Failed Ficus Airlayer?

Horticulture
1

I started an air layer on a tiger bark ficus that I got several months ago with one of those box store s curves. Of course I started it before watching the Mirai videos on propagation… I now realize that I started the air layer way too early since the night time lows have been in the mid to upper 40s. Starting today the lows are in the 60s for the foreseeable future. This Airlayer has been on for about a month and a half and I can’t tell if the tree is just trying to heal over the wound or if this is normal for an air layer that hasn’t started sending roots out yet? Should I just leave it be, go ahead and separate it and plant the cutting and try to get it to root that way or redo the air layer entirely?

Tree seems to be doing well overall and has been sending out new growth since putting the air layer in. Located in Zone 7b Mississippi.

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Thanks

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2

You can rewound the top ring. Its hard for me to tell if it has healed over or not. I would suggest using aluminum foil approach and not opening it up and checking it for 6-7 weeks.

3

For anyone who’s interested, ended up separating the presumed failed air layer and treating it like a cutting. 4 weeks later and both pieces are doing fantastic with strong new growth. I think re-wounding it would have also worked in retrospect!

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