Holy Moly IT's WORKING!!! My first airlayer ever!

[Jamie0507]

Okay yes.. I feel like a big kid right now b/c this airlayer worked like magic.. And I was entirely convinced that I probably would end up killing my little Marseilles Black fig tree.. But on August 24th I gave it a try and just 8 days later I'm a believer! Lol! So help me not to screw this one up guys.. About how many roots do I need to see (in order to maximize my chances of success) b4 attempting to seperate the airlayer from the mother plant? I've done some searches and found some informative discussions, but can you guys look at the pics im posting and tell me what your opinions/estimations are on the time I should wait? Or signs I should look for? I know.. I have very little confidence in my fig tree growing skills, but I'll get better with that in time. Honestly I think I'd be heartbroken though if I end up screwing this up, so I'm really hoping my 1st air layer will be a success! I tried to root a cutting on this same tree earlier in this season, but it was an 'epic fail' (as described by my 12 y/o lol)


I also won my 1st bid ever on Ebay for a couple Cddn cuttings 2 days ago! Bought them from a fellow forum member here on ourfigs, so I felt good about going for it

Yay! It seems I'm on a roll for trying new fig related things! Lol! Such a noob.. I know 😁

Looking forward to any & all advice.. You guys rock & I hope to keep learning all I can from your combined experiences.


PS Sorry for the design on the cup, hopefully you can still see the roots.. They are growing from the very top of the soil line.. I actually had to add a lil bit more soil to cover them completely..

[WillsC]

Congratulations Don't be in a big hurry to sever it, let that cup FILL with roots and turn BROWN before you do the deed.

[jkuo]

Congrats! I also did my first airlayers this season. I was surprised at how easy it was. I used clear plastic bags filled with potting mix. I'll second the advice about waiting until the cup is filled with roots. The air layers that I removed which had a lot of roots didn't even wilt after I potted them. The one that I removed which had significantly less visible root mass has had to spend its afternoons in the shade since it's been wilting in the afternoon heat. You might as well wait until there's enough root mass to minimize shock and promote continued growth when you separate and pot the air layer.

[tyro]

What Wills said.Allow the initials to turn into true root.

[F. Bennett]

Yes, wait for a cup full of roots. Another week or so, but that's just based on your pic.
Once you remove it and pot it up, keep it in the shade for about a week. It WILL droop and look sad if you place it in direct sun immediately. Congrats!

[don_sanders]

I'd sever and pot it in the evening too when the humidity is high and the temps are cooler. I did mine in the heat of mid day last time and they drooped a little but I sprayed them with some water and they perked up the next day.

[sppsp]

AWESOME, great job!!

[Taverna78]

Exactly what WillsC say. Wait until it's almost rootbound. The more root the less chance of anything wilting or falling off. Is very exciting seeing tis first few times but is sad when you rush it and sever it early thinking you got tis down and then your belle air layer loses all is growth because you sever too early. Wait amico... Just wait....

[exoticplants1]

Congratulations on your first air layering.I too have an air layering of a Galicia negra about to pot in a week or two.it's my first as well.I used a quart container, so it will grow more roots.

[Jamie0507]

Thank you everyone for all the advice. I'll admit it, I'm a girl who kinda lacks in the patience department, but with this new fig growing interest of mine, I'm definitely learning to acquire more of it every day. Okay.. Soo I'm waiting until those roots really fill that container up.. Maybe I will post another pic before I "do the deed", just to get some green thumbs up beforehand 😁 I like the idea of doing it in the evening as well.. What a great tip don_sanders! Especially if this 90+ degree weather keeps up.. I think I was melting out there today.. But I loved it lol.. I was totally hypnotized by the magical air layer anyway.. Hehe

Thanks again fig friends! For both the advice and letting me share my excitement with you all... It's very much appreciated

[eboone]

the good news is that compared with other fruit trees like peaches or apples, figs require less patience

[Jamie0507]

Thank goodness for that! Lol! I kinda went on a tree planting rampage starting in early spring (peaches, cherries, pears, chestnuts, pecan, pawpaw) and they are going to have me waiting til the end of time I think! Lol! But not my figs.. Maybe by next year at this I'll be chowing down a few

[Jamie0507]

Okay I have an update.. Wow these air-layers really do grow fast! Definitely seem way quicker than cuttings which seem to take forever.. At least the summer cuttings I am in the middle of seem very slow to progress.. Makes sense though since they don't have mama plant to depend on like the air layers do..

So what do you all think?? Soon?? A couple more days? I do see the roots are creeping out of the top of the cup & some are turning brown..

On a side note, Ive had a few different kinds of wasps, all of which have deformed wings, that seem to want to live next to my airlayer.. It's the strangest thing.. They just kind of stare at me curiously but don't seem to bother the tree at all.. Any way, I've let them be so far since they don't seem very hostile at all & hope they may eat some bad bugs while they are hanging out. Has anyone seen this deformed wing issue of wasps/bees near you? I hope it's not something prevalant, I imagine this would really impact pollination of all plants if it were widespread..

[exoticplants1]

I also have a few wasp hanging around and don't seem to be aggressive either.fig trees seem to attract them.

[Jamie0507]

I was thinking the same thing, although we don't have the "fig wasp" in this area, maybe wasps in general just are attracted to all types of fig trees.. Out of all my container plants, they are only seem to want to visit & stick around by my airlayered fig tree.. I was just concerned that the 3 different types of wasps, all had marked wing deformities. Wondering if something in the environment is causing the deformity.. Anyways these 3 wasps and I have become very well acquainted since I'm out there staring at my airlayer so often? Haha!

[Charlie]

You could leave it on until they go dormant if you want, then pot and store it for winter. It will just wake up next Spring and take off growing. Nice job.

[Jamie0507]

That's probably the best thing to do.. I see you've been airlayering a whole bunch yourself recently! Isn't it addicting? I want to airlayer everything now! Haha! I should probably wait til spring though & not start anymore this late in the summer.. I guess since this is my very 1st airlayer I'm wanting to take that last step prematurely, just so I can see the finished product.. I Must Learn Patience! (My new mantra lol)

[Charlie]

I love air layering and trying new and different ways to do it and cuttings. Yes it is addicting. I'm fighting the urge to not have 300 more cuttings in the house over winter.

[exoticplants1]

Here's my Galicia negra airlayer.

[Jamie0507]

Nice! Look at those roots How long have you had the airlayer on for?

[exoticplants1]

3 weeks with pro-mix and a quart container