@Cassie (8b Southern AZ, high desert) Hi Al, do you normally use the ring or the tourniquet method when you air layer your ficus plants? Or do you do a combination of both (you mentioned using a tourniquet and blanching part of the stem/branch?)? It would depend on the Ficus species. For most Ficus, I propagate by cuttings, because I've found that under mist or in a humidity chamber, you can start some really thick cuttings of many ficus species (3"+). This image of F salicifolia was a cutting started from the top of a much larger tree. Same tree as above - first pruning after rooting ^^^. Ficus microcarpa cutting ^^^ in process of rooting - note new buds opening. Removing the tops of trees in training is sort of a way to create an almost instant bonsai. Once the tree is fully rooted. a little wiring to reposition branches will turn it into a 'believable' tree, resembling something one might see in nature. If we take the misting and high humidity out of the equation, I prefer ringing the plant; however, even when I use the ring method, I often use a tourniquet immediately below the top of the ring. While I'm thinking of it, the rule of thumb for the ht of the ring is, it should be at least 1/5x the diameter of the branch/ trunk being layered. Also, when you peal the bark back on many species of trees, a very thin layer of vascular cambium usually remains attached to the sapwood beneath it. It is crucial to remove that white/tan layer of tissue as part of the layering process. I'm guessing my reason for layering is probably going to differ from yours. Most plants I layer is because they are seedlings, and as such have a very ugly root system. Strong roots that radiate horizontally away from the trunk and a trunk flare at the base of the tree eventually become a critical consideration for almost every bonsai enthusiast who has practiced bonsai for more than a decade. Eventually, we develop the idea that everything we do should focus on bringing out the tree's best potential, even if we are not the owner who sees it realized. Often, that will result in trees in training for 20 years before they even see a bonsai pot. I couldn't even guess at the number of times I've been a part of brain-storming over a tree, my own or someone else's, and making radical changes that turn a tree which is an acceptable specimen in its own right, back into a bonsai in training for the sole reason a better way to bring out the tree's potential was discovered. The image below is a Trident maple which was air-layered off of it's original set of roots which were way to ugly for my purposes. I used only the ring method for this tree (wire still attached if you look closely). Notice how the roots are almost perfectly spaced (some incongruity adds to the appeal of living plants) and radiating away from the trunk. That is what I was after. The tree below is a Korean hornbeam, and 3-image sequence below shows first what a tree's seedling roots usually look like. Many growers work hard at trying to get these roots straightened around, but I have learned better results cam be had in far less time and with less effort, bu layering the plant off of its old roots. This is one way of using the tourniquet method (below), which takes much longer than ringing/ girdling or a combination of a tourniquet and ringing/ girdling. With a tourniquet, as the diameter of the trunk increases the vascular cambium is compressed as the tourniquet tightens. This 'chokes off' downward movement of photosynthate (the plant's food) and auxin, the hormone that stimulates root development and branching. With food and a surplus of the tree's natural rooting hormone accumulating immediately above the tourniquet, you can be quite certain of a plethora of roots emerging within a short vertical space. With an understanding of the tree's wounding response, I deduced that drilling holes with a 3/16 brad-point drill turned with my fingers and filled with a insoluble rooting gel should help coax the tree into producing an exceptional root base. The roots in the first image (of the trident maple) are the result of this method. Ring + tourniquet method ^^^ BTW - I no longer use zip ties as a tourniquet as they sometimes fail/ break - especially on thick layers on branches/ trunks larger than 1". I use 2-3 wraps of aluminum bonsai wire in size 2-3mm with the ends twisted tight with pliers. The wraps should touch each other, which forces all rooting to occur above the layer. What type of soil do you use when you air layer, since you don't use sphagnum moss? I'm assuming this is one of the few times you want something moisture retentive - do you use a regular potting soil? Peat moss? Seed starting mix? I usually use gritty mix for just about everything I use a pot to layer. Below, there are 2 things going on. I had just finished establishing an air layer on the hornbeam in the background and I was working on pruning 2 China dolls and 2 asparagus ferns. I was layering the hornbeam because the trunk was much too long/ tall given the thickness of the trunk, so the best way to shorten the trunk was to layer it off of it's old roots and start a new root system higher up. The top of the ring cut is at approximately the ht of the duct tape holding the pot together. Below, is a hackberry tree being layered. You can see the gritty mix in the pot This is the same hackberry, same summer, after being separated from the mother plant. In case you noticed, it's planted deep on purpose. I will let it grow wild (almost completely unpruned) and begin work on it in spring of '24. And last question (for now!), what time of year do you typically start your air layering? Spring. I like to have them separated by the end of July. Do you try to time it to plant the new plant in June, or is some other time preferable? If we're still talking about Ficus, spring will always be the best time. If I was layering, I would start the layer on Ficus just before or when I move them outdoors. They really start to want to grow then, so we might as well take advantage of the tree's natural inclinations. I'm wondering if it's better to start the process in June, since you're effectively pruning the parent plant, which would put separating the new plant sometime in August? Geography plays an important role in deciding what the best timing is. I bet you would be fine starting your layers in early May, especially if your plants are outdoors. Then, you should have no problem separating in July-August. Thanks in advance! (And I suppose apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but made more sense in my mind than starting a fresh one and linking back here). No worries. Things are slow on the forum and my wife is recovering from some recent surgery, so I have to be home and indoors for a few more days, it looks like. I'm glad for the opportunity to kill some of the time it always seems so important to save. ;-) Al

