An Update on my Air Layers

Here’s an update on some of the air layers I’ve been working on over the past 12 months.

This Acer Shiraswanum was layered last year in early summer, which caused it to display autumn colour very early.

It was separated from the rootstock in the Spring of this year an secured into a large plastic pot for stability and further root development

The new leaves this year are looking good and behaving normally but it hasn’t put on any new extension growth yet. I will probably give it another year in this pot before transferring it to a training pot.

This hawthorn  was started  a couple of years ago.

When it was severed from the parent plant, there were not that many roots on the layer and most of these were on one side of the tree

It was planted into this training pot to allow the roots time to develop. Its been in there for 2 seasons now and the roots are pushing out the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. I will transfer this to a new pot next Spring.

This larch was started in Spring this year. It has no sign of any new roots yet and the foliage is looking a little weak. I’ve increased the amount of sphagnum moss around the layer and we’ll see how it looks by the end of the season

On the other hand, this little cotoneaster, which was also started this year is showing lots of new roots at the moment. I could sever it now but I think I will leave it until next year to do so.