Show us Your Airlayers

[dbonsaiw]

Lot's of discussion on BNuts on what kind of starter material can actually be achieved from an airlayered branch. So let's see what kind of material you find worthwhile of not just the layer, but the years of development that will need to go into it. (No ground layers please - we know great material can be obtained from a ground layer). Are branch layers simply free material that will require tons of work, or can more special starter material can be obtained in this way?

 

[BobbyLane]

this juniper clump was produced from an airlayer with easily attainable nursery stock

 

[BobbyLane]

This is a Copper beech layer im working on, with a view to creating a clump style tree. Im fairly new to air layering, ill only really bother with it, if theres a ready made tree in there as a result, otherwise I normally chop bits off trees. the idea with this one, was inspired by the mirai video, I went to the nursery looking for something that would layer into an instant tree, the bottom half of trunk is useless.
in nurseries one can find plently material like this.

 

[dbonsaiw]

if theres a ready made tree in there as a result

That get's to the heart of this thread. My first go arounds with airlayers I really didn't keep an eye out for the more finished tree and really concentrated on the girth. I now have a bunch of fatter sticks to care for.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Here's one I just repotted (Holy Mother of God I hate combing out sphagnum moss). I'm not yet finding the ready made trees, just shooting for some movement I can work with. The roots did come out nicely.

 

[dbonsaiw]

One more from the same tree.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Forgot the pic

 

[Joe Dupre']

Crepe myrtle airlayered off of a 15" diameter mother tree. Layered in late August of 2022 and removed on Oct. 24, 2022. There's another 1 and1/2 of base flair under the soil.

 

[b3bowen]

These are all air layers from around 2019. I think that the benefit I have noticed from air layers is a strong radial root system from the get go resulting in faster development.
In order they are ueno yama, arakawa, and Ryusen.

 

[b3bowen]

In comparison here is a cutting grown Shir Autumn Moon that was in a four inch pot around the same time.

 

[Joe Dupre']

These are all air layers from around 2019. I think that the benefit I have noticed from air layers is a strong radial root system from the get go resulting in faster development.
In order they are ueno yama, arakawa, and Ryusen.
View attachment 476317View attachment 476318View attachment 476319

Mighty nice head-starts on new bonsai.

 

[Gaitano]

Euonymus air layer


2015



2015 Acer palmatum

 

[19Mateo83]

These are all air layers from around 2019. I think that the benefit I have noticed from air layers is a strong radial root system from the get go resulting in faster development.
In order they are ueno yama, arakawa, and Ryusen.
View attachment 476317View attachment 476318View attachment 476319

Does they Ueno Yama put out roots quickly?

 

[19Mateo83]

This shishigashira is from air layer last year. With its small leaves I’m shooting for a small tree, just gotta thicken up that trunk a little bit this year.

 

[It's Kev]

Separated this just before Christmas

 

[leatherback]

An airlayer in 2014.
In winter 2021

[My admin seems to have gone amiss with newer images. I seem to miss my last 2 years]

 

[b3bowen]

Does they Ueno Yama put out roots quickly?

It has a very aggressive root system and put out roots quickly.

 

[19Mateo83]

It has a very aggressive root system and put out roots quickly.

Awesome! Thank you.

 

[JackHammer]

This is a broadleaf (american?) elm I have been letting grow. Only thing is that the Japanese beetles are terrible on it in the summer. (The house in the background is not mine)

 

[hinmo24t]

Great thread idea