What's your air layer criteria?

Crazy for Crotons

Crazy for Crotons

Well-Known Member
2,050
29/06/09
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south Tampa, Bokeelia
What does a plant have to look like before you slap on an air layer? Of course, the 5 foot tall plant with three leaves on top is a candidate. I'm talking about the less obvious situations where the plant is leggy but maybe only 2 feet tall. Is it a good idea to air layer a plant that defoliated but is coming back with new growth only on top? Should you wait a season for the plant to regain its strength?
 
Great questions,I am pretty new to airlayering so I am putting on several each week and getting some experience.I tried the more common varieties first to get the hang of it.I had about a 80% success ratio but the time was not right (January).I have since put on a couple more on some harder to find varieties.I will attach some pics in a minute.
 
Frank Brown with 2 layers.After layering tree will be around 4 ft tall.It is currently around 6 ft tall.I took the layers from the back.
 

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Unknown tall croton,currently around 10ft tall.I am making two "standard" layers each around 5 ft tall from this one.An ID would be great if anyone can identify.The leaves are petty big (16" or so)
 

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Finally a super slow Satan.Has grown only 2ft in 5 years.I put two layers on this one.
 

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Any plant that starts to block a pathway gets cut back. Recently, I've been air-layering the larger Crotons that get in the way. Just moved a huge piece of Thomas Edison into a 3-gallon can from an airlayer. Almost 36" tall in the can.
 
Bullwinkle said:
Unknown tall croton,currently around 10ft tall.I am making two "standard" layers each around 5 ft tall from this one.An ID would be great if anyone can identify.The leaves are petty big (16" or so)
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Bullwinkle,

Where do you get those coot air layer cans?
 
Some plants are more reluctant than others to put out new leaf heads below the air layer. Last year, I air layered a General Lawrence and below the foil was one measly head that never developed well. As a result, the original "weakened" plant did not survive the past winter. I gave Phil Stager the "new" plant but do not know if it survived. If I'd not put on an air layer, it may have had a better chance. This brings me to the question. You've got a leggy plant with one primary stem. Do you put on an air layer half way up so that when removed later, only the new growth is left on the original plant. It didn't seem risky in the past but after the "General Lawrence" incident, I'm less likely to risk the original plant until it has regained some strength.
 
RIP for the Gen lawrence. I suspect the original would have survived or at least had a better chance. Sin gle trunk plants do not get the top air-layered unless I know it has a strong in-ground root system (but then I should not have let it get so tall and leggy - pinch, pinch, pinch..) At any rate, I've got about 30 air layers cooking - most will be in the 3 gal size container.
 
Crazy for Crotons said:
What does a plant have to look like before you slap on an air layer? Of course, the 5 foot tall plant with three leaves on top is a candidate. I'm talking about the less obvious situations where the plant is leggy but maybe only 2 feet tall. Is it a good idea to air layer a plant that defoliated but is coming back with new growth only on top? Should you wait a season for the plant to regain its strength?
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Depends if it is my plant or not ... :p
 
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