This is my second attempt at air layering. My first went well following Ryan’s instruction. This time I have a Chinese crab apple growing in my garden hedge and plan on air layering in the line in the picture.
My question:
If I remove the small left branch and put the top cut on the line indicated, where I am hoping to take advantage of the swelling flair where the branch is attached. Is there anything that would make this air layer less likely to succeed in this position?
I would leave the limb. It will facilitate sap flow and better success for roots on that side.
The tree is pretty large now.
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It has to be said… A chinese crad apple in a Welsh hedgerow… Airspeed of a ladden sparrow…Musta been a Chinese sparrow, not a European … 
(Monty Python…)
You’ve got to love a bit of holy grail 
. We are fairly sure the Mrs planted it about 20 years ago without knowing what it was. I was just thinking the side branch would be in the way and would need to come off at separation.
Just my 2 cents worth…
Synergisticaly… if you call the red line the airlayer top, a 1" gap would exclude the left limb from being attached to the base with bark.; making it a airlayer too. Also. If you cut the limb off, liquid transport from the roots would slow to the left side of the airlayer base, choking it off.
Or…I would move the top cut to 1" above the red line for optimum root growth around the new base. The new flare will grow quickly…
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I’m 0 for 5 on airlayers in the past. They were all hail marys on mostly dead trees… a vole chewed the bark on decideous trees.
I have 4 airlayers on an apricot going right now… All the tops are still green. The limb support structure rotted and blew over. It greened up and flowered this spring, so, it must still have sap flow… I also have 14 pine grafts going… technique trials on two mugus and a red pine!
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AND… Just watch out for that bunney. He’s a real killer…
Another quality MP reference, and your point is the sort of thing I am concerned about. If it was worth a go to get ahead of the game with the base flare. Maybe I should consult Tim the enchanter 
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I think it will airlayer either way… just the quality of the rootage.
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If you go see Tim, take a gift of a lovely two tiered shrubbery…it might be usefull to get past those pesky Nee Knights… Or whatever the heck they call themselves now!
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Post the outcome when you cut the apple tree off…!
Now, I need to go look at my garden crabapple… Ive only got 6 small ones in pots…
Bonsai On!
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