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Foil Ball Air Layering

Since the forum has photo posting issues I decided to put this all into a blog post and link it.  Easiest air layering I ever did.  Will do a lot more of it this year.

http://figsfortsmith.blogspot.com/2017/01/foil-ball-air-layering-of-figs.html
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Charlie , thank you for the post, I really enjoyed reading it and will try your technique. Pretty smart on the way you did the mold to speed up the process. Thank you for teaching this newbies different ways of air layering, never heard of this technique wonder if it would works
on peach,nectarine and cherry trees?
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You are "the man", Charlie... Love your fully documented experiments.... Super!
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I think I'll have to try that method this year. Seems pretty easy!!
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Originally Posted by newb2figs
Charlie , thank you for the post, I really enjoyed reading it and will try your technique. Pretty smart on the way you did the mold to speed up the process. Thank you for teaching this newbies different ways of air layering, never heard of this technique wonder if it would works on peach,nectarine and cherry trees?


It might but might not be a good thing to do.  Most fruit trees are grafted onto a cold hardy, dwarf or prolific or disease resistant rootstock.  If you air layer and plant it then you lose whatever that rootstock is providing.  
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You have a great point Charlie, didn't think of that, got to excited of the new method and just want to try it out..
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Great post. I used to make regular business trips to south Florida to buy potted foliage plants. This was the go to method that the growers were using for propagating ornamental ficus species (F.benjamina, nitida, lyrata, etc.) among others. . I remember ficus hedges with thousands and thousands of those little foil balls.

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Good idea!
 I am now using a combination of cotton balls for moisture and fiberfill from old pillows to provide structure for the roots, got tired of roots breaking off.  I did not take picts of the fiberfill last season but I will this season.

I have not tried the empty chamber in ar layering but I have put cuttings in a humidity chamber with no media, roots fine.  You have to find the sweet spot for temp, moisture, and air.  I put a layer (1") of wet sand in the bottom of my tubs and that seems to work.
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Wow thank you for the link and taking the time to share...enjoyed your write up.
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Hey Charlie: You come up with the greatest Ideas! Thanks so much Bud!
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The empty ball is amazing, I cant believe that works!! Very interesting, Thank you!!
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Originally Posted by figwood1
The empty ball is amazing, I cant believe that works!! Very interesting, Thank you!!


It works to a point, then they shrivel up and the end. It was fun and a few people said it wouldn't work so you know, just had to see it to the end.  Too many fig experts and not enough trial and error going on. Figs do what they want to do is the conclusion I've reached.  No earth shattering discovery here, it works a lot better to use media. 
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Genuis!  I love that you did a great job of documenting your trials.

Thanks for posting it!
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HA, Ha I mis spelled Genius....

I clearly am not one.
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Very clever use of a ball. Great work and wonderful job documenting.
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Originally Posted by Charlie
It might but might not be a good thing to do.  Most fruit trees are grafted onto a cold hardy, dwarf or prolific or disease resistant rootstock.  If you air layer and plant it then you lose whatever that rootstock is providing.
But not all - so I also would love to know if this works on pear trees, etc...?
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Originally Posted by yeren
But not all - so I also would love to know if this works on pear trees, etc...?


Gitterdone  [1f603] 
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Originally Posted by newb2figs
Charlie , thank you for the post, I really enjoyed reading it and will try your technique. Pretty smart on the way you did the mold to speed up the process. Thank you for teaching this newbies different ways of air layering, never heard of this technique wonder if it would works on peach,nectarine and cherry trees?


I would not worry about rootstock except maybe for cherries (unless you want 25 foot trees). The technique probably would not work on stone fruit. So far I have seen only one method that works that involves girdling with wire. The technique here could be used once girdled. Any method of girdling might work? Removing bark and cambium layer might work? Again the only technique i saw that works is using a wire to girdle, it helps concentrate hormones I guess? It was discussed on gardenweb. I have to try it sometimes. I have never seen another method that worked on stone fruit.
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Could you describe this Pure wood chip and leaf compost more?

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Originally Posted by Hot_Stuff
Could you describe this Pure wood chip and leaf compost more?


The tree trimming service crews dump at the city recycle yard and the city hauled a couple of dump truck loads to my house a few years ago.  It composted and had very many worms working in it as well in my yard.  That's about it.  I sifted it through a 1/4 inch hardware cloth as needed and didn't add anything.
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Thanks Charlie for this thread. It looks like a great way to do air layers. I need to do ton's of them this year, and not just figs. I probably will use this technique. As far as stone fruits, check this out for info on air layering them. Sadly Alcedo has passed away. He was a member of growing fruit too. He sent me many seeds, and if I ever develop a stone fruit cultivar his name shall be on it. We lost a great guy.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1515992/rooting-peach-and-nectarine-cuttings

One day I will dig out his technique from his posts and post it on growing fruit forums.
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