Hi; I tried to air layer 3 small shoots on my loquat tree.I removed the outer layer,a 1 inch ring, and scuffed up the inner layer.I used rooting hormone then wrapped moss and plastic around it.I put alum foil over it to keep out the light.After 4 weeks I looked and nothing happened.The shoots are still growing.Has anyone else done this.I guess that I may not have 'wounded' it enough to make it sprout roots. Should I cut deeper and put a toothpick in it to keep it from healing ? Any help would be great. regards

-- ourfarm (ourfarm@noaddr.com), March 10, 2002

Answers

According to Eleanor C. Foerste, Horticulture Agent, http://osceola.ifas.ufl.edu/archives/loquat.htm sounds like you did just like the site stated: To air layer, remove a few leaves 8" to 12" from the shoot tip, so you have a 4" to 6" stem section exposed. Hold the sheet of plastic in your hand and place the clump of wet moss, form a good seal to hold in moisture.

Did the moss stay moist?

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 10, 2002.

try the flap method next, cut a flap about 1/4 of the diameter wide and 1/2 inch or so long[it depends on how big the branch is, so just cut the size that looks about right for the branch],down into the inner bark, put in the hormone, wedge it open with a twist of damp moss, put the extra damp moss and wrap as you did before, but peak at the plastic every few days to check for fog droplets on the inside of the plastic, if it looks too dry open and spray lightly, then rewrap.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002.

I was under the impression that it took much longer than 4 weeks to get rooting from an air layering - more like months. Have I gotten bad info?

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), March 11, 2002.