Layering above the graft - Senkaki

[Jake1510]

Hi there!

I just bought this awesome Japanese maple senkaki (or so the tag reads).
It has an awesome shape with good growth on the lower part of the tree.

I want to layer the trunk above the graft to produce nebari.
And at the same time, removing the not so good looking graft.

I've looked at different methods, such ring-bark, and tourniquet / ground+air layering.

My approach as it stands is:

- Wait until leaves harden.
- Apply tourniquet above graft section as a ground layer.
- (How long typically does it take for roots to grow for a tree this size? = 6ft)

- Then possibly air layer one of the branches to create another tree.. Because I do want to prune the higher growth off to bonsai the base.


I am leaving all the growth as it stands to really boost trunk growth for tourniquet.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have posted pictures, and am happy to post more from different angles

Thank you so much in advance!

[shibui]

Your plan makes perfect sense to me except I think you might as well put the upper layer on at the same time and save yourself a year or so. I don't think an upper layer will slow down the lower one at all. you could put on more if you wanted to.
Rooting with tourniquet method depends on your version of the method.
One version just ties a wire tight around the trunk. As the tree thickens the wire reduces sap flow and roots are formed above the tie. Time for roots could be 3-8 months depending how quickly the trunk thickens.
Another version makes a narrow ringbark around the trunk and a thick wire is tied around and hammered tight into the ringbarked area to stop it bridging. Roots start quite quickly and a layer should be ready in 2-4 months.

Rooting with any layer method depends very much on the vigour of the tree and how well it is looked after during the layering period so it is hard to be precise when giving estimates of time for roots.