Hi Theo,

Maybe I can help you out with the layering part of your question:

One common layering mistake with trees like elm and maple is to not
remove the living tissue down to bare wood. If you haven't done it
before, you might stop when you hit the white, pulpy portion, but you
really need to go deeper.

Another reason that layers can fail is that the thickness of the peeled
section is to narrow, and the tree self-grafts or closes over the
wound. The peeled section should be approximately as wide as the
thickness of the trunk or branch being layered at the point you are
layering it.

The final thing I would suggest is not disturbing the layer too much to
check on it. That can tear the root initials as they develop and set
you back.

If you're following all those steps, the layer should work for you if
you give it enough time, and you're in a growing season in the northern
hemisphere, of course.

Regards,

Matt


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