Your favorite medium to use for marcots? airlayers?

[FlyingFoxFruits]

mine has been that blonde sphagnum peat.  I can't seem to get away from it...what else do you use? or what is your favorite?  I know certain mediums work better for certain plants.

I've had good success with blonde sphagnum on carambola, guava, miracle fruit, macadamia, loquat, lychee, longan, and a few others, like citrus relatives.

The sphagnum looks like the stuff in this link.

http://sell.bizrice.com/selling-leads/704395/Sphagnum-Moss.html

[fyliu]

I started growing my own sphagnum moss 2 years ago and I have to say it's not a renewable resource like some companies claim. I still use the peat since there's no good alternative. Coco coir is not even close despite what some people claim.

For airlayers I use peat plus perlite for some air pockets. Maybe 60/40, more peat.

I read from Chinese books that recommend "river mud". Maybe the stuff from china have a lot of organic sediments?

[fruitlovers]

Sphagnum moss works great but is very very expensive here. Some other cheaper ones that also work fine are peat moss and coco peat. It's also possible to mix the latter two with sphagnum moss. In India they also use dried cow dung.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I bet miracle grow potting mix would work.

[fruitlovers]

I bet miracle grow potting mix would work.

Many things work. The real question is how easy are they to apply onto the branch? Sp. moss is nice because you can stand it upright and doesn't all trickle out of your hand. Doing that trick with potting soil is much harder!

[Ethan]

In India they also use dried cow dung.

Great idea, comes with built in fertilizer not to mention readily available.

[fyliu]

Does bacteria content of the medium matter? Will some mediums end up rotting the tree rather than encourage root growth? I'm always afraid to use garden soil because there might be namatodes and such in it.

Dung sounds like it's okay.

[fruitlovers]

Does bacteria content of the medium matter? Will some mediums end up rotting the tree rather than encourage root growth? I'm always afraid to use garden soil because there might be namatodes and such in it.

Dung sounds like it's okay.

Yes that's right. You shouldn't use garden soil, unless it's been sterilized. Potting soil, like the miracle grow Adam mentioned, don't have same problem as they are sterile (no nematodes, bacteria, fungi, plant pathogens).

[Mike T]

Sphagnum is most often used here but some people prefer peat moss.In the past shredded cocnut husk was the medium of choice.

[amaqeq]

Also here Sphagnum is hard to find, and when doing Air layering somewhere, standing on a tree in the middle of the canopy, half of all grainy material ends up on the ground.
There are methods for creating a plastic bag sleeve with its bottom closed, ready for stuffing, But not all branches are growing vertically.
My own sustainable favorite: passing few times with grass mower on bunch of fresh palm fronds, obtaining fine fibers,
Than let them bake in the sun for two month, sealed in a big clear plastic bag
Deep brown fibers are obtained, slightly acidic. very comfortable to work with.
In the photo there is a sample of fibers, it is possible to make them finer or thicker,
And so to change the amount of water they hold in the pocket.
Their fibrous nature, make them comfortable to work with, on a tree.

[OrganicJim]

Here is a photo of two air layers that were done last year using nothing but sphagnum moss and AgriPro Dry by TurfPpoUSA.

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

I use normal soil with some compost for air layering and it works great Pics below are Psidium guajava







OrganicJim...those air layers look trés chic, well done

[FlyingFoxFruits]

looks like some clay in there!!

I bet a mixture of clay and peat might work well!

thanks for the great pics!!

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Also here Sphagnum is hard to find, and when doing Air layering somewhere, standing on a tree in the middle of the canopy, half of all grainy material ends up on the ground.
There are methods for creating a plastic bag sleeve with its bottom closed, ready for stuffing, But not all branches are growing vertically.
My own sustainable favorite: passing few times with grass mower on bunch of fresh palm fronds, obtaining fine fibers,
Than let them bake in the sun for two month, sealed in a big clear plastic bag
Deep brown fibers are obtained, slightly acidic. very comfortable to work with.
In the photo there is a sample of fibers, it is possible to make them finer or thicker,
And so to change the amount of water they hold in the pocket.
Their fibrous nature, make them comfortable to work with, on a tree.

