Steve,

I think wounding does in fact speed up the time it takes for roots to form but not by enough to really matter or make it worth the risk.  I have tried wounding, scraping, partial girdle and full girdle.  On the hardened but not yet lignified green wood you can get what happened to Harvey and it snaps off. Also have to worry about rot.  You would have to try it yourself but for me the partial girdle seemed the fastest but the difference in time between partial girdle and not doing anything to the branch was like a week?   I'm curious what other people have noticed.  

I remember Martin (Diesler) saying he did no wounding at all to the stems.

I have tried both side by side... usually because I got lazy or it started getting dark. I did not see a definite pattern. Most times there wasn't enough of a difference. Every once in a while a non wounded limb would beat a wounded limb. I did not keep notes to identify what factors was important. I have notice sphagnum moss layers tend to root faster. Even still, I prefer using my normal growing mix for other reasons. In 2007 I had 6 air layers on a Celeste tree in Houston when we got some freezing weather. The limbs were pretty equal in length and caliper, as well as the same height on the tree. Three were wounded, the not. All the wounded limbs died in dramatic fashion to the girdle. There was no other cold damage on the tree. In theory, girdling the limbs should not have made a difference.

Good information James, I use growing mix for the simple reason that re-potting or the up-potting is safer for roots with hardly any damage or disturbance.

Well, well, well, I am busy for a day and certain people know it and take advantage of that fact to roast me on a thread. I usually avoid WillIs' threads like the plague, for he is soulless, and the soulless carry plague, but today I had a little time to waste and thought I'd get my fill of inane chatter while I spent a few quiet moments perched on the throne. My poor wife, only recently removed from the full body cast I had her placed in after her tragic cycling accident in mid April, burst into tears when she saw how I was being mistreated here. It may be another week before she feels able to come out of the dungeon...er, bedroom again and face this cruel world. I'll be at her side when she does.

So, Mr. Machine Shop, I set a Vasilika Sika (Herman) air layer for you a couple of weeks ago. I see now that you are two timing me. Perhaps I'll sell it on the internets for a couple thousand bucks and fling some of that cash in your direction for the air layers you have promised to deliver to me. The homemade blackberry and raspberry jam is off the ledger though. Ah, what could have been for you but for a few careless accusations on a thread you thought I'd never read.

I'll take care of Harvey in person, as he's only a 2.5 hour drive from my home; down and back in one day with a truck bed full of trees I'm going to drag out of his orchard.

Never mess with Dr. Mean (my patients actually call me that - don't like them much either!).

Nelly,

It is about time you saw the thread:)  

FYI I needed two Vasilika Sika, one for me and one for a trade with Hershell.  

He's coming for you Harvey...

Meandoc (so much easier to tipe) - you need to post more, lol.

I second that Gina and the nickname. Post more meandoc.

I think I'll be ok with out that trade. I just canceled all of my Dr. appointments and plan to see a vet instead. I don't want to take a chance and get sent to see meandoc.

Neil,

It could be worse. My brother is an ER doc. My nephews (his sons) refer to him as a "cheesy reassurer".

Ah, Gina and JD, you clearly are people with refined taste and uncommon intelligence compared to some of the folks hereabouts with partially or fully lignified gray matter. My ego (that's right, we are separate beasts) thanks you for the feeding. It was nearly starved by the time it made it through the first 31 posts in this thread. We shall attempt to post more often.

Hershell, from all I've read, you are generous beyond measure (though I question your choice of a couple forum friends). You are an innocent in Wills' nefarious schemes, likely do not even know the acid fingered Harvey and are safe from any fig-related vengeance I might take on them. May your future Vasilika Sika grow unmolested and be fruitful. If I may offer some advice, veterinarians are fine doctors, but not suited to treat an upstanding member of the species homo sapiens like yourself. Stick with MDs, DCs, DDSs and the like and leave to the DVMs the dogs of the F4F membership (you know who you are).

Lol. He has four sons and five daughters. There is always somebody (sometimes me) calling with a problem. My brother's style is more "if you are not in immediate danger, let's see what happens over the next few days."

Ok I went to see my vet friend and he said he wouldn't see me again. Apparently he had been bit before, I really didn't mean to. But I guess I do want the trade.

That (top illustration) looks too much exotic (out of way) for me.
The way I doit, is either using:
(a) a water cup (first drill an ~ 1/2" hole at the bottom, then use a plain scissors to cut/fit cup around twig).
(b) a rooter-pot (no tools required).
Both require to be secured with the twig being air-layered.
Top cover is not essential, add some SM at the top and water more frequently.
I girdle only old wood.

@Harvey - this one (Kesariani/rooter-pot) is for you (girded)... 

@pit  - those two (plain cups) were are all yours from the start ...
(note roots on one of them - started 7/28/14, not girdled)

P.S. Do NOT ever, ever, hold any water/soda bottle cap in the hand while drilling a hole.
I did so, a while back, not for rooting but for venting a dome.
Ended up with a 1/4 inch (nasty) bit going through my left/next-to-thumb lower 1/3 muscle finger tissue.
I can still see the entry/exit hole scars. Luckily all the rest is fine with that finger. No bone tendon damage done.

 

Gorgi,

Nice pictures:)  You are right that those bits can get you especially spade bits.  In this case I would screw them on the bottle, hold the bottle and push it up into the bit....it is a drill press.  It does keep my fingers far away from the spinning parts.  How I do the slits in the caps and the slit in the bottle would probably make Bob Villa cringe but.......so far still have all my fingers and toes and way more brain cells than that bone bender Nells.

Bet you can't count all those brain cells of yours past 21, Mr. 80's TV Celeb.