A tree that I have owned for 2 growing seasons. When I purchased the tree I knew I was going to air layer it. Air layer is a technique that you separate a part of the tree from the main tree. It can be a branch or in my case. Removing the majority of the tree from its root stock. This tree was grafted on top of your plain Jane green Acer palmatum. As the tree was in my possession I was looking at these two branches. I knew I wanted to make a twin trunk out of it. I missed the boat last growing season, so I had to wait one more year. This year I was ready and had some more experience with air layers. Best time to air layer is when the new growth hardens off. That can be a different time for everyone across the globe. I live in Michigan zone 5b. It's easy to find your zone with the internet these days. Also you can look at the average temps for your area. You can air layer different times of the year but spring to summer is your best. Roots thrive in the warmer temps.
Here is what I did. Air layering is removing the bark, the green layer and all the way to the woody tissue.
First mark 2 parallel lines where you want to remove the bark. Top line is where you will the new roots will grow from. Also the spot that you are making a new tree. The bottom mark needs to be far enough away so the tree doesn't just regrow bark. And then just start to fix itself. The distance between the two lines about the width and 1/2 the trunk width. Cutting away the inner bark or phloem and the cambium cell layer. You trick the tree to produce new roots. It wants to save itself. So you made two marks with chalk or marker. Now take a sharp knife, sharpen it. Sterilize it. Cut the two lines by pressing into the tree, all the way around. Once you feel you are deep enough with the cut. Cut a line between the 2 cuts. Start to remove the 3 layers.
I guess I didn't take pic of the two cuts and removed the 3 layers before I put a rooting hormone on. So you can see I removed the 3 layers down to what would be dead wood. I use clonex rooting gel for most of my projects. It only needs to be on the top part because that's where the roots are gonna grow from.
Next part to use a bag or plastic pot, that holds the soil in place. The soil is sphagnum moss or akadama. Most use sphagum moss. Cut the sphagum into smaller parts, easier to remove from roots later. Use bread ties, wire or rope to hold the pot in place and secure it to the spot. So at this point you have made the cut at the spot you are making a new tree. You have used a rooting hormone. Wet the sphagum moss in a bucket of water. Grab a clump of wet sphagum and ring it out, press it around the wound. Put the pot around the sphagum and secure it.
This was done June 12th 2022. Right after I got back from my second class of bonsai intensive school at Eisei-en. On July 25th 2022 I checked to see how it was doing and found some amazing growth. So I separated it from its original roots and trunk. Put in a pot.
You can see the tree is thriving.
Now let's open it up.
That's what I was hoping for. Now the other side had fewer roots but overall I felt confident in removing the air layer and putting in a pot.
Less roots but it's gonna be fine. Now you really want to be careful with these roots, very delicate. No fussing around and put in a pot for 1-2 seasons for sure. Give it some time to establish itself. The next pic is it in its home for 1-2 growing seasons. I didn't take too many photos because I wanted settled and in good health.
The tree sits in akadama, lava, pumice. I put some moss on top to keep moist. It was stored out of the wind on the ground kind of under my bench. It gets beautiful morning sunshine till about 12ish then goes in slight shade.
I'll get a few pics of it later this week. I will be winterizing it in my garage to keep the new roots from freezing. The garage hangs out at just above freezing.
Thank you
Ted
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