Epos' Japanese Maples

[leatherback]

Just to make sure you have the concept of airlayering down..

Roots form ABOVE the area where the bark is removed. So the bark above the cut area needs to be kept humid. THe main reason for keeping the section where the bark and cambium have been removed humid is to ensure the wood does not dry out while the layer is forming roots. The area that you have removed bark from is WAY more than needed and only increases risk of infections, drying out etcetc.



If I see this, I am concerned that you have the moss fairly low compared to where it is most needed.

 

[Epos7]

Just to make sure you have the concept of airlayering down..

Roots form ABOVE the area where the bark is removed. So the bark above the cut area needs to be kept humid.

Thanks! Yeah, I did the first two (big) air layers after watching some YouTube videos which recommended a 4" length of bark. I've since learned that's way overkill. I did know the roots would form above the cut, so I made sure to stuff extra sphagnum moss around the bark above the cut before wrapping it up.

The leaves above one of my smaller air layers had all dried up and disintegrated to the touch, so I cut that one off. Like the one I broke off on accident the other day, it too has formed a callus above the cut, but no roots yet. I trimmed it back to about 8" and stuck it in the covered bucket with the other one. It has no leaves, so I don't have high hopes for it.

These smaller ones were mostly for experimenting, so I'm not worried if some don't make it. Still have five or so of the smaller ones left on the tree, in addition to the two big ones.

 

[Epos7]

The two Shindeshojo air layers I put in a bucket with coco coir and perlite have sprouted some new growth! They don't have any roots yet, but hopefully that will come next.

I also removed another small Shindeshojo air layer from the tree today as its leaves were drying like the one a few weeks ago. Great news, it has roots! They're still small and need to time to develop before planting, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to do that. Maybe a small pot with some sphagnum moss and and some diluted liquid nutrients, and moved inside during the hottest part of the day.

 

[Epos7]

Tiny roots!



New growth:

 

[leatherback]

I also removed another small Shindeshojo air layer from the tree today as its leaves were drying like the one a few weeks ago. Great news, it has roots! They're still small and need to time to develop before planting, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to do that. Maybe a small pot with some sphagnum moss and and some diluted liquid nutrients, and moved inside during the hottest part of the day.

I have 2 airlayers removed from my tree because.. well, just because to be honest (I was separating airlayers and I wanted these two gone too so I could continue with the stockplant). Those two had no roots. I am treating them as large cuttings. Removed the leaves and planted in a pot, sheltered position out of wind and sun. But.. We have a weather swap and it is a nice 20c with rain at the moment, so perfect for keeping these alive a few more weeks in the hope of getting some roots.

For next time, just leave them on longer of you feel they do not have sufficient roots to make it.
For your cuttings: Consider just leaving them alone in the cutting tray till spring.

 

[Epos7]

For next time, just leave them on longer of you feel they do not have sufficient roots to make it.

One of them I broke off by accident, and the other two were struggling with all their leaves dead and crispy. I think they'd stopped getting sufficient water from the roots. They were in pretty direct sun as they were some of the top branches, so I decided to remove them while they still had some life in them. The rest of my air layers, the ones showing no signs of deterioration, are all still on the tree

 

[Epos7]

I placed the air layer with roots in a shallow saucer, filled around the roots with damp sphagnum moss, then wrapped in plastic.

Planning to leave it inside for a week or so, then check in on the roots.

 

[MMJNICE]

I placed the air layer with roots in a shallow saucer, filled around the roots with damp sphagnum moss, then wrapped in plastic.

Planning to leave it inside for a week or so, then check in on the roots.

View attachment 608187

I'd be interested to see if you're little contraption work's well. I have two shishgashria maples I'm airlayering one has a fare amount of roots the other just callused over so I recut the callus took off the clear airlayer ball and fitted a larger pot of substrate over the cut site. I'm hopeful roots will be present before fall get rolling around because it's a little too cold in Ohio to overwinter an airlayer and the tree is to massive to put in my greenhouse.

 

[Epos7]

The five or so small air layers still on the Shindeshojo seem to be ready! I removed two today, and they have nice root growth considering the small cups I used for the air layers.

I trimmed them to remove about 2/3 of the leaves and stuck them in some water. Tomorrow I'll plant them in fabric pots to spend the next year or so beefing up. Planning on sticking them in a shady spot and moving inside during any extreme heat for the first month or so while the roots develop.

 

[Epos7]

I removed the last three of the small air layers today. Two had nice roots, one had dried out leaves with no roots, though the moss was still damp. Stuck that one in the humidity bucket.

I also planted the two I removed yesterday in fabric pots. I used a mix of peat moss, perlite, doug fir bark, worm castings, azomite, and some Happy Frog JPM fertilizer. Threw in some beneficial bacteria and fungi as well. Filled the pots 90%, then cut circles out of some disposable compressed wood serving trays. Hopefully that will help these bad boys develop a nice nebari. Put some more soil mix on top and held things in place for now with some little stones.

 

[Ininaatigoons]

Very interesting posts. Great start especially for a beginner.