Hi amaqeq,
Palm fibers from the nook and cranny of the palm, can also be used...though i have never tried using this medium. I only use and mix this fiber with orchid potting soil for  Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Stanhopea and Epidendrum

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

looks like some clay in there!!

I bet a mixture of clay and peat might work well!

thanks for the great pics!!

Yep, there is clay in there Clay helps to keep the ball nice and moist

[FlyingFoxFruits]

what about using cat hair?

I know tabbydan has some he can send me!
 

clay 25% peat 25 % cat hair 50 % ?

hahaha. Id laugh if it worked.

[Tropicdude]

I was asking myself this today, what would I use if I wanted to try an air layer here in the DR.  they do sell finely ground coconut coir, looks just like potting mix. 

Has anyone ever used those "rooter pots"  http://www.leevalley.com/us/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,47236&p=46938   ?  only problem i see with those is that they look like they have to be vertical. for the reservoir part to work.  not sure if that feature would be needed. 

[nullzero]

I was asking myself this today, what would I use if I wanted to try an air layer here in the DR.  they do sell finely ground coconut coir, looks just like potting mix. 

Has anyone ever used those "rooter pots"  http://www.leevalley.com/us/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,47236&p=46938   ?  only problem i see with those is that they look like they have to be vertical. for the reservoir part to work.  not sure if that feature would be needed.

I have some rooter pots, I am going to try them out most likely next week.

[fruitlovers]

Sphagnum moss, if you have access to it and can afford it, is really the best air layering medium. It is very low pH, so that discourages mold or rotting. That also makes it a very good medium for packing seeds as well. In addition it is very light and easy to work with because it doesn't slide out when you attempt to wrap it on a vertical branch. Also it can hold a lot of moisture. Peat moss also has low pH, but not as low as sphagnum moss, and it's a bit harder to work with. For longan air layers i like to mix sphagnum moss with peat moss. According to Dr. Zee this helps to increase number of takes. Coconut coir is also very good and very cheap, and you can make it yourself when you have no access to other materials.

[amaqeq]

Hi Jackfruitwhisperer69
As you have just suggested, I do too tend to use different parts of the palm
I often nick him as the "compost tree".
And use certain gravel size sections of it in orchid soil mix.
Since every year its growth area jump bit higher, it is getting impossible to collect
fibers from the tree itself, but the fronds themselves stay accessible for longer period
In Israel palm trees may attract Vipers, and that fact should be kept in mind.

Anyways, I'm using 3 different sections:
Cork like parts at the base of the fronds
Fibers and rotted parts which left on the tree after removing the fronds
Fibers made out of fresh fronds.

 

From those three,
Fibers made out of fronds, are the most comfortable to work with on a tree, They hold pH value of 5.2 - 5-5
(slightly lower than the other two sections.)
And I have never encounter root infections wile using them.
Neither any sign of root retardant.
(Fibers I have in quantities more than I can use, normally.)
Not implying by any mean, that anyone else should be forced to use it,
(I'm considering it as my own fetish)
Just mentioning that such material is available for those who are fond of being self sufficient.

Hi amaqeq,
Palm fibers from the nook and cranny of the palm, can also be used...though i have never tried using this medium. I only use and mix this fiber with orchid potting soil for  Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Stanhopea and Epidendrum

[FlyingFoxFruits]

amaqeq, jackfruitwhisperer

great info!

Thank you!

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Hi Amaqeq,
That's the fiber i was talking about  Fiber from palm trees, is readily available and a renewable resource  I am going to use palm fiber to airlayer a psidium guajava again and see if this material is great for airlayering. We just need to soak the fiber for several hours, so that the fibers will absorbs some water...and that's it The fiber you made out of the fronds...looks nice and fine to do them airlayers Them orchids love this material & them root's play hide and seek

Oi Adão,
De nada, Amigo