Air Layering question

jcesarelli

A quick question or three(I hope) , is there a functional reason for leaving a bridge when air layering and is it necessary to leave a bridge? Trees in question are Japanese Maples. Some texts either do not show it being done or outright advocate against it.

Joseph

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Aaron_K

Hi Joseph,

Yes there is a functional reason for leaving a bridge or bridges beween the bark when airlayering. Some species (like Japanese maples) will tolerate complete ring barking, where the bark is removed all the way down to the heartwood, dusted with hormone powder and wrapped with moss. As a general rule this method works best on deciduous trees.

Other species (like pines for example) won't tolerate such radical damage to the trunk and so the wire tourniquet method is used. As the trunk swells, the wire gradually cuts deeper and deeper, until it causes difficulties for the tree sending food energy from the leaves to the roots, forcing it to put out new ones.

The slither bark method you mention is a medium between the two, with the bridges left intact, supplying nutrients back and forth. The slither technique can be used on those deciduous trees that don't respond to the ring bark method, and also can be used for pines too.

Hope that helps.

All the best,

Aaron

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