slothrop, on 22 October 2009 - 06:52 PM, said:
From what I read in that book, it seems like he was saying that when you keep a tiny strip of bark connecting the top to the bottom would increase the amount of nutrients sent to the top of the tree, but it seems just as likely to prevent rooting.
I started the air layer a few days ago, and I wrapped it in tin foil to try to expedite the growth. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance.
How often should I inject water into the moss pocket?
Also, some of the rooting hormone seemed to come off while I was placing the moss in the pocket.. I attempted to keep it on as much as I could, and I even sprinkled a tiny bit more in around the trunk and in the moss, hoping that it would help(though I'm not sure if it will).. Is there an easier way to keep the powder on the trunk in the future? I tried wetting the trunk before applying the powder, and it might've still been intact when I was adding the moss, but I'm not 100% positive. I've seen a gel growth hormone, too, and I think that might work better...
You don't need to leave a strip of bark connecting the top and bottom to send nutrients to the top. When you remove bark and cambium in order to force roots to grow in the gap, the xylem (sapwood) still moves water and nutrients to the top. The reason your air-layer works is that the reverse movement of nutrients downward through the phloem (inner bark) causes the cambium layer to create new roots.
Best of luck with your project.
Zach
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yeah, there's plastic under the tin foil, so it seems like I'll get a clear view of when the roots sprout.
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