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- #101
Crealcritter
Deeply Rooted
Quoting myselfThis bartlet pear trunk sucker needs to come off. But let's give it an air-layer attempt instead. If it takes I get a new bartlet pear tree. If it fails the trunk sucker needed to come off anyways.
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Next remove the bark all the way around. Just run pocket knife around the branch to cut through the bark. You'll want about an inch gap.
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Next scrape the cambian (green) layer off all the way around with the pocket knife.
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Then give it a good coat of clonex rooting hormone gel. Make sure it get a good coating on the upper remaining bark, this is where the roots form (from the bark, not the raw wood). I coat the raw wood and the upper bark both.
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Now pack a rooting ball with damp soil, I use regular ole cheap top soil from rural king. I found fancy expensive soils are not all that for trees. No need to spring for expensive or special soil/moss. Save the good compost for veggies
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Now clip the rooting ball over the whole mess. Ensure the wound is not sticking out of the bottom or the gel on the top is not exposed.
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Finally wrap the rooting ball well with aluminum foil.
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I'll know soon if this is a take of not. If it's a take the branch will leaf out and perhaps flower, If not, it will die. If it leafs out, in a few months it'll form enough roots to pot. It'll be a nice multi branch sapling to prune to shape if it does take
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Jesus is Lord and Christ
Bartlet pear trunk sucker lives, all of its branches are budding. Bartlet is one of only a few "true" fruit trees. Meaning the Bartlet pear rootstock makes a standard sized tree and bears Bartlet pears. So if you want a standard size (large) pear tree you could graft another variety onto a bartlet rootstock. Or if you want a standard sized bartlet pear tree. Then just plant a bartlet rootstock. Pears are my favorite fruit, so I welcome another pear tree.
I'll maybe water the top of the rooting ball this weekend. I may or may not open the rooting ball to have a looksee under the hood. Probably best to not peek, just yet though. See the leaf buds starting to break? It's feeding off the soil in the rooting ball
Jesus is Lord and Christ