Air layering!

[charlie]

In the last few years I have been experimenting with those plastic globe thingys that have great things claimed for them! anyway the first lot I bought worked well on the larger sizes but were expensive and came as setts with lots of different sizes, most of which I ended up not using. BUT I had some success with some hard to do plants and I was particularly pleased with the Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth' as the resulting rooted plant was already 4' tall when I potted it. Sadly they also became brittle after about 5 years so I am trying some new cheaper ones!

Then I found it difficult to replace peat in the globes, chad suggested using sphagnum moss which as I have it in the ponds seemed a good plan but it dries out a lot quicker than the peat and I thought my latest attempts had been a complete failure but as I inspected the globes today found the Lonicera hilderbrandiana had formed some nice callous (it never roots properly to start with)

DSC_0004 by charliepridham, on Flickr

DSC_0005 by charliepridham, on Flickr

So I now have a couple in the mist unit and will see if they root through and will report back

[Paul S]

How about rockwool?

[Taffy]

Been air layering for years using just cling film and sphagnum. If the sun's on the wrap I just put some baking foil on . The above pic is Fatsia polycarpa Edward Needham form.

[Chad]

Taffy, how much do you wound the stem before wrapping?

And I'm in awe of your prop house and of its neatness!

Charlie, neat sphagnum is what is traditionally used.

Are you sure your moss is sphagnum? Pictures please, including a good close up.

The bit sticking out of the globe doesn't look like sphagnum.

Sphagnum is available from 'the sheds' at this time of year for either hanging basket fabrication or terrariums, the second link has a reasonable picture of 'true' sphagnum.

If you don't have sphagnum on your ponds, John could supply a 'starter pot' to establish it.

If it is drying out too fast you could either add a little Swellgel, or add water occasionally.

Chad

[charlie]

The sphagnum I used was bought in but looks sort of similar to whats in my ponds I will try and get a picture

[Chad]

Extra thought.

They shouldn't dry out.

Try wrapping the whole thing in cling film.

There should be a moist, because live, plant section in there which should make up for minor water losses.

So you must be losing more than the the plant can replace.

Chad

[Taffy]

Taffy, how much do you wound the stem before wrapping?

And I'm in awe of your prop house and of its neatness!

Chad

Chad , depending on the thickness of the stem I either cut the traditional ring or if a good thickness, some wedges. Rooting hormone is optional depending whether it's to hand or not. Either way I can't remember any failures. I'll be air layering my Schefflera delavayi tomorrow but I'll be trying some very fibrous compost as opposed to my usual shop bought sphagnum.
The polytunnel was just a temporary measure after the house move. I've since built myself a greenhouse out of bits n pieces......

[charlie]

Looking at my picture below I suspect it is "a moss" but perhaps not sphagnum! which means I was sold the wrong thing in the first place - I will speak to John on Sunday :)

DSC_0001 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[Chad]

John and I both bought some airlayering pods and we tried to put some on a Rhododendron.

The practicalities were greater than I had expected!

What do you use to keep the pod closed?

How do you stabilise it so that it doesn't move up and down or rotate on the stem?

Cling film didn't seem to hold it, and I'm considering gaffer tape.

I'm putting off trying it until I can work out how to do it more neatly than we managed at the first attempt!

All advice received with thanks.

Chad

[charlie]

I have several different designs of pods, my favourite have a clip on one side that latches on to the other side and keeps it closed, the others I use cable ties. Success seems to vary a lot, Lonicera hildebrandiana most take, Lonicera calcarata none! Magnolia grandiflora did well but was slow, but Tecemanthe did not even try. I suspect timing may have a bit to do with it