# Air layering - an easy peasy means of asexual reproduction



## Uncle Ben (Sep 19, 2014)

Might as well share this ditty I wrote at the very first cannabis forum years ago. 
***************************************************************************************
Air Layering is an almost foolproof means of doing asexual propagation. There is no stress to the mother plant, no humidity tents to fool with, easy and cheap. Gotta to luv it!

PLANT PROPAGATION by AIR LAYERING TECHNIQUE

1. While the plant is in its vegetative stage, select a location at the top of the plant, or any terminal growing location in which you would like to take a clone. Identify a node below this terminal growth to be used for the production of roots, and pinch or snip off the leaf petioles as close to the node as possible, leave alone until the next day to give the petiole wounds a chance to heal. This will be your future rooting site.

2. We will now trick this terminal area to redirect its food resources towards the making of new roots at our future rooting site, which will speed up the cloning process. There are two ways of fooling Mama Natur:

a. Slit the stem just *below* the rooting node site. Pry the slit open with a small piece of a toothpick, leaving the toothpick in place, or,

b. Here's a more efficient method. Using a single-edge razor blade make a cut all the way around the stem just below the node, and through the "bark" into the next layer which is called the phloem. You'll feel a little resistance when you hit it. The phloem is the tissue that conducts food from the leaves downward. Your goal is to cut off this flow of food just *below* your rooting site. Don't worry, you have not affected any growth below this area. Moving right along... make another cut about 1/2" or so below the first cut, and again guide the razor blade all the way around the stem. Join the two cuts with a vertical cut so that it looks like an < I >. The "bark" will now slip or peel off the stem all the way around. Using your fingernail, peel the "bark" off the stem, and lightly scrape the phloem tissue off the 1/2" or so of exposed stem. Don't overdue it or you will get into the xylem, which is the conduit that conducts water and nutes upward. This second method interrupts the transmission of food more efficiently than the first.

You have just created a condition in which the top terminal part is still receiving water and nutes, and the food manufactured by the upper leaves is being retained at and above the future rooting site. Neat huh!!!?

3. Dust the node site (located above the cut bark/phloem tissue) with Rootone F or anyone of your favorite cloning agents. Don't overdue it, this is powerful stuff, even if it *is* diluted with a carrier.

4. Wet a handful of spaghnum moss until it is saturated with water, tap water is fine, and wring out the excess. Wrap the moss around the node site. This is where your roots will show. Hold the moss in place and wrap CLEAR plastic (baggie plastic is fine) or Saran Wrap around the spaghnum moss several times and tightly secure it (wrap it) with masking tape at the top and at the bottom. This seal should be such that excess water can escape but moisture will be retained. Place the plant into your grow room under normal lighting conditions.

5. Roots will form quickly. When you see a flush of roots show up within the confines of the plastic wrap, clip it off just below the bottom of the plastic wrap, and bingo, you have a new addition to the household! Pass the cigars please.

6. Needless to say, carefully unwrap the plastic, cut off your new plant and pot it up.

Good luck and happy gardening!
Uncle Ben


----------



## tekdc911 (Sep 19, 2014)

it works great ... been doing it for one of my hard to root haze's


----------



## MonkeyGrinder (Sep 22, 2014)

Giving this one a try the next chance I get. I'm going to add a little to it if you don't mind. I have ungodly shaky hands at times. It's enough so that at times strangers have asked me what's wrong while sitting outside somewhere having a smoke. I've shaved too deep into quite a few cuttings because of it. I also suck when playing Operation lol. The metal nail file on any pair of nail clippers does a great job at scraping right through to the sweet spot. Also now that I think about it this method could be 100% viable in a guerrilla op if someone didn't want to have any clones hanging out in a closet etc.


