Air layering failure - wanting to learn

[Steinar]

Hi everyone!

About a month ago I started my first ever air layer on a Carmona (it was indoors and actively growing). Suddenly all the leaves above went dry, and when I removed the sphagnum, this is what I found. Any tips for what I did wrong? Please note: I'm not here for the "indoors discussion", the tree was indoors and bought as an experimentation tree.

Thanks

 

[NaoTK]

Looks like it got too wet and rotted before it could callous and form roots. You only want that area to be consistently moist, not soaking wet.

 

[BrianBay9]

This might help. https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/the-science-of-air-layering.27034/

 

[Timbo]

It does seem like it's too wet, Soak the Moss in a bucket until it soaks up the water and squeeze it out as much as possible, also "seal" the air layer with wire or zip ties to keep the moisture in and excess water out., you shouldn't need to water it again.

 

[leatherback]

Looks like the bark above the areas that you cleared of bark also has bark damage, and is very dry. How did you put the layer in, how was it covered?

 

[Steinar]

Looks like the bark above the areas that you cleared of bark also has bark damage, and is very dry. How did you put the layer in, how was it covered?

The picture is of poor quality, there was no bark damage originally above the cut. But it was too wet (due to an inexperienced me), so the wood has suffered both above and below the cut line. It was in sphagnum and was wrapped in plastic. Lesson learned