Aerial layering – when should I sever the cuttings from the parent plants?

Last year I tried aerial layering a Magnolia stellata. Amazingly, it worked! I unwrapped the cutting in late winter/early spring while the tree was still dormant and there were some lovelly thick white roots wound round the inside of the bag. However, after the cutting was severed and potted up, the buds shivelled and no leaves broke out in the spring. Can anyone tell me what went wrong? I'm trying again this year and I'm itching to unwrap the cutting, but I don't want it to die when I pot it up again. How can you tell when to sever it?

On plant Magnolia stellata

Asked on 26 Feb, 2008 by

Crazyzorse

Location: Herefordshire, United Kingdom

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Answers

Andrewr

Magnolias absolutely HATE root disturbance. I would be inclined to use something biodegradable and plant that so the roots can grow through it. And do it just as growth is beginning for the new season

27 Feb, 2008

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