----------



## tekdc911 (Sep 22, 2014)

MonkeyGrinder said:


> Giving this one a try the next chance I get. I'm going to add a little to it if you don't mind. I have ungodly shaky hands at times. It's enough so that at times strangers have asked me what's wrong while sitting outside somewhere having a smoke. I've shaved too deep into quite a few cuttings because of it. I also suck when playing Operation lol. The metal nail file on any pair of nail clippers does a great job at scraping right through to the sweet spot.* Also now that I think about it this method could be 100% viable in a guerrilla op if someone didn't want to have any clones hanging out in a closet etc.*


or if you are on plant limits you could veg for 3 months or what ever , air layer 3 spots and have 3 plants ready for flip ( but its still one plant until you snip it ) and still have the mother on the first root ball


----------



## MonkeyGrinder (Sep 22, 2014)

That's a double benefit. Especially when your plant count is 0 lol. I'm seriously going to give this a try next year and see how it goes in the bush. No Ned to cut clones and haul em back


----------



## Stompromper (Sep 23, 2014)

Hopefully you aren't trying to take credit for this method of propagation lol.


----------



## greasemonkeymann (Sep 23, 2014)

Stompromper said:


> Hopefully you aren't trying to take credit for this method of propagation lol.


I doubt that, air layering has been used in horticulture for many, many, years. I think he's just tryin to share an effective alternative to cloning.
this is the very BEST way to get good clones from jasmines, lavenders, and blueberry plants. and the ONLY way I can seem to get cuts to root from my bleeding-heart clerodendrom, I think I spelled that right, its a beautiful plant, the flowers really DO look like a bleeding heart, very cool plant.


----------



## Uncle Ben (Sep 23, 2014)

Stompromper said:


> Hopefully you aren't trying to take credit for this method of propagation lol.


Nope. Folks that have been around for a long time know it's as old as the hills.


----------



## bertaluchi (Sep 23, 2014)

You rock Uncle Ben. I love your posts.


----------



## leonard luis (Sep 24, 2014)

Hi all, sounds interesting............is there any good replacement for spaghnum moss?


----------



## Uncle Ben (Sep 24, 2014)

leonard luis said:


> Hi all, sounds interesting............is there any good replacement for spaghnum moss?


Spaghnum is clean, inert, holds water well, is aerated. If you have something else that fits that criteria, go fer it.


----------



## leonard luis (Sep 24, 2014)

Uncle Ben said:


> Spaghnum is clean, inert, holds water well, is aerated. If you have something else that fits that criteria, go fer it.


 well I dont know really.................sponge?


----------



## chuck estevez (Sep 24, 2014)




----------



## Uncle Ben (Sep 24, 2014)

leonard luis said:


> well I dont know really.................sponge?


You gonna plant it?


----------



## st0wandgrow (Sep 24, 2014)

Stompromper said:


> Hopefully you aren't trying to take credit for this method of propagation lol.


What?

Uncle Ben would _never _take credit for an age old technique and call it his own!

https://www.rollitup.org/t/uncle-bens-topping-technique-to-get-2-or-4-main-colas.151706/page-279


----------



## Stompromper (Sep 24, 2014)

Actually air layering is still quite common to get starts of certain trees and shrubs... that would not root otherwise.


----------



## leonard luis (Sep 24, 2014)

Uncle Ben said:


> You gonna plant it?


 nah, thinking of syntetic sponge instead of spaghnum moss


----------



## Uncle Ben (Sep 24, 2014)

leonard luis said:


> nah, thinking of syntetic sponge instead of spaghnum moss


Why?


----------



## leonard luis (Sep 24, 2014)

Uncle Ben said:


> Why?


 just wonder if there is any good replacement for spaghnum moss


----------



## tekdc911 (Sep 24, 2014)

leonard luis said:


> just wonder if there is any good replacement for spaghnum moss


dirt , coco , rockwool ........


