So, did one of my 'giant' layers recently, & took a few pics to illustrate. I reckon I must have layered the equivalent of 6 yrs growth - maybe more. Is there any interest here in seeing the method described in an old thread of mine? If so, I'll post the link later, & upload the pics to illustrate.

Or maybe I should wait until the layer is proved to be viable a few months after being detached from mummy tree? Any opinions considered.

Processes over time are always instructive...even fails. Share away.

yes Costas, please share:)

ok guys, you asked for it. I'll upload soon, then update the thread after it's been detached and (hopefully) growing on its own in its new site - a kinda progress report you might say. Howzat? 

Yes.....photo montage of the Greek style.  I'm sure your new layers will be just as successful as your other documented and photographed air-layers, but if the new ones fail, and I hope they don't....so what.  Failures can be informative too.

Your old Greek Style thread deserves to be seen by all our new members who may not know about it.  It was a great read.

Frank

Looking forward to any pictures.

Yes, a thread that bumps up with updates would be great!  Looking forward to seeing how this is done!

Hey there Frank. Wouldn't wanna tempt fate or make myself a hostage to fortune, or even lay myself wide open to the charge of hubris, but I've never had a 'giant' air layer fail on me. I repeat - never.

Having said that, I'm the first to admit there's always a first time, and this is almost certainly the biggest air layer I've ever attempted, so the opportunities for ending up with egg on my face are many, rich and varied. Time will tell if I have over-reached myself this time, but basically, I had very little choice in the matter. This garden is about to change hands (along with the house that is attached to it), and I'm layering a tree that will very soon no longer be ours, so I had to make the best of limited time and opportunity. If it fails, at least I'll know the limits of what is possible. To date, I've managed to layer 4 years' growth, so this is at least 50% bigger than anything I've previously attempted.

I'm also speculatively layering a bay-leaf bush, and a plum tree that produces fruit that looks like a very large cherry (also the subject of another thread). I have no idea if they will 'take', but figure it's worth trying anyway just in case. The potential reward will be so much greater than any disappointment arising from their failure. If I only get 1 out of the 3, I'll be a happy bunny. Set my expectations deliberately low so I won't be too disappointed. 

Anyway, I'm touched by the level of interest shown thus far in this thread, and thank you also for your kind words about my original thread on the subject. High praise indeed.

Let the games begin....   Show everyone your huge air-layer.


Frank

Hey, are you doubting mine's bigger than yours?

ok, I wasn't gonna upload until I completed 'Phase II', but guess there's no reason why I shouldn't upload the work in progress - ie Phase I. Just so you know what you'll be looking at:

Phase I - Main air-layer. This is basically the entire tree from around 5' off the ground. Haven't actually measured gross tree height, but I estimate around 12'. That means the layer is around 7' high. The pics only go as far as Phase I at the moment.

Phase II - To be completed on Tuesday. Near the base of the layer are 3 satellite main branches that will themselves be layered. There are 2 reasons for adding a Phase II on this occasion - 

1) The size and 'volume' of the layer makes it unwieldy and difficult to handle/transport, etc., unless these branches are removed. I didn't want to just cut and throw them away (or use them for cuttings), so decided that subsidiary layers were the answer. So you could say 4 for the 'price' of 1, in effect, though in practice the cost is actually doubled coz sphagnum moss isn't exactly cheap over here.

2) These branches will be removed before the main layer, the effect of which should be to reduce the demand made on its root system. In theory at least, the chances of viability of the main air-layer are thus improved, coz its root system now has less to support. Well, that's the theory. The practice may turn out differently.

Anyway, I won't keep you in suspenders too much longer.

Patience guys & gals. Or haven't you heard - it's a virtue.

OK, it's showtime folks. 1st pic shows the target tree, with the 'doughnut' already in place. I think I used 2 black sacks for this d'nut, just to be on the safe side. It's about 4' - 4.5' above ground level, and secured with a wire tie. If you don't have that, string will do, but don't over-tighten.