Leave anything green on the tree for now. You need all the photosynthesizing leaf surface you can get to produce food to make roots and more leaves, and you can always remove dead leaves later. Trimming leaves now is like laying off workers to increase production. Do not over-water the tree, which, along with soil collapse, is what caused the slimy root condition to begin with. Lyrata needs a fast draining soil and to dry down between soakings. Just washing the roots may not have been enough. You should always prune the decaying rootage back to viable, firm tissue. Give the tree good light. It will tolerate full sun indoors and all but the brightest afternoon sun outdoors in your zone now. It should be outdoors now to recover, but keep it secure against swaying in the wind. Trees establish far quicker in containers when secured against movement. Keep the plant at temperatures above 10* C at all times & preferably above 13* C. Soluble tomato fertilizer or a 5-10-10 soluble blend is a very good choice for this plant in soils high in organic components. Fertilize only while the plant is actively growing. Al

Your tree is considered apically dominant. What this means is, the natural growth pattern of your tree is to favor elongation of branches instead of producing branches in the axil (crotch formed by the leaf stem and the branch it's attached to). There is a growing tip at the end of every branch that produces a hormone that suppresses side shoots. If you remove that tip, you reduce the amount of the chemical hormone flowing toward the roots, and new branches form in leaves nearest the tip of the cut branch.This is a cutting from which the tip was removed. Notice the new branches forming in the leaf axils. This occurs reliably, as long as your plant is growing, and that's what happened to your tree when the main trunk was severed. You shouldn't be dismayed that you should use restraint and wait to act until late spring or early summer to prune your tree or repot it (repotting is much more extensive than potting up). "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" Ecc 3:1 Your plant has natural rhythms. It's strong and robust in the late spring, summer, and early fall; tired and lazy in the winter and early spring. Understanding that rhythm exists and planning your heavy work (hard pruning and repotting) so you're taking advantage of the plants strengths and not asking much of the plant when it's sort of coasting is an important part of the growing puzzle. A plant repotted in winter or early spring might take 3-4 months to recover fully from the work; whereas, a plant repotted or pruned hard on Father's Day might take 2-3 weeks to regain its footing and it's natural defenses. Plus, knowing you're being a better nurturer for making those allowances is bound to increase the satisfaction you get from nurturing ...... which is why most of us grow plants. Generally speaking, the nurturers are better growers than those that think of plants as decorations, for obvious reasons. Too, getting in the habit of pruning in June to remove all long/lanky winter growth and pinching until fall ensures you never have to do any really major pruning. Please see if you find this to be of any value. Al

1. If you had a bush like mine, what would you do? It's the middle of summer (I'm in Toronto) to give you an idea of the weather I am living in. If you want a standard (single trunk), you'll need to remove all but one trunk if there are multiple plants, or, if it's a single plant and the several trunks are actually branches, you'll need to remove all but 1 branch. The best time to do this (for you) is in the weeks that immediately bracket the summer solstice (June 21), so now is a very good time. Plants have rhythms such that they are sometimes robust and growing strongly, or pretty much resting in what appears to be a state of suspended growth. It just makes sense to work WITH the plant instead of against it by doing the heavy work of hard pruning and repotting when they're strongest, and make allowances during months when they're weaker. 2. I know some of these leaves need to go so that it can reserve it's energy for new growth, but which leaves should I trim? Plants make their own food (sugar/ carbohydrate) during photosynthesis, so every green leaf is its own food factory. Removing living leaves always slows growth, development, and o/a vitality (health). I get the sense from your post that things are going to happen quickly. They might ...... in tree time, but not in people time. It takes patience and something of a workable plan to bring your vision for the plant to fruition. Leaving all the leaves on the plant, for now, will make it grow faster and make the trunk thicker/stronger - so I encourage you to do that, excepting what pruning you need to do to get the ball rolling toward what you're looking for from the plant. After that, save your pruning for late spring/early summer (mid-June). 3. I saw a few spider mites - I rinsed it outside but I don't think that was enough. How do I get rid of them? What you did is fine if you do it every 4 days. Be sure to spray (a fine mist is best) into the leav axils (crotch formed by the leaf stem and the branch it attaches to) and on the underside of leaves where they like to hide. If you're indoors, you can mix 1 part of 70% rubbing alcohol to 1 or 2 parts of water and spritz all surfaces, nooks/crannies. That works very well. 4. There is new growth at the bottom. Should I get rid of these?Your wishes trump the plant's wishes, always, but the plant would say, "Not yet" - these leaves are still working hard for me and you can remove them at any future point in time. Al