And here are the other 'giant' layers, though these are speculative - in the sense that I have no idea if they will take. But I figured they were worth a try. I might also try a less ambitious layer on each tree on the basis that a younger shoot probably has a more active cambium layer that is more likely to throw out roots.

First, the bay leaf bush:

 

And secondly, the plum that looks like a large cherry:

 

And finally the plum tree a little further away for context:

 

@ Joe 

Courtesy of Frank, here is a related link:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0401294522811.html

Aaron, you should take a look at this, as it also addresses a question you put to me above. What I like about this thread is that it suggests even ordinary soil works just fine - just gotta try that now, & save myself a small fortune on that sphag. moss. I think I might go with ordinary potting compost first by way of comparison and experiment. Can't wait to see the results.

Thanks Frank, that's one cool link, and as you say, the method shown here is not a million miles from what I do. I guess we Greeks use slight variations of the same basic themes.

Those Loquat trees looks nice Costas.

A few years ago I picked up a load from a place Palos Alto, California. It's near San Francisco.
There was a Loquat tree there and it was loaded with pea sized fruit.

The people there didn't know what it was but I told them they were lucky to have such a tree and didn't know what they were missing. I told them to keep an eye on the fruit for the next couple months as they grow.

But back to your air layer,
I have to tell you this is an amazing job you are doing.
No matter what method you use in air layering yours has topped them all. I never imagined doing an entire tree like this.

My idea was just to do the main trunk and send the root ball to a friend. But now with your method I will also do a couple branches to go along.

Thanks for the idea.

Costas here is example of the window taped inside and outside with clear tape so roots can be seen.
The figs left on did ripen.

@ Rafed - You're welcome. Always glad to expand others' horizons about what is possible.

@ Martin - Hmm, I see what you mean now. Yep, I think that's not only a good solution to the opaque container problem, but also still doable even now. It occurs to me that if I cut out a strip of the container near its base and then cover the gap with strong transparent adhesive tape, I could probably still get a working version of a 'window' for my layers. Of course, the tape can only be applied to the outside of the container now, but I don't see why that still won't work as a compromise version of the same basic idea.

Alternatively, I could simply wait till the end of the growing season like those Gk farmers in Frank's link, and detach after those containers are 'bulging' with roots. How could that root ball possibly fail to support the growth above?

Sure could do that you may rip just a few roots with tape on outside but it won't hurt anything .
With that size container i would thing it can support the plant well.

Have used regular size water bottle for airlayers and at worst lost leaves with the bigger airlayers but never the plant.
Best of luck .

@ Martin - As you say, tearing a few roots that are stuck to the tape is neither here nor there. In fact, I'm even beginning to question the need for any tape at all. Simply cutting a narrow 'window' into the container near its base with a box cutter then covering up again with the black sack should also do the trick. To inspect root growth, I would only need to remove the black sack, which has to be done anyway even for transparent containers. I doubt the moss would 'leak' if the window is narrow enough.

I also have lost leaves from my largest layers, and wondered if they might be dying. But since dormancy was their normal state around that time anyway, I wasn't too concerned. Sure enough, by the following spring, new shoots could be seen pushing thru every time.

My guess is that separation from the parent tree can induce premature dormancy as a survival mechanism, but the new tree always recovers. Luckily for us fig lovers, they seem to be very resilient trees, and their ability to shed leaves probably has a lot to do with that.

Hi loquat1,
If they loose leaves, it is because you don't water them - you can sustain them just with watering.
My actual biggest ufti had 7 trunks - and I tared 3 apart in September 2012 - you can imagine I sew them but I sew in the dirt - they had an handfull of roots and dirt attached to their base.
In 2013, one had 4 brebas no maincrop, the two others together got 20 maincrop figs. One 11 Liters watering can every day or two days - that was all it took me - they had some light wilted leaves for 3 days, and then they took off .
No leaf was lost - but they had no figs hanging on them since February 2012 hurt them bad !

