Keeping Just The Tops?

bonsaial1

I decided to air layer out the tops of a few trees I had laying around. One is an elm, one of those I removed from the elm forest from last year. The other is a trident maple. I had it in a very shallow pot and some of the roots pushed up to the surface and made it look rather ugly. I decided that I would take the top portion out as an air layer.

This is the elm tree. I have decided to do two layers at the same time. The bottom layer will be a cascade tree, and the top layer will be a moyogi styled tree. I should be able to remove these in about 5 months.

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bonsaial1

Close up of the nice clean cuts around the trunks. The cuts have to be very clean, if you want roots to issue all the way around evenly. Making the cuts at this time of year is very simple, the bark is floating on a layer of sap, and it just comes off very easily.

I dust the surface with rooting hormone in preperation for the next step.

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bonsaial1

Both cuts have been covered with wet sphagnum moss and covered with clear plastic. I use clear plastic so I can see the roots when they start growing.

I keep the plant in the shade for a week or two.

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bonsaial1

THis is the trident maple. Right now it is in the formal upright style. The trunk has poor taper, and the branches are too large for the trunk. After I take the top off, I will chop it back, remove the branches and start over on this puppy.

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bonsaial1

Close up of the cuts. This tree will be only 1 1/2 inches tall when removed from the tree. The trunk will be 1 inch across at the base. The branches are already pretty good on this one.

The tree will be like the ones in Bonsai Today by Kyosuke Gun, the ones that look like a little pig in a pot!

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bonsaial1

Here it is in its clear plastic bubble. I should be able to remove all three of these trees in about Sept. I'll wait to see how the weather is and may wait till spring to be sure.

I'll keep you guys posted on how there coming along in the bags.

Bye for now, Bonsai-al

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Mittar

Thanks for showing the process Al.

forgive my inexperience but I've always read(and it made sense to me) that doing two airlayers at the same time wouldn't work. Have you had much success in this, please explain for my benefit

bonsaial1

Mittar, good question. I'll guess we'll find out together!!

I will let you guys and gals know what happens.

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Travesty34

bonsaial1,
I have not been a member of this board for long, so this was posted long before I joined. I would really like to know what the results were for these trees. Was there a different post or pics somewhere else? Please let me know how this worked out.
Thanks

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