xyz

I have never done this before but thought I would give it a try.

I have an old woody mom I don't want to loose, but instead of root-trimming and repoting I am doing an air-layer at the base of the main stalk.

I trimmed her back a lot so the new root system wont have as much to support.

Should give my mom a brand new root system. I am hoping she takes off when re planted.

Anyone else ever done this? If you are interested I will post some pics.

Freakshow68

yes, please, some pics would be great

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Tommy_Chong

yeah xyz i would absolutely love to see air layering in action in a current thread

i had been wondering how to take care of mothers on a longterm basis and through some searching i found some info on air layering but seeing some pics would be nice



T_C

xyz

Here is the link to the AL thread started by NDShadows(where did he go?)http://www.gardenscure.com/420/propa...-layering.html
I linked to the thread that is NOT in the Ref Lib as it has some continued discussion not in the ref-lib.

Not much to show right now that you can't see in the original thread but it did involve some modifications.

The Mom: She is Sat. dom. A bag seed cross that hit the pheno jackpot. I have had her since 03, I think. The orginal mom went to flower and then I ended up taking a clone from one of the main branches which is my current mom. I can't remember if she was revegged for this or not.

In this attempt I had to customize the plug/wrap I used as the stalk was thicker than what the plugs could handle. I kind of pieced two of them together and bound them with butchers twine around the stalk.

Then I wrapped the plug with press-n-seal. I poked a little hole in the wrap so I introduce more water as needed. In most cases I would not have to do this but I can't get as tight a wrap as I would like due to the stalk not being 'round' if you will. So I add water twice per day.

This plant has been wrapped for about 2 weeks. About 4 days ago I took off the wrap as I didn't see any roots showing. I found some roots so I wrapped her again.

I trimmed the mom back a great deal so the new root system wont have too much plant to support.

As it is I will be letting as many roots develop in the al sight as I can before I detach her from her old root system.

I am doing this for a couple of reasons:
1. Don't want to do root trimming and repotting
2. Don't want to clone from clone from clone...
3. Just wanted to see if I could

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xyz

Nothing much to report here.

She is taking her sweet time about it. I thought to see many more roots by now. Doesn't look much different than it does in the pics.

I will do a inspection/rewrap soon and report.

Her soil is still moist and has been since the pics, so I am hoping she will kick it into gear as the soil dries.

xyz

I am testing some late outdoor Indica harvest, so I will most likely have to edit

Materials are:
-One piece of press'n seal. (I have cut out a section that contains almost NO printing-the printing looks just like roots)
-Small sections of the plug you see in the corner. To be used to a)create a more non leak seal at the bottom of the plug and b) to fill in a small gap in the plug.
-Twisties (used the ones from the store where you write the bulk food #)

The 2nd two pics are a front and back of the unwrapped plug (AL site)
Roots are there. Just seems very slow. In pic 3 they are hanging from the side, in the next there is a clumping on the bottom.

I have her in cool conditions and minimal light. That and the less than perfect seal on the plug may be leading to the slowness.

So I rewraped her.
I had to be very careful not to dislodge the plug as this may disturb the roots' bases

I tucked in my little pie/wedge to fill the gap, touchy procedure.

I then managed to wrap the two trimmed up strips of the plug material around the base of the plug site and begin the wrap from the bottom up. Another touchy procedure as I didn't want to crush the external, or disturb the internal roots. This spongy material, under the presure of the twisties should create a better seal. The base of the stem is not round, it has a crease in it, and led to leaking.

I then did a quick trim of exess wrap and used those wide twisties to clamp the bottom and top. I used pliers to get it tight. (note: I wouldn't think of going this tight on a green/growing site)

You can see the syringe tool sticking out of the plug/wrap in pic 4. I fed water in to that small hole and found I had a great seal. Pic 4 was taken just before the last strawfull went in. The white 'bubble' you see in the upper left dissapeared.

I sealed the hole with one of those sticky page holders.

I fully expect to be repotting in a week or so now that she has a new outfit and is going to bask in some warmer/brighter light.

Shes my baby, a cross from two quality bag seeds. Hit the pheno jackpot. Sativa, bigtime.

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speedracer-x

Great job so far XYZ! Please keep us updated, I am especially interested in how much of a root system you are waiting to establish and how much you will cut her back before transplant.

xyz

Thanks SR

I trimmed her back quite a bit just prior to AL'ing, so I most likely wont do any more.

What I am thinking about is creating a method for creating a secondary area for the new roots to develop. Kind of a wrap around the wrap or maybe something without a wrap.

It would be nice to have the two root systems going at the same time and weening her off the old roots before I remove them.

I figure managing which roots get water when would do the trick.

Any ideas on that would be welcome.

Update: The new site isn't completely 'tight', but much better than before.
One other note I just thought of, I am using older plugs. That might be another factor inhibiting root development.

xyz

How about a 'form' deep enough to cover the al sight.

It would have to be the same shape as the new pot it was going in.

Maybe make it out of a similar pot.

If I could get it to 'collar' tight enough it might work.
Getting it on and off is an issue, maybe leave an open space?

More later.

speedracer-x

Why not take a 16oz party cup and cut it down the middle except on one side, serving as a hinge. Cut a hole in the bottom the same size as the stem. Fill with soil or another medium after placing the cup where you want it. Then wrap the outside with saran wrap.