When do you start your air layers?

[jmaler]

I kept my more expensive potted figs indoors this winter. Recently they have been shuddled out of doors weather permitting. They are starting to leaf out big time now. This tells me the sap is flowing.

I want to star air layers but not sure if the time is right or not.

So when do you start your air layers?

[Taverna78]

I think I remember members say they make air layer over winter but not to expect fast result because is a sleep. But I tink if is starting to grown then do it! Also from what I learn no wound tree for AL. Just wrap and leave be. Tis way If al fail you just remove al.

[don_sanders]

I did mine in the summer when they were growing like weeds. Anytime there is strong / active growth should work well.

Indoors, I might be more cautious about rot and moisture levels. In the summer, I just dumped water in whenever.

[Chrisk]

I'm with Don on this one. Late spring to early summer works great. It's when you cut the layer and pot it that you need to be a bit careful with. Place in a shady spot for a few days until it overcomes the initial shock. Good luck Jerry.

[quackmaster]

Like stated above, spring to early summer is ideal. With that said I've done airlayers all through summer but when the dead of summer arrives they don't cooperate well. But if yours are in a green house and leafing out good I sure would give it a try! Can't hurt.

[figgrower]

Does a cut air layer ever rot where the wound contacts the soil?

[Taverna78]

I have learned no to wound an air layer because if it fail you trees is still fine. If you damage tree and al fails now is trouble. When I do mine I use Saran Wrap and dry lightly dampened soil mix. Like as your cup mix would be for a nearly rooted cutting. Put on tree and cover al with foil. Never water it or disturb it. Tis way it will no be moist enough to Cause rot.

[F. Bennett]

I've only had good luck during the summer months.

[Harborseal]

My one successful a/l was placed on a dormant trunk in the winter. When the tree woke up it instantly started putting roots out and I clipped it off in 3 weeks.

figgrower, I've never seen that happen. The cut part heals and it lives happily ever after. Or the whole branch dies before it ever produces roots. Or it never produces roots but lives on. I've never had a rooted a/l rot at the place it was severed from the tree and this is from receiving several a/ls from many different vendors.

[jmaler]

Here is the tree I want to set 4 air layers on. It is the largest one in the plastic red clay colored pot. Each branch has started to leaf out nicely.

[Jamie0507]

Wow do I see big beautiful RIPE figs on the first tree in the pic with a background of snow?? Sorry to deviate from your a/l topic lol but they really caught my attention! Very nice! What variety is that?

[jmaler]

Not snow, Jamie, just the way the camera caught the sun on the background. It was 82° when the photo was taken.

The ripe fig looks like it could pass for a PT.....well, a make believe PT. The fig is Adriatic, JH, cuttings That were rooted last season and set figs in August. The tree went dormant outdoors but held its figs. The figs were wintered over indoors losing only about 20% of them. Now that the tree is waking up the figs are starting to ripen. They are not very tasty though.

The tree I want to set air layers on, the one in the back, is a Galica Negra I bought from plant-creator off ebay last summer. It was an air layer with a 5/8 inch trunk at the time Of the purchase. Now it is approching one inch in caliper

[figgrower]

Thanks for the responses.

[AscPete]

Air layers should be started when the trees are actively growing, leafed out. They can be started in spring or summer, in milder zones or when placed in winter storage they can be left on the trees to "over winter" and separated in the following spring.

The air layer root growth is driven by actively growing plants, leaves and warmer temperatures. Good luck.

[jmaler]

The leaves in the photo are this years growth so then I should be good to go with setting some air layers.