First air layer success!

SeanS · Jan 24, 2021

Ok, last one for the season. 8 JM layers in total, 5 from the same mother tree. It’s been a good season, my first for layers and I’ve only been into bonsai for 20 months.

This layer took exactly 9 weeks

The tree

We have roots

Some sawing later (thank you Kaneshin fine tooth branch saw and girlfriend for tree holding abilities)

WE HAVE ROOTS!

You may rest now my tree, thank you for your hard work this season

(layer resting beside her)

Possible future for the layer

Before I was done I wired up a shoot that had sprouted below the later. Always looking ahead

19Mateo83 · Mar 30, 2022

@SeanS what was your ratio of sphagnum to perlite you use for these? You had an impressive success rate.

SeanS · Mar 31, 2022

19Mateo83 said:
@SeanS what was your ratio of sphagnum to perlite you use for these? You had an impressive success rate.

Most were 50:50 last season, some with higher ratios of perlite.

I’ve done very few layers this season but have been using 100% perlite with a bit of sphagnum as a top dressing to retain moisture.

This season I’ve done 2 layers on trident seedlings which I threaded through washers in spring. By the time I layered them they had swollen significantly above the washers and rooted within a week.

Next spring I’ll be applying a wire tourniquet to some JM layers I have planned. By the time I layer them once the leaves garden off I’m sure the resultant swelling from the tourniquet will speed up rooting as it did on the little tridents.

19Mateo83 · Mar 31, 2022

@SeanS thank you, that is good to know. What is the thinnest branch you have airlayered? I have a small branch in a sangu kaku I’d like to try. I have never heard of airlayering smaller branches.

SeanS · Mar 31, 2022

19Mateo83 said:
@SeanS thank you, that is good to know. What is the thinnest branch you have airlayered? I have a small branch in a sangu kaku I’d like to try. I have never heard of airlayering smaller branches.

@19Mateo83 here’s the smallest layer I’ve done, a tiny twin trunk. Couldn’t have been more than 5mm at the base where the 2 shoots met