Air layering a curry tree - anyone ever try this?

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pepperhead212
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Air layering a curry tree - anyone ever try this?

#1

Post: # 18096Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Apr 22, 2020 8:01 pm

Here's something new that I did, just to see if I could. Anybody else do this before?

While trimming my curry tree, I thought about the possibility of air layering one of the branches, using a Rooter-pot. Using this on a kaffir lime tree, over 10 years ago, produced another plant in about 7 months, but I think these will be faster. Time will tell. Regular rooting never worked with either - cuttings just wilted away slowly, whether very soft and young cuttings, or firmer ones.
ImageRooting Pot set up on curry tree, 4-13-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Last 3 winters, before this one, I grew my plants in a homemade SIP, made with a 5 gal bucket, with a 4 gal insert. It did great, but the last season I got a terrible infestation of scale insects, starting around February. I trimmed it severely, top and roots, and re-potted it in a 5 gal fabric pot, but I noticed that the tips of many of the leaves were dried, which I had never seen before. So back to another pot this season. These things are hardy, however - after that severe trimming, the thing grew back, like crazy last summer!
ImageCurry tree, 8-6 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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bower
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Re: Air layering a curry tree - anyone ever try this?

#2

Post: # 18185Unread post bower
Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:46 pm

That is a lovely tree. The rooter pot is interesting.. looks like you attach it right around a branch? I've never seen anything like it...
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm

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pepperhead212
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Re: Air layering a curry tree - anyone ever try this?

#3

Post: # 18195Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:58 am

Those rooter pots work great! It is sort of like a miniature SIP, with small chimneys of the soil mix going down into the water, to wick the moisture up. Using the traditional method, of wrapping the rooting mix in a stocking, or something like that, requires watering almost daily, but not this one!

The mix is just some coir just moistened it with a mix of filtered water, and a few drops of clonex, superthrive, and some Bt israelensis, to stop fungus gnats.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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pepperhead212
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Re: Air layering a curry tree - anyone ever try this?

#4

Post: # 29748Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:44 pm

I finally cut that air layered section of the curry tree out, to see if it had rooted - it was getting very large, and I was going to trim a bunch of it off again, and take it up to that Indian grocer I give it to, since I'm going up there to a dentist appt tomorrow near there. It rooted some in about 4½ months - it took the kaffir lime 7 months, but the branch didn't get nearly as large. About the same amount of rooting though; I hope the roots support this many leaves.
ImageRoots forming on the air larered branch of the curry tree, started on 4-13, and uncovered on 9-2. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageNew air layered curry tree, potted in a 3 gallon fabric container, 9-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the tree that I cut that large section out of, in the center. You can see there is still a lot left there, and I have cut generous amounts of it recently.
ImageCurry tree, with the new tree cut out of the center. 9-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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MissS
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Re: Air layering a curry tree - anyone ever try this?

#5

Post: # 29903Unread post MissS
Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:27 pm

This was very interesting and really fun to watch. Thanks so much for sharing your project, I enjoyed it. I sure wish that I could grow a curry tree here.
~ Patti ~

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