Trident Maple - Air layers for Bonsai New Technique April 2020

I have tried traditional air layering methods many times with no sucees and had pretty much given up on the idea. Then I saw a video detailing a way of doing it that I had never seen before. Naturally I had to give it a try.
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[grobonsai]

Good luck, will be interesting to see how they turn out. Thanks for sharing, this has given me an idea for an air layer I will be doing. Thanks 🙏

[Admiral_Pumpout]

This looks very similar so far to what I did last year on my hornbeam and beech trees. I used a philadelphia and lurpak tub for each and lashed a stick as I never thought of using a peg, good idea! The roots came out very nicely, but I did cut a groove and layed a piece of copper wire in which I think we chatted about before. I also cut the pot so that it was orientated flat, and I think that helped with the radial roots I got. This should work, best of luck! I opened my pot up now and then to check the dampness of the soil but it seemed to get enough moisture through the lid which I had to cut to fit around the trunk. Difficult to explain, easier in pictures.

[zwicknagel]

Peter Chan Herons Bonsai UK uses sphagnum moss to airlayer and says it a huge difference to normal moss! I used it to airlayer an elm and it worked pretty much fine! ;)

[PlantObsessed]

I have an air layer on a magnolia going now.. Spagnum, cling wrap.and yellow duct tape. It works well with tropical trees. Fingers crossed!

[beauregard]

Hello Sid, thanks for your sterling work in the present crisis. I've found that air-layering success depends on the type of tree; eg I tried to air-layer two apple trees and one cherry at the same time exactly the same technique at the same time of year etc. Great success with the cherry, disaster with the two apples.

[margaretsims]

Nice demo. I did my very first successful air layers last year, so I’m hoping to try again.
I have never have tried two air layers on the same branch, so it will be interesting to see if it works.
By the way I picked up 2 Orange Dream today from you know where. Couldn’t be resisted.!

[bobrogers]

Sid, I have not had very much success in zone 5 Canada. I like your idea and will try again. I have marked my calendar July 1 too. Looking forward to the outcome. Gardeners always keep on trying. It is the nature of the beast in us. Will you have to check the container to ensure it has enough water. Happy Easter and stay apart.

[bobmccarlie]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who can't get an air layer to take! I have 3 trees I want to try air layering on this spring, but I have had 0 success in my previous attempts. I'll give this technique a try. What do I have to lose that I haven't lost before! :P Thanks for the video.

[twodogsyyc]

The sound is way better. Love this tree and it's potential.

[BostonBonsaiIdiot]

I had pretty good success last year with my air layers so let me arrogantly point out how our techniques differ: I used sphagnum as well, but used a loose plastic bag in lieu of a rigid plastic container. THEN I encased the whole damn thing in a cocoon of electrical tape, which packed the sphagnum very tightly against the trunk. It’s a bitch to get off (I cut through some roots getting one off!), but like I said...they all took. Good luck, can’t wait to see the results.

[mattbrennan]

Why do we Bonsai enthusiasts use wire when a piece of tape will do? 😁

[mattwright]

I’m curios to what soil components are used on your trees and I also appreciate you for the videos you produce thanks for the videos

[dalebrett]

Hi Sid you can not put two air layers at the same time on the same branch, take the top one off and seal it then mist the leaves in the morning. as this will help the tree to root in 2- 3 months spemun moss is the best use for air layers as it give lots of oxygen to the roots and hold lots of moisture. Best of luck!

[jaychet]

hi sid. looking for advice. I just picked up 3 of your now famous £3 japanese acers from the well known supermarket beginning with M. haha
question is, should I just repot and leave till next winter for root work, or would you work them now? I'm thinking it's a little late now, as they're in full leaf?
thanks in advance. keep the vids coming 👍🏼

[karinmoonhawk]

Hi Sid, Hi Cooper 😊Great trails and I have my fingers crossed for you! Would you happen to have any experience with Grafting? Turned out I was way to excited to have found a Prunus Mume online that said it was 80cm (bout 30") and turned out to be 120cm (47")tall, with the Mume grafted on top 😢 So I was thinking of taking some branches and graft them lower down but the internet (and some fb groups) can't seem to tell me when the best time of year is? Would you maybe know? or if anybody else here is reading this....any idea's? Either way, Thanks for this great video Sid and indeed Stay Safe!! 💖😊👍💖🐾🐾

[kofru]

Have you tried using dried spaghnum moss? Unfortunately that is the only one awailable to me.

[dalebrett]

Hi Sid if you don't have rooting hormone you can make rooting hormone from Willow trees you can google it. best of luck!

[treesinpots]

I've always heard not to do two airlayers in a line or on the same branch. I'll be interested to see if they work. Good luck!

[bartstellink]

Very curious how this will turn out, I am going to try and do the same with 2 trees this year. On 1 tree I messed up the roots and the other one had a lot of dead roots and it caused a dead piece at the bottom of the trunk. After all these years they deserve to be saved. Looking forward to see the result. Good luck!

[briankavanagh]

Cooper D in da fence🎧. I'm trying to do a 4" maple air layer using sphagnum moss🤞