As you can see, there are branches below the intended layer, so the new owners will still get their figs - assuming they like them. Otherwise, they can always give them to us! The 3 main branches that will be the subject of PHASE II are clearly visible - pics of those layers will follow later.

Next, prepare your container. For this size layer I had to use the largest I could find that was also workable and flexible enough to wrap around the tree. I haven't measured its volume, bit I reckon it's around 15 litres. PHASE II will call for 3x3litre containers. This one is actually the container that houses our halloumi when we occasionally bulk-buy. It works out cheaper - supposedly.

I used a hack-saw and an exceptionally strong scissor-type tool to do the cutting down one side, half way across the bottom, then the hole to accommodate the main stem/trunk.

 

Sorry, slightly out of sequence - a close-up of the d'nut.

Costas,

I have a potted Sals Corleone that is very close in size and shape as yours. I am planning on doing the same thing as you are to shorted my tree and send the rootball to another fig friend I promised last Fall.

I plan on using just about the same size pot as yours but I want to cut at least three girdles all around. I want optimum roots growth because we only have one season to complete this.

Think we can compare notes as the season goes?

OK, quick break from the slide show folks.

Sure we can Rafed. I've also used multiple wounds in the past, but still not convinced that makes much difference in terms of success or failure. Intuitively, you would think the more roots the better, and I can't argue with that.

It's just that I've found that a single wound works just as well - providing you do it near the top of the container of course. That gives the roots the space they need to grow downwards, which is their natural direction of growth. 

Anyroad, to continue the story..............

I prefer to 'girdle' either all or most of the way around the trunk. I know some of you prefer less destructive methods, but I leave that to you and whatever risks you want to take that might affect your chances of success. The fluid you see around the wound is mainly rooting gel, but you can use powder if you prefer. This wound is about 1.25 - 1.5" in length, and as I mentioned to Rafed, cut near the top of where the container will sit. I would allow at least 1" of sphag. moss cover above the top of the girdle.

Thanks,

I usually mix a little moss with the soil but I'll try your method too.

OK, now comes the 'clever' bit. Wrap your container around the trunk so that it sits on the d'nut, then tie some string around it. This is necessary of course to stop it opening up whilst you're filling it with the moss, or at any later stage in the cycle.

This particular plastic is ideal - flexible enough to allow for such manipulation without breaking wide open. If yours breaks, don't panic. Just use strong adhesive tape to put it back together again, and again circle with string for that extra security and strength.


   .

Hmm, that's an %ing idea that has also occurred to me, but never tried it coz I wanted guaranteed success, which this method has always given me. If it works, fine. It would certainly be cheaper, but your container will be quite heavy at this size, so you'd better make sure it's strong enough to take the extra weight.  

Well, you know what's next, right? Fill the darn thing with sphag. moss, or whatever you think works as well, but then don't blame me if yours bites the dust. If it works, fine. Let me know, so I can save myself a small fortune. 

Here's the container in context to give you an idea of size and relative scale.

 

Costas,

Are you going to cover the pot or leave it open?
Aren't you worried the moss will dry up? Or is there another reason for it?

Oh, and no worries on the blame part. We all know you mean every good intention.
What works for one could be a disaster for another. It's the chance many of us take.

Thanks

Costas,

Thanks for sharing the pictures and your procedure...
 
But mine is bigger ; )

Costa,
I'm sure I speak for many of us here who love seeing this type of stuff. That is the largest air layer I have ever seen. Please keep us abreast with the progress and GOOD LUCK to you and also to you Pete.
Awesome.

Hey guys, hold your horses there. I'm not quite done yet. I had to take a short break, if you know what I mean.

And finally (for now anyway), the completed layer in context, and this time I think I managed to get nearly all the tree inside the frame - no mean feat I can tell you. More to follow later.


 

Right now I'd like to grow the tree to the right of the picture.
Too bad we don't have the climate for it.

