air layering

Contributed by strawdog

ITEMS NEEDED:

PLANT!
matchstick or toothpick
tape
razor blade
rooting hormone (Clonex)
tweezers
plastic wrap
scissors
pin

(1)Sterilize all tools before using them.

(2)Cut a branch that is at least 1/8 inch thick with at least two nodes.

(3)Select area from which roots will sprout. This area needs to be midway up the main stem, with enough room on each side of the cut to fasten the bag.

(4)Use the Razor Blade to make a 1-2" lengthwise incision along the stem. Cut all the way through the bark, to which the phloem is attached. Don't cut into the xylem, which is the layer under the bark.

(5) A ring of bark is removed from around the stem. The phloem and cambium are attached to the inside of the bark, so when the bark is removed the phloem is also removed. This leaves the central cylinder of xylem and upward water flow unaffected.




(6)Get clonex and apply it to the exposed xylem. For increased stability, you may tape a toothpick or matchstick parrallel to the stem.

(7)With thumb get some grow medium. (perlite, peatmoss, whatever) Pack the wound carefully with the soil.

(Attach plastic wrap below incision with tape. Tape the vertical seam where the ends meet. The effect of this should be a funnel shaped plastic wrap enclosure.

(9)Pack with grow medium. Be sure to leave enough "slack" at the top so that it may be taped to the stem above the incision.

(10)Fasten closed with tape.



(11)Use pin to create holes in around bag. This will allow soil to breath.

Use an eye dropper to keep the soil wet. Do this every day. After 2 weeks, your cutting will have roots and will be ready for propagation.

Taking cuttings, you need a certain man-made climate controlled environment, with certain supplies. If you have 50 Ladies out in the wild, it may be best to do the air-layering in the field, so as to not be forced to drag 100 to 200 cuttings home to baby-sit. That is what I meant.