if roots start sticking out of the mat, its time to cut it off. At least in theory lol
Click to expand...
That's true but algae can still build up on the outside of the moist mat. I'd slice a section off of a bag of potting soil and use that since that plastic is pretty light-tight. Anyway, I look forward to seeing how it works out for you.
 
Xs121

Xs121

Well-Known Member
Just Be said:
It's been a week. How's the air layering coming along?
Click to expand...
Hey man,

Just for you I open up the freaking thing lol
air-layer 6.JPG

Bear in mind that the stem is not even half the size of a pencil, so it's really a very thin stem
A week later, saw a few of these tiny tiny root like stuff starting to come out. So maybe another few days to see a robust root growth.

So far a few problems I've encountered

1. Because of the size of the stem, my medium (1x2 capillary mat) is so small that it doesnt matter if its wrap in plastic, it still dries up in a day. So, I have to inject daily my solution to keep it wet. Next time around, I have to find a medium that holds water longer. Water gel, peat moss a few things that I might experiment on.

2. Again, because of the size of the stem, a few days ago, I came home and the whole thing is bent over. I have to use a splint to support it.

3. When I started air layering it, the branch was defoliated (separate reason why). I totally forgot that its the photosynthesis and hormones that's coming from the top that is responsible for root growth thus the slow root development (or could be strain dependent too)

Otherwise the plant is still healthy but at the moment its a PITA. However, not totally discounting this technique, I just have to find a better way to do this when dealing with really thin stem.

:peace:
 
Just Be

Just Be

Well-Known Member
Xs121 said:
Hey man,

Just for you I open up the freaking thing lol
View attachment 4474534

Bear in mind that the stem is not even half the size of a pencil, so it's really a very thin stem
A week later, saw a few of these tiny tiny root like stuff starting to come out. So maybe another few days to see a robust root growth.

So far a few problems I've encountered

1. Because of the size of the stem, my medium (1x2 capillary mat) is so small that it doesnt matter if its wrap in plastic, it still dries up in a day. So, I have to inject daily my solution to keep it wet. Next time around, I have to find a medium that holds water longer. Water gel, peat moss a few things that I might experiment on.

2. Again, because of the size of the stem, a few days ago, I came home and the whole thing is bent over. I have to use a splint to support it.

3. When I started air layering it, the branch was defoliated (separate reason why). I totally forgot that its the photosynthesis and hormones that's coming from the top that is responsible for root growth thus the slow root development (or could be strain dependent too)

Otherwise the plant is still healthy but at the moment its a PITA. However, not totally discounting this technique, I just have to find a better way to do this when dealing with really thin stem.

:peace:
Click to expand...
Cool, thanks for the update. Kind of gross looking but the fact the plant is still healthy is a good thing. I wonder if a rapid rooter that's been soaked in some kind of rooting hormone might be better than a capillary mat.
 
Boatguy

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
Xs121 said:
Hey man,

Just for you I open up the freaking thing lol
View attachment 4474534

Bear in mind that the stem is not even half the size of a pencil, so it's really a very thin stem
A week later, saw a few of these tiny tiny root like stuff starting to come out. So maybe another few days to see a robust root growth.

So far a few problems I've encountered

1. Because of the size of the stem, my medium (1x2 capillary mat) is so small that it doesnt matter if its wrap in plastic, it still dries up in a day. So, I have to inject daily my solution to keep it wet. Next time around, I have to find a medium that holds water longer. Water gel, peat moss a few things that I might experiment on.

2. Again, because of the size of the stem, a few days ago, I came home and the whole thing is bent over. I have to use a splint to support it.

3. When I started air layering it, the branch was defoliated (separate reason why). I totally forgot that its the photosynthesis and hormones that's coming from the top that is responsible for root growth thus the slow root development (or could be strain dependent too)

Otherwise the plant is still healthy but at the moment its a PITA. However, not totally discounting this technique, I just have to find a better way to do this when dealing with really thin stem.

:peace:
Click to expand...
I used sphagnum moss to air layer a Japanese maple. It held moisture for a long time. Took from early spring till midsummer to have enough roots to remove the branch. If i remember right, the main thing is to keep the wound large enough that it doesnt have a chance to heal before enough roots have grown.
Root growth on yours looks promising.
 
Xs121

Xs121

Well-Known Member
Boatguy said:
I used sphagnum moss to air layer a Japanese maple. It held moisture for a long time. Took from early spring till midsummer to have enough roots to remove the branch. If i remember right, the main thing is to keep the wound large enough that it doesnt have a chance to heal before enough roots have grown.
Root growth on yours looks promising.
Click to expand...
Most be a bonsai guy huh? ;) very cool. If you are a bonsai fan (side topic lol), I'm starting a few japanese maple this year too and some conifers. But yeah sphagnum moss is pretty much the standard in air layering but this experiment on really thin stem, so sphagnum might be too big for practical purposes, I'm thinking of peat moss instead to hold water relative to the size.

Leeski said:
Not hijacking your thread dude just thought it may be of interest to you
I did similar thing with Pieris forest flame scraped the bark off a low branch added clonex and bent the branch down used a brick to hold it down took 3 months but it worked
Click to expand...
I hear you man, I've done that before too with other plants and it works but this air layering is on really skinny stem. But now that you mentioned it, that gives me an idea (lol), I might try to supercrop it next time then air layer it....that's something to keep in mind.
 
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