@ Pete - Well, there had to be one, didn't there? But I have to say, your container looks too small in relation to the diameter of that trunk. Even so, I wish you every success with yours.

@ Rafed - You mean the loquat tree, right? Also one of my favorites, hence my username.  We have several, and we used to get ripe fruit every summer from them - until they went native on me and started to flower in the fall instead of spring. Also the subject of other threads initiated by me. Because of the mild winter we've just had, this is possibly the first year we'll see ripe fruit again since they went native on us around 5 years ago.

I kind of figured that's where your name came from since I saw the picture.
It is an awesome fruit.

There are so many other fruit trees I would love to have but I live in the wrong climate.
To move my family away from their friends and relatives over a fruit tree is just not fair for them.

So I make the best of what I can get.

Maybe one day when I move to a bigger place I can build my dream greenhouse.

@ Rafed - I hope the subsequent post answered most of your questions, but thx for reminding me re. moisture. I check the moss for moisture about 1 month after its installation, and top-up as necessary. I judge it based purely on touch, as I don't know any other way. After that, I check every f/night, coz you gotta remember that the developing roots will consume increasing amounts of water as they grow. For this size layer, I will have to make an educated guess that it will be ready for removal after about 10-12 weeks, and in the final weeks, I might even check moisture level at weekly intervals. 

Because of the lack of easy visual checks, I may end up removing the cover, take the string off the container, and then very carefully partially open the container along the cut in order to ensure that the roots have reached all the way to the bottom. I would then be fairly confident that the layer will survive detachment from the parent plant.

Hope that helps, but if you have any other queries, let me know.

Oh yeah, here's that link where I originally described my method:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/zone-air-layering-5418136?pid=1269578965#post1269578965

Yes,
Your post helped answer the question.

When I checked on my air layers and if they looked like they need a little drink I would use a plastic syringe and inject it into the soil and place a piece of tape to seal the hole. I would do it in different parts in small amounts. 

I looked at your profile and it says you're from London. Is this London England?
Are your winters that mild to where you can grow Loquats?

Yes, London England, and depends on what you mean by mild. This year the temp did not drop below -2C, which our loquats easily survive. Our lowest is usually around -5 to -6C, which in theory is also survivable, but crucially, if it snows, the blossom or setting fruit is destroyed unless I take protective measures.

This year, it didn't even snow, so I didn't need to protect the blossom or setting fruit. Having said that, our springs are obviously not as warm/hot as our summers, so the only remaining question is whether we'll get enough sunshine now to ripen the fruit over the next 2-3 months.

Again, time will tell, but if the fruit can hang onto the tree long enough, then it's just possible it might get some summer sunshine too. I'll update you on my loquat thread when I get the answers.

@ James - Thx for the kind words. Appreciated, & glad you found this thread of interest. I'll update as & when there is more to report.

Thanks for the info.
Compared to where I'm at, your winter is mild. Trust me on this one.
Especially this past winter where we dipped to well below -25f quite a few times. I think this is -31c if I'm not mistaken.

Hope all is well with the Loquat and your other trees.

Well, there's plenty of small, unripe and undamaged fruit on it, so the omens are good so far. As I said, I'll update on that topic too when there's more to report. 

Yeah, I heard about the 'vortex' that affected most of N. & central US this winter. That was a tough one for most plant life to get thru unscathed. Maybe a greenhouse would have helped, but it would have to be heated to make enough difference, and that ain't gonna be cheap, is it?

Anyroad, must sign off now folks. Way past my bedtime, & gotta take the missus to hospital first thing this morning.

Speak again soon.

Sayonara, buenas noches, kali nichta, etc etc.

Just reviewed my slide show, and noticed this part didn't appear for some reason, tho I actually remember writing it up. Bizarre, and no wonder Rafed queried the lack of covering. So, here it is again, and hopefully it will appear this time.