----------



## leonard luis (Sep 24, 2014)

tekdc911 said:


> dirt , coco , rockwool ........


 dirt sounds easy, I go with that, thanks


----------



## MonkeyGrinder (Sep 24, 2014)

Well I happen to think It's an interesting method. Us guerrilla folk have to keep things as far away from our houses as possible. Cause in my case It's cut clones. Take em back and root em. Them back to the field. That's 2 instances of transporting plant matter. Also manufacturing avoided. So it pretty much just added another step to stealth.


----------



## pandorasboxg (Sep 24, 2014)

rapid rooters made of pressed cocoa or tree bark seems like it would work really easy....kinda like a sponge but more legit sounding


----------



## pandorasboxg (Sep 24, 2014)

leonard luis said:


> dirt sounds easy, I go with that, thanks


dirt? thats a broad term. i think "dirt" would be last choice. great joke if it was that


----------



## tekdc911 (Sep 25, 2014)

pandorasboxg said:


> dirt? thats a broad term. i think "dirt" would be last choice. great joke if it was that


it could be almost anything that has little nutrients and holds water ...... <~~~~~ that is a broad statement that fits the "dirt" category


----------



## pandorasboxg (Sep 25, 2014)

tekdc911 said:


> it could be almost anything that has little nutrients and holds water ...... <~~~~~ that is a broad statement that fits the "dirt" category


 im not sure but are you trying to debate what "dirt" is? i don't fully understand your point,
there is a lot of dirt i would never in grow out there....so go ahead numb nuts use "dirt" from the back yard, becuase you to cheap to spend money on anything really. see how that works out for you. some dirt has a lot of clay, some "dirt" will have alot of composted plant matter. some "dirt" will have none. some "dirt" has lots of sand it it. some dirt turns hard as a rock after it gets wet and dries. some "dirt" even just dissolves into the water. also dirt comes from outstide and my be contaminated with who knows what....lets agree to leave the dirt outside on the ground where it belongs yeah?


----------



## tekdc911 (Sep 25, 2014)

i use recycled soil and saran wrap ... and its worked many times (actually every time ) ..... dirt is dirt .... if a plant can grow in it then it can be used for this ...... clay is clay ..... sand is sand ....... dirt is dirt ........


pandorasboxg said:


> im not sure but are you trying to debate what "dirt" is? i don't fully understand your point,
> there is a lot of dirt i would never in grow out there....so go ahead numb nuts use "dirt" from the back yard, becuase you to cheap to spend money on anything really. see how that works out for you. some dirt has a lot of clay, some "dirt" will have alot of composted plant matter. some "dirt" will have none. some "dirt" has lots of sand it it. some dirt turns hard as a rock after it gets wet and dries. some "dirt" even just dissolves into the water. also dirt comes from outstide and my be contaminated with who knows what....lets agree to leave the dirt outside on the ground where it belongs yeah?


----------



## pandorasboxg (Sep 25, 2014)

*dirt*
_noun_\ˈdərt\
: loose earth or soil

: a substance (such as mud or dust) that makes things unclean

: a person or thing that has no value
that is the meriam webster definition of dirt.. shall we debate the english language too. dirt is a broad term once agian, mud for example could be made of many different things including lots of clay!!!!! here is a list of synonyms for dirt from google definitions :
synonyms:

earth, soil, loam, clay, silt;
ground

also the definition of synonyms...
*syn·o·nym*
_noun_\ˈsi-nə-ˌnim\
: a word that has the same meaning as another word in the same language



tekdc911 said:


> i use recycled soil and saran wrap ... and its worked many times (actually every time ) ..... dirt is dirt .... if a plant can grow in it then it can be used for this ...... clay is clay ..... sand is sand ....... dirt is dirt ........


so point being DIRT IS A BROAD TERM, and with advanced cultivation maybe we should be more specific


----------



## Uncle Ben (Sep 25, 2014)

I doubt if any one is even going to try this, but, there are damn good reasons why one should use _sphagnum moss_.


