Failed air layering attempt

[glass_shark]

Hello all, so I have unfortunately not gotten this Chinese elm to root, and have since taken the moss ball off of the tree. it's been off for a few days so everything soft seems to have callused over. 1, does anyone have any idea what went wrong? and 2, should I do anything to this to prevent the tree from suffering further? It's in the middle of the tree so I can chop the top part if that will put the rest of the tree in jeopardy, not worried so much about that.

Details on the layering- I used some smaller moss, not sphagnum, but it was a big handful on every side of the rooting area, wrapped tightly with wire and using a plastic bag, all things Herons bonsai on YouTube suggested. Wrong time of the year maybe? Any feedback is appreciated!

 

[namnhi]

Look to me like you haven't fail yet. How long did you leave the moss in? I would put the moss back and wait. The callus looks good. Give it time to throw some roots. I haven't done air layer on Chinese Elm but heard they are quite easy.

 

[glass_shark]

it was on there for several months, I heard people saying it only took a few weeks so I got discouraged. if it's not too late I'll slap it back on there. I was also afraid it was too late in the year for such tomfoolery

 

[Rivian]

I have also failed a chin. elm airlayer this year, + 2 Seijuu. Just callus, no roots.
I have had very good success with cuttings in the past, so thats what I do now for propagation instead of layering.
You could try airlayering without damaging the bark, I might try that some time. Then it has no reason for unrestricted callus growth, which is not helpful.

 

[BrightsideB]

I’ve left layers on for over a year continuously going back and scraping off the callus bridging the two sections as well as nicking the side I need roots. Sometimes they can take a while. But eventually they always seem to root. But my only failed one was a Chinese Elm but the tree was unhealthy so I figured it was a waste of time to continue.

 

[19Mateo83]

I have one doing this exact same thing right now, for some reason the moss stays soaking wet and I’m not watering it. I was thinking that too much moisture was keeping mine from throwing roots.

 

[Rivian]

I have one doing this exact same thing right now, for some reason the moss stays soaking wet and I’m not watering it. I was thinking that too much moisture was keeping mine from throwing roots.

One of my layers wasnt sealed enough so rainwater got in and kept it soggy

 

[19Mateo83]

One of my layers wasnt sealed enough so rainwater got in and kept it soggy

This probably is the culprit for the failures. I’m gonna just leave it on and see if it throws roots in the spring.

 

[BrightsideB]

I took an air layer of a kuro hime that had just one root that was maybe 3 inches long. The layer was about half inch and put it into pumice and akadama. I have been revealing the nebari a few times and have noticed new radial roots coming from the callus. Sort of interesting. I have left on layers hoping for more roots to come from the callus yet it wouldn’t happen and it would just grow the main root longer and thicker. My theory was that maybe removing it early would activate more roots to form and it seemed to work. I will have to do it more to see if this isn’t just luck.

 

[Shibui]

My theory was that maybe removing it early would activate more roots to form and it seemed to work. I will have to do it more to see if this isn’t just luck.

I have had similar experience. I've been amazed how few roots needed for a layer to survive.

The callus above is the first step in making roots. You may even be able to chop it and strike as a cutting because the hardest part (callus) is already done. Otherwise put the layer back on and wait longer.

 

[Ininaatigoons]

You could carve the callus off and start again. I have wondered about keeping a layering on over winter and I guess you loose nothing if it doesn't work, but my concern is that a layering is above ground and exposed to straight temperatures. In warmer zones like yours it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[glass_shark]

I have had similar experience. I've been amazed how few roots needed for a layer to survive.

The callus above is the first step in making roots. You may even be able to chop it and strike as a cutting because the hardest part (callus) is already done. Otherwise put the layer back on and wait longer.

So you're saying I should chop the tree and start that as a cutting or chop the callus? I've not had much luck with Chinese elm cuttings, they tend to dry out from the top down, but I have been trying to root cuttings in the middle of summer, that's most likely my issue

 

[HardBall]

I predict that if you wrap this thing back up you will get roots this fall. That's assuming you have decent foliage growth up top.

When did you start it?

 

[Ininaatigoons]

So you're saying I should chop the tree and start that as a cutting or chop the callus? I've not had much luck with Chinese elm cuttings, they tend to dry out from the top down, but I have been trying to root cuttings in the middle of summer, that's most likely my issue

I was saying to cut the callus still attached and rewrap, but the majority say just rewrap and wait. Don't chop.

 

[Shibui]

So you're saying I should chop the tree and start that as a cutting or chop the callus? I've not had much luck with Chinese elm cuttings, they tend to dry out from the top down, but I have been trying to root cuttings in the middle of summer, that's most likely my issue

When there's already a callus at the base of a stem it can root quick and easy so if you chop just below the callus and plant the top as a cutting there's a high chance of it rooting. Leave the callus intact in that case.
Chinese elm cuttings (and most other species) will root any time of year. Summer cuttings CAN root quickly but need lots of TLC to maintain high humidity so they don't dehydrate before roots form. Have you used bags, domes, or plastic box to maintain humidity for summer cuttings?
Winter, dormant cuttings are easier because the stem is not active so dehydrates much slower so less need to maintain high humidity.