Bonsai - Air Layered Privet.

Here's an air layered cutting I took this summer. It took 6 weeks to root!

I Chose to air layer a privet Bush in my back garden. There were 2 really great branches of 3 to 4 inches in diameter so I chose those for the air layer experiment.
Here's how I did it.

Step 1 - Sliced the bark down to the cambium layer with a sharp knife.

Step 2 - Rubbed rooting compound onto the wound.

Step 3 - covered with damp Spaghnum moss and wrapped with bubble wrap, then securely tightened in place with garden twine.

Step 4 - Checked it weekly for signs of root growth and noticed after 5 weeks that it was filling out the wrap nicely.

Step 5 - Cut just below the root and removed from the privet hedge mother plant.

I potted up the cutting in a compost and kitty litter mix of 70/30 respectively.
Placed outside, and watered as and when was needed.
I'm pleased to say that it's doing really well and is putting out new leaves even now, in winter, although it's pretty mild still here on England.
I'll post an update when it's in it's new pot next spring, when I can start to train it too.

All photography by Darren Claxton Copyright ©️ 2018*