Questions asked about – Air Layering using Propagation Balls or Rooting Balls
Just as an intro, what do I mean by ‘Propagation Balls or Rooting Balls’. These are the same technique/method used for rooting a shrub, tree or fruit trees as we have traditionally used in the good old days. I shall not go into that method apart from suggesting visiting the RHS website for reference.
This method is the 21st century modern way of doing things, but is it really any better ?? I hope to answer this.
Adverts for these appear on the internet, such as the following image shows. Available in 3 sizes and 4 colours that small, medium or large and clear, opaque, black, green or red. It seems the adverts have sold out many sizes and colours. So for demo purposes I bought small black, large opaque and large black.
Principles of any air layer, is to expose the cambium layer, and wrap around it something damp, and then enclose it to keep it all in one place.
What they do not detail is which size (S M or L) can be used on which diameter stems. What you can do is to gently bend the tab (which will be at the bottom of the ball). This acts as a sort of clamp on the stem, when the ball is closed.

Then expose the cambium layer, I just do a vertical cut or downward cut, which ever suits yourself. Apply a small amount of growth hormone powder ( figs do not necessarily need any). You will see I have cut 2 stems, you will see later why.

Then fill one half of the ball with damp spagnum moss. Do the same with other half ball.

Then with the inner tab at the bottom attempt to clamp the 2 halfs together. Easier said than done. You will just see I managed to bend the 2 stems to fit a large ball. Hopefully it makes economial use of the ball. You can see the top is like a funnel where you can top up with water during the summer.

This is where problems start.
1 – The little buttons in each corner are supposed to click into each other. Which they do. The problem is they come unclicked straight away from the pressure of the spagnum moss.
2 – You have to hold the 2 halfs together and figure out a different method of keeping them together. There are slots on the sides, where you could use long but small wire ties, as I have done. I only had large ties which do not fit properly. You will find that it is a 2 person job to complete with ease.
3 – Because the 2 halfs spring apart, there are gaps all around the edges. This causes any water you top up with to just pour straight out.
Now using the small balls is relatively easy, and is only a 1 person job. They come as a hinged pair of halfs and have a clip on the other side. Makes life so much easier. Why the large ones are not the same, I have no idea.
The below image is taken from of a misleading advert ( I shall not name the seller )

1 – It says about making a new rose or fruit tree – Please remember that most rose’s, fruit trees, maples etc etc are grafted onto a rootstock to control their growth. So you will get a tree that will grow to an excessive height.
2 – Use an appropriate sized rooting ball – But it does not state stem diameter sizes for Small, Mediim or Large.
3 – Its says use compost – Traditionally spagnum moss as always been used. And I believe its still the best. There are many types of compost (sandy, loam, peat free or perlite), so its trial and error.
4 – Snap it closed around the stem – Well the small ones yes, but the large ones no. Not sure of the medium ones as not tested.
Would I use again – I will do another blog entry in a few weeks time (60 days it says) and hopefully answer the question.