As best as I can recall, the description went along the following lines, tho the 2nd para. is additional:

Cover the whole shebang with any light-excluding material, such as a black sack, and again secure with a wire tie or string. Apparently, roots don't like direct light, which is why they grow mainly underground. The opaque container also helps in this respect, but suffers from the disadvantage that it prevents direct visual inspection of the progress of root growth.

That's a real shame, coz I rely on visual clues to tell me when the layer is ready for severing. The covering also conserves the moisture, so you won't need to top up so often. 

BTW Rafed, based on advice I read on the web, I also tried layering my main loquat tree. All attempts failed - a complete waste of time, so I don't know why the authors thought it possible. The bark simply regrew over the wound - I assume in an attempt to effect a repair of the 'damaged' area. Very strange, and not so much as even a hint of a root. I gave up after about 4 attempts. Some trees are simply not suitable for layering. Ours were all grown from the stone.

That is a huge air layer!  Wow!  My air layers are on much smaller branches, but my trees are all smaller too!  I have a lot of respect for the old ways.  No science involved.  Just methods that work passed down through the generations.  My favorite method of rooting cuttings came from the advice of an old Greek.  It is to just lay them in a trench, cover with soil in partial sun, sprinkle them now and then and be surprised when one day they pop up as little trees.  I leave them in their spots for a few months to be sure they have good root systems.  No mold, rot or fungus gnats with that method.

Nice photos.  Thanks for sharing!

Suzi

@Costas, very impressive. You should tram the tops too, since the tree is still dormant. that way there will be less for the tree to cary. I have been air layering my Dorset and  Fuji, stared in end December and I am just starting to see some very few white roots towards the cellophane wrap... 3 months... when do I cut the trunk separate?
 

@ Suzi:

[QUOTE]My air layers are on much smaller branches, but my trees are all smaller too! [/QUOTE]

That's the point Suzi. The problem with this tree is that it's too tall to reach the fruit on the top branches without a ladder. I prefer to just reach out and pick my fruit without going chair or ladder hunting. In that respect, I'm as lazy as the next guy.

So that's usually the point at which I decide that it's time to layer the tree. It restores everything back to within easy reach without waste, otherwise you're just throwing away years of useful growth. Even if you didn't want the layer yourself, most people have friends or relatives who would thank you for it. This one is going either to a close relative (ie one of my children), or to the care home where my mother-in-law resides. Or possibly even to a close neighbor. I'll let them fight over it.

@ Aaron

[QUOTE]You should tram the tops too, since the tree is still dormant. that way there will be less for the tree to carry.[/QUOTE]

Maybe you missed the posts above where I described this as a 2-phased project. The main branches at the base of the layer will each have their own layers, which by definition removes at least one third of the burden on the main layer.

Also, although not easily visible from these photos (taken mainly from a distance in order to get most of the tree in the frame and facing the sun - which doesn't help), the shoots have actually turned green and started to sprout leaves. My guess is that dormancy is now over, and besides, I'm too greedy to start pruning now (except possibly for cuttings). 

[QUOTE]I have been air layering my Dorset and  Fuji, stared in end December and I am just starting to see some very few white roots towards the cellophane wrap... 3 months... when do I cut the trunk separate?[/QUOTE]

Hmm, I'm a bit wary about advising others when to remove a layer, notwithstanding this thread. I rely on direct visual inspection of the root system to assess when my layers are ready, and since this option is not open to me for your layer, I can only give general advice.

Firstly, is the root system florid? Do most (or at least a lot of the) roots reach to the bottom of the container? Have they started to change color from white to various shades of off-white, brown and orange, etc? If your answer to all these questions is yes, then I'd say your layer was ready for 'excision'.

Sorry I can't be more specific, but as I said, a lot of this is down to judgement based on a visual inspection. Going by your description, I'd say you need another 4-6 weeks before you can consider separation. But whatever you do, don't forget to keep it moist. And I've always found that a very dilute liquid feed in the latter weeks also helps. 

BTW, this tree is an Italian Purple. Not the creme de la creme for taste, etc, but has the distinct advantages of being an early ripener, hardy, and prolific. And the flavor is more than acceptable to boot.

