Air Layering - What Age Tree ?

[carolstropicals]

I have been studying air layering and haven't tried yet.  My main question is "What age tree can you Air Layer".
I have a wax apple that I would like to try, but it is only 3 or 4 years old.  There are 3 3 ft long branches only.
What would happen to this tree if it were too young. 
Also, a Longan tree that I bought at a nursery and have had for 2 years.  It is maybe 4 ft tall. 

Is there a rule of thumb for air layering.  Thanks !!

[Reafs]

I have been studying air layering and haven't tried yet.  My main question is "What age tree can you Air Layer".
I have a wax apple that I would like to try, but it is only 3 or 4 years old.  There are 3 3 ft long branches only.
What would happen to this tree if it were too young. 
Also, a Longan tree that I bought at a nursery and have had for 2 years.  It is maybe 4 ft tall. 

Is there a rule of thumb for air layering.  Thanks !!

My opinion is that the ideal air layering would be to do it on an already fruiting tree, that should be you main target. I have done air layering on very small branch as well as very large branch. On longan and Wax apple, It is better to do it during the vegetative growth season, the roots grow quicker.

[pineislander]

Immature trees will have immature wood and may take longer to fruit from layering than layers from mature fruiting wood. You can get layers from immature trees though. If you were preparing to prune the branch anyway it is OK to layer it. Layers from mature wood might fruit even faster than grafted plants.

[carolstropicals]

Thanks to all of you.  I was concerned about this process killing a younger tree.  I just bought some coconut coir
soilless to begin working on this.  It is rather an interesting and hopefully fruitful process.  Carol

[achetadomestica]

I tried to airlayer two trees last summer for my first try. I tried to do
an alano sapodilla and a mystery longan. I watched some you tube videos and
they all seem to skip the actual part of the procedure where you put the substrate
over the branch. They show how to cut the outer bark and rough it up and put
the rooting hormone and then all of a sudden it is wrapped nicely in plastic?
Then they cover with aluminum foil

 I used sphagnum moss and regular potting soil and In the end I got produce bags from the
grocery and cut the bottom out. I made a sleeve out of the plastic and pushed the outer
sleeve over the branch. once I had the sleeve over the part where I was airlayering I taped one end
and then filled the substrate and then once packed I twisted the end and taped it as well.
It is harder then it looks to do it by yourself and I am pretty sure in the video somone
helped and that is why they cut off the actual part. I tried both trees in the late summer but
it is recommended to do it in the spring. I did 3 or 4 on the sapodilla and none took and
I tried 5 on the longan and 2 took. It took over a month and in both cases there were only
a few roots formed. I checked in a couple more weeks and no new roots were forming

 I did not remember to use the rooting hormone. Both of the air layered logans are
putting out more growth and are fine now. I found the tree at an abandoned house and it took me
a while to locate the owner and get permission. The owner thought it was a lychee and didn't remember where he got it.
It was full of the biggest best longans I have ever eaten and the owner never fertilizes or waters.
He said every year it produces. I am so excited to have the two trees, I promised him one and
when I see him and give him his tree I am going to ask to try again this Spring and get a couple
more for friends. It definately doesn't hurt the tree and even if it fails the tree splits and gets bushier.