Daniel Erdy
Daniel, first of all, I want to reiterate how much I appreciate your help with the rust on my fig tree leaves, and also feedback on air layering. I do have a couple of questions that I don’t quite understand. One of my good friend’s husband died unexpectedly last Monday and the memorial service was yesterday –so I haven’t been “playing” in the yard recently.
Your directions are so clear –I just don’t completely understand.
A. On your easier method of layering that you showed me, you instructed that you cut one of the drainage holes large enough to stuff your limb through, and guided me to notice that you use 1 slit on each side of the hole:
(1) Is the limb that you are layering and stuffing through the hole in the bucket still attached to the tree, or is it severed when you do the layering? Also in the picture, is the gold that I see on the pot part of the pot or is it where it is cut? Sorry, I can’t tell.
(2) In the second picture is the limb that will be stuffed through the drainage hole in the pot attached to anything –or has it been severed and the bottom of the limb pushed down the hole?
B. Concerning the air-layering that I am doing on my fig tree. Since the limb is large, you suggested that when I remove the fig air-layer that I will need to cut the top growth off to just a few buds or it will die from transpiration.
(1) Do I need to cut off the top at the second of third node above the top of the air-layered stem/limb when I am ready to sever it from the tree? And are the nodes the same as the buds? This will make it short. And it probably will cut off all of the leaves on the air-layered limb. Also, if there are some side shoots above the top of the layered stem; do I need to cut them off also?
This has been such a great learning project for me. Thanks a million!
