Air layering

[Lazy Gardener]

You might also check to see if your local Lowes or Home Depot gives away the used ones to be recycled.

 

[CrealCritter]

My neighbor came over today and asked if he could store 21 lbs of sausage in my freezer. Sure enough I said, I grabbed a handle of the cooler and we loaded the deep freezer. I showed him what I did with the old orchard and the air-layering. He said you mean grafting? I said no air-layering and told him how to do it. He's never seen anyone do anything like that before, something totally new to him. Then he offered.me some walnut seedlings. I said sure I'll come by after it rains and digs some up.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Are you expecting tall elder bountiful elder but maybe you have dwarf elder?





Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

No, they should be the tall varieties. I bought 2 different varieties, planted them about 6 years ago. I think they just aren't happy where they are. The smaller one has some mouse damage but hasn't been completely girdled. I'm hoping that damage actually works to my advantage, and forces the shrub to go into survival mode, setting some new suckers. I've had wild ones pop up on the property in the past, but they were destroyed by land clearing efforts. If I ever see some wild ones OR someone's cultivated ones in my travels, I'd be sure to ask for some cuttings.

 

[Britesea]

I've read you can use powdered willow bark as a rooting hormone

 

[CrealCritter]

FYI...
Its been 39 days or 5 weeks and 4 days since I started this air-layer on this fallen peach tree. As you can see, it looks like roots are just now starting to form. So I closed the rooting ball back up and will check again around 8 weeks.

Patience...

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[Hinotori]

What about the leaves?

It's in the bark. Remember to remove the cambium layer as well since that's what is really wanted. That's too much effort for me which is why I just use the softer tips which blend. More surface area in contact with the water. I have many hundreds of swamp willows so I spread it out.

Older parts don't have as much which is why it needs to be fresh growth. Spring growth is supposed to be best.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

So, the regular trunk is approximately 2' taller than the air layered one.

View attachment 16580

I opened the pod and it's got two bitty roots on one side. It doesn't appear to have any of the outer layer of bark connected from the upper to lower portion, and it has been growing new leaves, so I'm assuming it's safe to separate this to a different pot?
View attachment 16581View attachment 16582

Hubby voted to give it more time, so I put the pod back on.

 

[CrealCritter]

I did an experiment... I left the rooting balls on a Granny Smith Apple over winter. I think this is the way to go, honestly. So for fruit trees start air layers in the spring, keep them well watered during the hot summer months and check them the following spring. If blooming and rooted, cut them loose and put them in a nursery pot. Then I'll baby sit them until I plant them.

I chose some pretty old limbs for this experiment. I counted 7 and 9 rings where I cut them loose from the mother tree. Plenty of flowers also on them also. If any apples appear, I'll remove them so the once air layer, now tree can focus it's energy on developing a good root system.

IDK... Still learning and experimenting but it's awesome when one of my ideas actually works. Now I got two Granny Smith Apple trees that are about 7 and 10 foot tall to work with and that's cool by me 👍

None of my other air layers that I removed from the trees and potted late summer came back this spring. So maybe with fruit trees leaving the air layers on the tree for about a year is the way to go? IDK yet, still learning...

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[CrealCritter]

I am going to cut this branch off whether this works or not. It is an apricot tree.
View attachment 19016

You think like I do. Why just let it wither away, see it will produce roots first if so the you're a leg up 👍

Don't know if you noticed or not but potted and bare root apricots have been going for crazy money this year. I haven't seen any sales on them either. Maybe sales on potted come October or November, but right now crazy money.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[Chic Rustler]

post pics of the the process as u do it. cloning might be cheaper than buying more trees.