All in all, a good all-rounder. Almost all our friends and relatives have expressed their disbelief that this fruit actually grows and ripens to this level of flavor and sweetness in England. So there you go.

thanks for the advise Costas, we can all see how vigorously your tree has grown, good variety... :)

Hey Frank - where are you? You've gone strangely quiet since you challenged me to 'display my wares'. Have I disappointed? If so, don't worry. There's more to come.

Costas,

I'm looking, but quietly.  You whipped out a very impressive air-layer!  That's some stick you got there.  I'll leave it at that.  Carry on.

Frank

Ah, there you are. Glad you're still alive & kicking, & hope you found the thread instructive, if not %ing.

A wonderful tutorial filled with information.  How can anyone go wrong if they follow this thread. 

Personally, I think air-layering is far better than starting cuttings.  It's just as easy, and if you start the air-layers on the larger branches, you can have many fruiting-size trees in just one season, and with better root systems.

Nice work Costas.

Frank

Couldn't agree with you more Frank. I've always favored layers over cuttings for precisely those reasons. The only other method I would consider is grafting, which I might well try this season. 

In this particular case (assuming it doesn't fall over), you get a mature tree from the off - magic. And most likely ripe fruit in the first season to boot. What more could you ask?

Thx for the kind words. The cheque's in the post.

OK guys (and gals), I now have pics of PHASE II. I did the 3 subsidiary layers last Wed/Thurs. If there's any interest, I'll post later today or early tomorrow with suitable (brief) notes. It's basically the same method, only of course on a smaller scale.

If the main layer fails, at least I'm in with a very good chance of getting 3 small layers out of this little/big project. I regard it as my insurance policy. I'll also have some spare sphagnum moss that can be used on other layers!

This may not be in the right place, but around how big should a fig tree be before attempting to airlayer it?

It's nice to see the process through the progress to the end Costas... load them up bro.

This is a very interesting idea.  I would have never thought to air layer something so big.
Did you leave enough room below the air layer so you have room to work and can safely cut it off and leave a stub to heal so not to damage the mother plant?

Fun to read and also nice pictures to boot.
Thanks for showing us what you did.

@ Patrick - Thanks for your question. I have a 1 yr old Greek Black grown from a cutting that has, in effect, 'bifurcated' from the main stem at a very low level. I'll post a pic later so you can see what I mean.

Anyway, the result is an unsightly-looking plant. The usual solution to this would be to simply remove the smaller of the 2 shoots, and either use it for cuttings, or simply discard. But why not air-layer it instead? So ok, this is not my usual or preferred size for a layer, but since I've already got a home for this one (actually, a forum member), there's no reason I know of why this cannot be done on 'rogue' shoots on even small trees. But if you want to know when I usually do my main 'giant' layers, see my #44 post above.

So that now leaves me with a potted tree that has a single shoot growing at roughly 45 degrees - still unsightly. How am I gonna solve that 'problem'? Well, I could layer that as well, then re-pot straight, but why not simply put it in the ground with the root ball at an angle so that the shoot itself points straight up towards the sky instead of sideways? Problem solved.

@ Aaron - Thanks for your continued interest 'bro'. Watch this space.

Costas types -So that now leaves me with a potted tree that has a single shoot growing at roughly 45 degrees - still unsightly. How am I gonna solve that 'problem'? Well, I could layer that as well, then re-pot straight, but why not simply put it in the ground with the root ball at an angle so that the shoot itself points straight up towards the sky instead of sideways? Problem solved.

Yup .  ; )

@ Joe: Yes indeed - that's one of the principle functions of the donut - to raise the container a good 4-5" above the point where it meets the trunk, and prevent it from sliding down to the trunk. That's why it needs to be pretty secure, and why I use string or wire ties to stop it unravelling.

It also serves to restrict the size of the hole made in the container, which by definition is gonna be bigger than the diameter of the branch. You could end up losing some of your growing medium if you didn't plug the hole.

