AusBonsai

Hi all,

Just put 6 air layers onto one of my large maple trees but realised at the end that i forgot to put root hormone powder onto the cut edge. IS this something that MUST be done or is it something that CAN be done to increase chances of success. In my mind the tree would naturally try to grow new roots if the conditions are right so i am assuming it will be ok. Anyone here with experience can shed some light for me... Do you bother with the root hormone on an air layer?

Cheers
K2

Just put 6 air layers onto one of my large maple trees but realised at the end that i forgot to put root hormone powder onto the cut edge. IS this something that MUST be done or is it something that CAN be done to increase chances of success. In my mind the tree would naturally try to grow new roots if the conditions are right so i am assuming it will be ok. Anyone here with experience can shed some light for me... Do you bother with the root hormone on an air layer?

Cheers
K2

Rip em off, apply rooting hormone now, and the mistake is no longer.

So roots will not develop without it on?

Depends on the tree - I don't with figs or celtis but don't have enough experience with maples. Some say they always use it - some don't bother. The tree should always callous and put out roots without it unless it bridges the gap.

Bougy Fan wrote:Depends on the tree - I don't with figs or celtis but don't have enough experience with maples. Some say they always use it - some don't bother. The tree should always callous and put out roots without it unless it bridges the gap.

My figs i never bothered with air layering, i just chopped the brnach/trunk and placed it in a free flowing agg/soil mix and they take very easily (in warm weather). I think i might just see how these go without the root hormone and can learn from it for the next batch.

I always use rooting hormone.
Mix it up into a paste and squirt in using a syringe in the next day or 2

Ken

It's not absolutely necessary but it does improve your chances. If they are only smaller ones I wouldn't bother, but if large I probably wouldn't either

Tony

Chuck a bit of Seasol into the water next time you water the layers. (or before )

Maples will usually root without any hormone. It might just take a little longer.

You could add hormone via spray on the leaves. I recently talked to a commercial nursery where they have changed from dipping the base of cuttings to spraying the tops after the cuttings are all potted up. They have better results with this and less worry about skin contact with the stuff. they use RootexL liquid rooting compound diluted 1:1 with water (but said others are using dilutions down to 1rootex:7 water and still successful) and sprayed over the leaves with a trigger spray container. Told me it is so effective they often get aerial roots above the rooting mix as well as roots from all along the stem in the mix. Keep unused mix in the fridge to prolong useful life.
I have just purchased some rootexL to do some trials to see how effective this method is with cuttings for me. Will post results.

wow sounds like an interesting approach and would lve to hear the results. I guess it would not surprise me as water is taken into the leaves and used for the production of chlorophil, which is directed down to the roots. So just as spraying an anti-fungel etc i can see how this would drive the hormone right to the job it needs to do, growing roots!

I wonder if it would work by mixing the powder?

Rooting hormone in powder form is mostly talc to carry the tiny traces of the actual chemicals. The active chemicals should be water soluble even if the talk isn't so mixing the powder with water may work. I'd let the talk settle out before trying to spray it though.

shibui wrote:You could add hormone via spray on the leaves.

Wow, that is interesting Shibui. I imagine that would increase the success rate of layerings.

That's pretty cool Shibui.

Makes sense alright. I reckon that should work then if you sprayed your Bonsai after repotting. Whatta ya reckon

Might even be able to get more aerial roots on Figs

Tony

Hi k2bonsai, you should upload some pics of your air-layered maple. I have a small collection of maples with air-layers on them too. They're all starting to show signs of roots, so I'm chuffed. I used rooting powder, but not a lot of it. Unfortunately I did not think to mix it in to liquid form. I have had success using powder, but I have also had failures.
I would say as others have, squirt some in to the air-layer with a syringe, or even better yet... SPRAY SPRAY SPRAY. I'm totally going to give this a shot. It sounds quite effective.

Sure here are some pics of the tree with layers. This is all i will do this year and then next year i will layer off some more and then let the remainder of the trunk shoot and grow out before starting work on it eventually.

I should actually get around to posting some pics of my trees i am currently working on also.