well i finally did one. what a pain in the ass.
is this enough moss to support this size of a layer? i pruned a bunch off the top because i doubt a tiny root ball can support such a big tree. should i open it mid summer and add more material then seal it back up?
i packed the moss in fairly tight. is that good or bad?
Wait until it looks like the picture in post #22holy crap. that looks like a big ass root on the outside of the bag. the top is making loads of new leaves. when do i cut.
fertilizer or no?Wait until it looks like the picture in post #22
Well, maybe not quite that long, but you need several roots showing before separation, then protect the new plant from sun and keep it moist. Support it well.
well done. Now is the critical phase where the roots will drink water from the layer site: Make sure you monitor moisture in there and do not let it get too dry.holy crap. that looks like a big ass root on the outside of the bag. the top is making loads of new leaves. when do i cut.
The best time to separate layers started in spring is generally after the summer heat has broken. For most of us in the northern hemisphere, that'll be mid-August through September and early October. Even if the layer has grown a fair number of roots, you're better off managing the layer on the parent tree until cooler weather prevails. Once the layer is separated, reducing the canopy is ok. Ideally, this will happen at least 4-6 weeks before any freezing weather.
It dependsok will do since you prob know way more about the best way to do this than i do.
but. wouldn't it be helpful to do it earlier so it still has time to settle in and grow in the new pot?
ok what is your aftercare suggestions?It depends. If the layer has already got a fair amount of roots and your summer heat isn’t excessive, you’ll be fine. If your layer has some roots, and you get weeklong temps in the 90s with some wind, it could be a coin flip. When I lived in Georgia, I started some layers in March and was removing them in June, and I started some layers in mid August and was removing them in October. All of those layers survived until the next spring. Good aftercare is key, obviously.
Again, it depends… most separated layers go into my grow out mix, which is just whatever aggregate stuff I have laying around, but usually a random ratio of lava, bark mulch, lava, turface, etc. They might get a cut back. If not a lot of roots, more shade. If lots of roots, less shade. They’ll get water and fert (no slow release) with all my other trees. I don’t bother misting as I couldn’t do it frequently enough to make a difference. Wind protection for questionable layers is a good idea.ok what is your aftercare suggestions?
my plan is misting. lots of watering. lots of pumice in the new pot it's going into. slow release fertilizer yes or no?
You could try to estimate its overall readiness for more sun based on how fast the soil is drying out. If the substrate is staying very wet for days it might not be ready for more exposure. If the substrate is drying out faster than when it was first separated that’s a good sign and you can give it a couple hours of early morning sun for 3-4 days and re evaluate how the trees is doing with the additional sun.its been over a week and it still looks perfectly fine. should i move it out of the shade into the sun and try for some growth in august or is it better to leave it in the shade for the rest of the season?