Air layering a wild elderberry 😄

I just wanted to show my work. My daughter caught salamanders and i found an elderberry to graft. A very productive day at the park! Ill be grafting enterprise apple and dolgo both on emla.111 rootstocks and kenmore on myrobalan … for everyone to enjoy at this park. Dont worry ive spoken with parks and rec about the apples and plum
If the graft takes ill cut and replant 100 ft up the creek and probably eventually graft another variety to it, so dont shame me lol. Im practicing, but also contributing :rofl: :joy:

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Interesting. But, why would one do all the work to air layer and wait instead of cutting a stick and unceremoniously shoving it in the ground?

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Honestly its because i went there with the intention of grafting a large mulberry limb and couldn’t find one low enough so i found something else to graft lol. I had everything needed.
I wanted to practice air layering since this was first day ever doing it, 3 in total. I honestly didnt know it was that easy to just stick them in the ground but it makes sense because it naturally grew in a partially shaded area where the soil is never dry, loamy and is full of life. Ill take 10 cuttings and put them along the bank next week then.

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if you know someone that has currants, they like water and equally grow well from a cutting just stuck in the ground.

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My black currant cutting from my parents house. That was the cut, shove in dirt in fall, wait and see. Seems like doing well

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Practice is a legit answer :slight_smile: I tried air layering a few redbud branches 2 years ago just for fun. Totally didn’t work for a number of reasons I know now, but it was neat to try.

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I’ve had success just shoving sticks of mulberry, figs, ect. in the ground, but I still prefer layering. I’ve layered figs that when I planted, it was 3-5 foot tree instantly with great roots. But if it’s not for you and you don’t really care if it succeeds, then shoving sticks in the ground is the way to go. I’ve done it plenty of times.

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If you want a fun project other than air layering.. you can lay them horizontally and cover with dirt like root cuttings.

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I saw a video in asia where they had did an entire field like that after tilling.

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does that work for mulberry

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I am not sure..

I first saw this method with someone posting how to propagate roses.. then also with blackberry and grapes.

I think there is something to the horizontal versus vertical rooting.. but not many people try it i dont think.. they just go with vertical.

Since elderberry send up new canes from roots.. root cuttings are also a method of rooting.

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I tried named varieties in my hot humid southern TN location… and they could not take it. Constantly messed up with what looked like fungal issues… could not fruit.

I tossed them.. (Ranch and York).

I then simply dug up a couple of wild elderberry crowns and transplanted them to my place. I cut the canes off short and they grew well and fruited well.

Elderberry crowns are not that difficult to dig up… and they can be divided too… you could dig up half a crown and leave the rest in original location.

You simply plant a crown.. easy.. and they grow like crazy.

Dig them up when dormant… and plant them… in the spring you have elderberries.

TNHunter

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