Hello jdsf

All my layers, even the largest, go straight into pots after separation. And I most certainly do water them, but 11ltrs a day is out of the question and unnecessary when they are potted. I don't ground them, coz I rarely keep them for myself - my layers are almost always given away. I prefer to give growing trees or branches rather than cuttings, for obvious reasons.

But thanks for your interest and post anyway.

Always enjoy members pictures on forum and Costas i look forward to seeing this season more of yours.

There will be a bit of a gap now, coz none of those layers will be coming off anytime soon. My best guess is 3 months for the subsidiary layers, and 4-5 months for the main layer. So in fact that's a total of 5 new trees from the one original. Amazing.

I'll be layering my Gk Yellow tonight. Luke and Liza will be pleased. They are on my list as recipients.

Also slightly OT, but these are even more recent (& much smaller) layers done on my Gk Yellow:

 

These branches are around 2.50 - 3.0' high (about 2 yrs growth), and I used 1.5 - 2ltr containers. Would it be correct to assume that the majority of layers done by forum members are roughly this size?

Before anyone asks, yes, they will be covered, tho with all that string getting in the way, I can see that will be slightly more tricky than usual.

And again in context for scale:

 

Tip my hat very organized.

You're too kind Martin. Dunno how you coudda possibly got that impression from just seeing my air-layers tho.

Been around forum a while and notice certain thing about members.  ; )

This air layering thing is giving me some ideas on how to propagate other trees that I have had challenges grafting in the past(i.e. nut trees).
Not all trees grow roots when girdled or encouraged with IBA or other hormones. 
Is there a way to know if a tree variety can be propagated by layering? 
Some trees I would like to propagate are sweet walnuts, sweet chestnuts, pomegranate, jujubes, persimmons, peaches, apricot and kiwi.

I'll update when I know myself, which won't be long now. If they throw out roots, there should be some evidence of them in a couple of weeks. I looked up air-layering on this plum tree, and I believe I came across a site that suggested layering was a possible method of propagation.

I'm not overly confident on this one coz I came across a similar ref. for loquats, which I have not been able to layer. All our loquats were grown from seed. I haven't looked up the bay leaf bush yet, but it occurs to me that I might have stood a better chance of success with both if I were less ambitious and stuck to layering young shoots instead. I might do that too as a back-up plan if I find any info. that suggests this is the preferred method.

A serendipitous discovery. Always wondered if this was possible, but dismissed the idea coz I was pretty sure the plastic these pots are made from is too inflexible to work. I was wrong, & glad I tried it. Also glad I kept them - I normally throw them away. No more hunting around for suitable plastic bottles.

They are easier to fill than bottles coz of the wider mouth, easier to work with than flimsy plastic bottles, come in convenient different sizes that can be matched to air-layer size, and when separated are already in a presentable state if they are gifts for friends or relatives. What more could you ask? Perfect I say. Well, almost.

I have to qualify that, coz they are only really suitable if the branch is close to perpendicular. Much more than a 20 degr tilt, and keeping the soil in place could be problematic. I used a mixture of sphag. moss, PM and ordinary garden soil for this one.

Of course, I can't speak for US pots. If they are made from a different kinda plastic, then this use may not be possible. Why don't one of you give it a go & let us know?

 

This is the filled pot in context. All I need to do next time is cut out that window near the bottom as suggested by Martin.

 

The empty pots are air-layers-in-waiting.

 

 

Till next time fellow-figgers.

More for Rafed to drool over. Some of my loquats have bitten the dust, but others seem to be coming along nicely. Looking forward to some good ripe samples after a long absence.

 

 

Oh yeah, sorry - shoudda warned ya all - OT.

Just checked the air layers on my Bay Leaf tree & Early Trans Gage plum (that looks like a cherry) tree. Neither have taken. Zero. Zip. Nada. Zilch. Kaputnik. Damn. :-(.

Oh well. it was always gonna be a long shot. At least the Italian Purple is well under way, so still have great hopes for one massive & 3 modest trees out of this 'little' beauty.