First Attempt at Air-Layering

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Zimmy

Registered:1309232475
Posts: 8

Posted 1424846348	Reply with quote #1

After reading about everyone saying how easy it was, this past summer my wife and I made our first foray into air layering some branches on our Violette de Bordeaux, Blue Celeste, and Black Mission. This was driven by the rotting of too many of the cuttings I have tried to root over the last couple years. We used moistened green sphagnum moss in small disposable water bottles. A soldering iron was used as a hot knife to cut open the bottles and open a hole in the bottom for the branch to pass through. Packing tape and aluminum foil sealed in the water. Periodic checking of the moss for moisture surprised me at how long it stayed damp in the hot summer we had. The Black Mission and VdB rooted readily, while the Blue Celeste took much longer. The Supplies Using the soldering iron to cut open the bottle Girdling ~1" wide strip with my grafting knife on the VdB Applying the damp sphagnum moss-filled bottle with the girdle near the bottom After tape and foil The Black Mission after about one month, ready to plant Potting up in a 1-gal with pumice, sand, and peat moss Black Mission after potting Black Mission and VdB in the 'nursery' This was a fun experiment, I'm sure I will try it again if I have any long branches that will otherwise get pruned. It sure beats checking cuttings every day for proper humidity levels/mold. __________________ Zimmy Tustin, CA, Zone 10a Black Mission, Blue Celeste, Conadria, Panache, Violette de Bordeaux, 187-25

jc_figs

Registered:1416095240
Posts: 351

Posted 1424846981	Reply with quote #2

Nice results good job __________________ Name JAILEN feel free to call me jc ........wish list...... black madeira ,ischia b lack, green ischia, patrics super giant, rdv, negronne, maltese falcon, lsu gold, lsu purple, lsu tiger, lounge d out, golden, celeste, black jack, black mission, brunswick, blue ischia, panache, strawberry latte, armenian, mvsb, col de dame, col de dame grise, col de dame noir, hardy chicago, peters honey, peti negri, unknowns, magnolia, kathleen black, labanese, and any othere except bt, and celeste improved bt or celeste are fine ,cuttings/plants zone 8a goldsboro north carolina. I'm proved Celeste or BT welcome!! figs growing brown turkey celeste and unknown yellow fig

Yeehova

Registered:1396914416
Posts: 210

Posted 1424862999	Reply with quote #3

I think I am going to try this year as well assuming some of by above ground growth its still alive. Thanks for the pictures. __________________ Brian Wish list: Col de Dame

andreas

Registered:1401724296
Posts: 372

Posted 1424863885	Reply with quote #4

GREAT JOB!!! __________________ andreas-patras Patra Peloponnisos Greece zone..9a

eboone

Registered:1378418906
Posts: 1,101

Posted 1424868813	Reply with quote #5

Nice work, nice documentation of the process. I am also going to try air-layering this year for the first time, but here I still have a long while to wait for warm weather :( __________________ Ed Zone 6A - Southwest PA --------------------------- Short wish list: CDDG, LSU Red, Dark Greek (Navid), Col Littman's Black Cross. And any cold hardy early fig.

deerhunter16b

Registered:1352062719
Posts: 785

Posted 1424873340	Reply with quote #6

Great job...air layering is definitely the way to go, if you want a ready made tree.... __________________ john Zone 7a

DesertDance

Registered:1247674606
Posts: 4,518

Posted 1424874732	Reply with quote #7

Good job! My first air layer was on VdB too! I made two. One for me and one for my son's family. They are young and too busy for kids. They water it now and then, when I come over and inquire...... LOL. I plan on doing several air layers this year on my favorite fig trees. Trees I would hate to lose to gophers. I'll keep the extras in containers just in case of death to gopher. Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1424880311	Reply with quote #8

GRATE FIRST ATTEMPT AND YOU DID IT LIKE A PRO. I believe that this can be done on any tree. I did it to my plum tree over winter and just planted it 3 weeks ago and it is in full bloom. If i would have took a cutting and not a air layer it would have not bloomed for 5 years. Air layers keep the trees to their true age. So definitely rhe way to go __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

Gina

Registered:1330452963
Posts: 2,260

Posted 1424882625	Reply with quote #9

Super nice roots, nice photos. :) I've also used empty water bottles cut down for air-layering. I was successful using a good pair of pruning sheers to do the cutting instead of anything hot. __________________ WillsC's new fig forum: http://www.Ourfigs.com (and blueberries)

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