FMD thanks for sharing from start to finish. Makes the process really simple. I have rooter pots like the ones Bass sales but I may just change to this.

Very interesting, thanks for the pictorial . I've not tried this yet , but will next season. This step by step is most appreciated!
Great tip on the baster too!

FMD what's the tree you do this on?

Thank you as well. That's a freakish little root ball, things going nuts!

A plastic bottle with pointed cap from a craft store should work pretty well too.
Something like this. You'd be able to trim the top to deliver as much water as you would want.

FMD,

Thanks for posting the pics and followup. This post was the inspiration for me to start my first air layers. I did not use foil (1 gallon water jugs), but due to the concise picture tutorial and comments, I was inspired. I now have 5 active air layers with lots of root growth.

Thanks,

This particular variant is Nero.

I really went overboard with the air layering this year but not as bad as last year when  I air layered everything including my King Charles spaniel. It was not the proudest moment of my life. 

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/A-Tail-of-Air-Layering-Gone-Horribly-Wrong-5454142?highlight=bella

Thanks for the link... that is hilarious. 



Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty.......


.

I have an air layering question, I bought some rooter pots and put them to use late in the season. I've checked all three rooter pots and they all seem to have nice root growth but not sure if I should risk snipping them off now and wait til next year???

I'm asking cuz I'm not sure if they're on their way to going dormant already or not......I don't really have much air layering experience....yet! :D


Any guidance would be appreciated!

If you have good root formation, pot them now! The mother tree will go dormant but the potted airlayer will continue to grow under the right environment. You will not need to worry the air layer drying out or freezing on the tree during winter. Win-Win.

TY!

Those are impressive airlayer roots. I wonder if your summers are hotter than ours here. I am too anxious to wait for them to get that big. I try planting soon I see that the branch is rooting, but I am doing in much fatter branches.  So far, they have made it into the new soil, however, they dropped their leaves soon after planting.  The newbie is active and shooting new branches- which is good.
these pictures are awesome - thanks for posting them.

Grasa, the air layers were started Sept 3 and the first batch were potted 4 weeks later. Different varieties grow roots at different rates. I found Nero, Sicilian Red, Sal's C, Atreano, LSU Gold to be really fast and vigorous. Slower rooters were LSU Purple, Vista, Scott's Black and a few others. The slowest were  were Sal's EL, Hardy Chicago, Beall, Alma, VDB amd some others.

Here is an LSU Purple I potted a few days ago.

FMD, I realize it is late in the season but I started one today using your 2 minute method. We'll see how it does this late and if
it will continue rooting if it becomes necessary to take it inside. Looks like for the next two weeks we have highs in 70-75 range.
The night time lows may get me though.

Bumping this old thread because I am going to try this method on some of my trees soon.  It's quick and easy.  Highly uncomplicated. 

I made a promise to a vintner in Temecula Wine country as a thanks for gifting us two $90 passes to the harvest festival that I would bring fig her cuttings.  She was thrilled (Italians do love their figs), but our winter was warm, and nothing went dormant.  So now she will be getting rooted plants.

I love this method!  Much easier than those I have tried before.

Foil + damp potting mix.  Doesn't get easier than that!

Suzi

Amazing, quick guide!  :)

Would have had trouble finding this as there are like hundreds of things popping up on searches.  Thanks Suzi!

This pictorial makes it look so easy! 
I can't wait to try a few.
Does the mother tree have to be a certain size or age so that it doesn't get stunted by the air layering?
 

I was thinking of recycling plastic water bottles. Split them up the side cut the bottom off. Slide over branch, fill w soil, tape up the side. Wrap with aluminum foil is optional.

@pino:  My first air layers were done on a 1.5 year old VdB.  The mother didn't suffer at all.  When I cut the air layer, she just put out more branches.

@ADelmanto:  The water bottle method has been proven to work well also.  The foil puts the roots in the dark where they should be, and also reflects the hot sun.

Suzi