Kiyohime ground layering/air layering question

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

Hi ,

So I have this Kiyohime that I have been growing in the wooden planter for 4 years . But this year it suffered a lower branch die off due to a storm that severed the branch .
Also it was grafted and the graft site is ugly as seen in the pics below .

So my question is - can I perform a ground layering/air layering to restart creating roots at the site of the lower branch marked in red ?

Am in zone 4 where it’s pretty cold even in beginning of May . Should I start air layering at the end of May ?



Side view of the graft and the wounds that’s ugly

 

[dbonsaiw]

I'm fairly certain that Kiyohime can be layered. I've only performed layers in the early spring right before the tree wakes up and so far so good. My thinking is that I can take advantage of the spring burst and allow the layer a few months to develop roots before its time to cut it off and eventually get it ready for winter.

 

[19Mateo83]

I have also heard that cuttings can be rooted fairly easily

 

[Matte91]

The perfect time is when the spring growth has hardened off. Usually around June.

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

The tree is due for a re pot as it’s going to be 2 years in the same pot and I generally repot them every 2 years . The tree is not root bound at all but growing in pine bark and pumice mix . Do you guys think then I shouldn’t repot this spring considering I shall ground layer and repot next spring anyways ?

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

The perfect time is when the spring growth has hardened off. Usually around June.

Yeah but my only concern me being in zone 4 where our growing season is shorter compared to rest of US

 

[19Mateo83]

personally I would leave it in its current pot since it is not rootbound. If the plan is to layer it this spring I would fertilize it, let it put on a good spring flush then layer it once everything is hardened off. Aim to get it as strong as you can to ensure success and vigorous root growth.

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

personally I would leave it in its current pot since it is not rootbound. If the plan is to layer it this spring I would fertilize it and get it as strong as I can to ensure success and vigorous root growth.

Thank you ! That’s my plan too . I really don’t care much about long internodes and long shoots and would probably start fertilizing it from the get go in spring . Then once the spring flush hardens off , air layer or ground layer and go front there …

 

[19Mateo83]

Thank you ! That’s my plan too . I really don’t care much about long internodes and long shoots and would probably start fertilizing it from the get go in spring . Then once the spring flush hardens off , air layer or ground layer and go front there …

That’s how I would be my approach. I can’t remember who it is off the top of my head but there’s a member who does just that and had really good results. I wanna say it’s @Adam D

 

[Matte91]

Yeah but my only concern me being in zone 4 where our growing season is shorter compared to rest of US

If your spring growth has hardened off in May. Then its the perfect time for you in your zone. And repotting the tree same year you make a airlayer is no go. Been there done that.