Sorry Martin, I do occasionally state the blindingly obvious. But don't forget, what's obvious to one person may not be so to another.

Ok, here goes. These are the containers I've selected as being of suitable size for these layers. They are actually 3ltr olive barrels. Yep, we bulk-buy our olives too. As you can probably tell by now, we also like to do things on a grand scale over here across the pond.

But, as previously mentioned, the problem with these opaque containers is that it does make root inspection a bit trickier. Oh well, you can't have everything.

 

The containers in context to give you an idea of scale:

 

Costas with those containers you can cut out in middle a section and tape with clear packing tape for your window.
I did this with a 1 or 2 gallon container several years back and can see roots then.

A close-up of the doughnuts. Also illustrates the point discussed earlier (raised by Joe I believe) about their function - ie ensuring enough distance from the main stem to allow enough 'elbow room' for severing, etc.

 

Hmm, that sounds like a neat idea Martin. Yeah, could well work. Might try it next time - thanks.

So, one of the barrels filled with the moss, and secured with some wire tie.

 

The 3 finished subsidiary layers suitably covered.

 

In context.

 

Costas,  I am amazed you can do this.
You get a fully grown tree probably producing figs in 1st year?
Do you trim the new tree down or leave it the size in the photos?

And an overview from a little further away. BTW, the main layer has a gross height of 8.5' (ie including the container), and the trunk an average dia. of 1.9". When sunk into the ground, it will stand around 7' tall.

 

Hello again Joe. Why so amazed? There's nothing special about what I do - anybody on this forum can do it, given the right equipment.

But yes, I would expect to have ripe fruit off this tree in it's first year. Indeed, fruit ripens on it whilst still attached to the parent tree, so I assume you count the 1st year as the 1st growing season after being detached from the parent tree. I'd be very surprised if it failed to deliver in its 1st year.

As for cutting back, well yes, I guess you could do that, but I prefer to leave well alone for a year or 2 at least. Humanly speaking, it's already been thru one trauma, so I'd rather save the additional 'surgery' for a later date. I know about the increased risk of failure if there's too much on top of the root ball, but I'll take my chances & trust my judgement on that one.

OT, but this one's for Rafed:

 

And here's another one:

 

And yet another:

 

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 

[QUOTE]Do you trim the new tree down or leave it the size in the photos?[/QUOTE]

Forgot to mention. Take another look at the pics in # 63 & 65. See where the main stem continues above the 3 branches that are now layered? The long-term plan (ie a yr or 2 down the line) is to layer it again at that point and get another mature tree out of it. So that's a total of 3 trees from one. Not bad, eh? For that reason, I'm reluctant to cut it back, either now or after it's been removed from the parent plant. Nothing goes to waste around here.

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.

[QUOTE=loquat1]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.[/QUOTE]

Ah thats just fine !

[QUOTE]My favorite method of rooting cuttings came from the advice of an old Greek.  It is to just lay them in a trench, cover with soil in partial sun, sprinkle them now and then and be surprised when one day they pop up as little trees.  I leave them in their spots for a few months to be sure they have good root systems.  No mold, rot or fungus gnats with that method.       - Suzi[/QUOTE]
                                                                                       

Suzi, do you mean like this?:

 
I covered these (actually cuttings from my unidentified TbF [Tasty but Fussy], so slightly OT) with about 2-3" of PM, but if they sprout, I can imagine it might be quite tricky to separate those roots without losing some of them, Maybe I planted them too close together? Or maybe I shouldn't try separating all of them, and just grow them bush-style - ie in groups of 2-3 cuttings?

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.

[QUOTE=pino]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.[/QUOTE]

Joe,
I imagine there might be some online info about what species can be air-layered.  I am no expert, have not tried it yet, but I have heard that the walnut family and other nut trees, and peaches/plums/apricots are not very amenable to this method.  I saw above where Costas was trying it on a plum tree - I am interested in seeing what results from this.

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.