Air layer_Pyrus communis
Air layer_Pyrus communis
It was a day that has started with a lot of expectations and hopes. Yes, I have decided to separate the air layer on the pear. The weather forecast was not very encouraging - the anticyclone hanging above the Europe and the temperatures outside looked much more like a hot July then nice and mild Indian summer. Luckily, there was a short spell of reasonably warm days so I have decided: now or never ( meaning next spring ).
First of all I have tried to remove the pond basket. It has slipped out nicely without too much effort. ( Frankly I was concerned that the new roots will push through the holes in the bottom of the basket - but luckily that was not the case. The most vigorous growth was nicely horizontal. For sure it will be wiser to remove the complete bottom of the basket next time rather than cutting off only an opening to fit the trunk ). The root ball was quite compact. So I have used a pair of chopsticks to remove some soil to reveal the roots. And this is it. Looks pretty good.
New roots nicely spread around the trunk. The mass of new roots on the right hand side is a bit weaker than on the left one. My fault. There was not enough free space between the trunk and the sides of the plastic basket.
In the shallow woden box to stay there for at least one season. This should help to get nice flat root ball.
Finally the pear has been placed in the shade and I am keeping the area where it sits wet to increase the air humidity. I have also sprayed the foliage several times a day in the first few days after separation. I have not cut any leaves or branches at first, but after a few days with temps around 30°C I have noticed some wilting - so the foliage has been thinned a bit.
Now we need to get over the winter to see how the tree is doing in the next growing season.
You can find the previous articles in here
A quick summary:
It was a day that has started with a lot of expectations and hopes. Yes, I have decided to separate the air layer on the pear. The weather forecast was not very encouraging - the anticyclone hanging above the Europe and the temperatures outside looked much more like a hot July then nice and mild Indian summer. Luckily, there was a short spell of reasonably warm days so I have decided: now or never ( meaning next spring ).
First of all I have tried to remove the pond basket. It has slipped out nicely without too much effort. ( Frankly I was concerned that the new roots will push through the holes in the bottom of the basket - but luckily that was not the case. The most vigorous growth was nicely horizontal. For sure it will be wiser to remove the complete bottom of the basket next time rather than cutting off only an opening to fit the trunk ). The root ball was quite compact. So I have used a pair of chopsticks to remove some soil to reveal the roots. And this is it. Looks pretty good.
New roots nicely spread around the trunk. The mass of new roots on the right hand side is a bit weaker than on the left one. My fault. There was not enough free space between the trunk and the sides of the plastic basket.
But as you can see from the bottom view the difference is quite a small one...
Detail to show the density and vigour of the new root ball
In the shallow woden box to stay there for at least one season. This should help to get nice flat root ball.
The surface covered by the moss to keep the moisture
And the top layer of the mesh to protect the moss and keep the blackbirds away.
Finally the pear has been placed in the shade and I am keeping the area where it sits wet to increase the air humidity. I have also sprayed the foliage several times a day in the first few days after separation. I have not cut any leaves or branches at first, but after a few days with temps around 30°C I have noticed some wilting - so the foliage has been thinned a bit.
Now we need to get over the winter to see how the tree is doing in the next growing season.
You can find the previous articles in here
A quick summary:
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| A narrow cut to remove the bark and cambium layer made in early May. Dusted with a rooting hormone. The pear has shown very robust growth before the airlayer in the spring. This was one of the most important stimulus to start the layer. |
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| A pond basket filled with a mixture of zeolithe, terramol and chopped peat moss. Watered 2-3 times a day. Very limited feeding of the new roots in the basket has started only in the second half of July. A standard feeding regime in the bottom pot. The tree has been turned around its axis. only once or twice in a month |
During the summer the pear has been located in the area that combined " two climate zones". The bottom part of the tree has been in a moving shade created by the foliage of some other trees. The top part of the tree has been on a full sun. During the whole period of the air layer the pear has shown very robust growth. I think that this was the most important contributor to the new root growth apart from the effort to keep the temperature of the soil in a favourable range.
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