----------



## a senile fungus (Sep 25, 2014)

Uncle Ben said:


> I doubt if any one is even going to try this, but, there are damn good reasons why one should use _sphagnum moss_.


ITS ALIVE!


----------



## MonkeyGrinder (Sep 25, 2014)

Uncle Ben said:


> I doubt if any one is even going to try this, but, there are damn good reasons why one should use _sphagnum moss_.


Psht ima try it. If I can use a method and avoid 2 car trips. One with a backpack full of cuttings and the next with a backpack full of clones in solo cups you betcha I will.


----------



## leonard luis (Sep 26, 2014)

pandorasboxg said:


> dirt? thats a broad term. i think "dirt" would be last choice. great joke if it was that[/QU


----------



## leonard luis (Sep 26, 2014)

_I dont think there is any sphagnum moss in Gambia but coir should be available I guess _


----------



## Lemon king (Sep 27, 2014)

I find this technique works well with my dwc trees...it allows me to take a branch thas stem is at least thumb thickness and make a nice big mom out off it.....

Rapid rooters work well (even organic too uben lol)


----------



## dr.tomb (Oct 2, 2014)

If you used Rockwool; I take it that you soak the rockwool like typical to get the pH balance, shake the rockwool so it still has moisture, but isn't soaked. Then cut it, place it around the branch, the wrap with plastic?


----------



## leonard luis (Oct 2, 2014)

dr.tomb said:


> If you used Rockwool; I take it that you soak the rockwool like typical to get the pH balance, shake the rockwool so it still has moisture, but isn't soaked. Then cut it, place it around the branch, the wrap with plastic?


 sounds ok


----------



## Doer (Oct 3, 2014)

Stompromper said:


> Hopefully you aren't trying to take credit for this method of propagation lol.


Maybe no one is taking credit. Maybe you are just trolling with snide comments.


----------



## Doer (Oct 3, 2014)

st0wandgrow said:


> What?
> 
> Uncle Ben would _never _take credit for an age old technique and call it his own!
> 
> https://www.rollitup.org/t/uncle-bens-topping-technique-to-get-2-or-4-main-colas.151706/page-279


You seem to suffer from low self esteem.


----------



## Stompromper (Oct 3, 2014)

Maybe I am fuckface.


----------



## st0wandgrow (Oct 3, 2014)

Doer said:


> You seem to suffer from low self esteem.


For sure


----------



## FrozenChozen (Oct 3, 2014)

I like to strap a jiffy pop to the side of the plant. works wonders!


----------



## churchhaze (Oct 4, 2014)

Lol.. can I use something besides peatmoss.. I dunno what... something else.

People in this thread are cracking me up. What's up with the hatred for peat moss anyway.

Thanks for the technique. I've never heard of this one yet.


----------



## Doer (Oct 22, 2014)

Stompromper said:


> Maybe I am fuckface.


Well, get your face fucked?


----------



## Doer (Oct 22, 2014)

churchhaze said:


> Lol.. can I use something besides peatmoss.. I dunno what... something else.
> 
> People in this thread are cracking me up. What's up with the hatred for peat moss anyway.
> 
> Thanks for the technique. I've never heard of this one yet.


For me it is just peat moss breaks down. I just use coco coir and hydroton 50/50. Feed every day, after you get a root ball. It's inert and re-usable.

Really, as you see, RIU opinions don't matter. Anyone with an asshole can have one or two.

What works for you is what works.


----------



## Doer (Oct 22, 2014)

tekdc911 said:


> i use recycled soil and saran wrap ... and its worked many times (actually every time ) ..... dirt is dirt .... if a plant can grow in it then it can be used for this ...... clay is clay ..... sand is sand ....... dirt is dirt ........


Dirt is not dirt.

In fact there is really no such thing as "dirt." It is a common slang is all. We are talking really about the variety of soils.


----------



## Uncle Ben (Oct 22, 2014)

I recommended the best rooting medium and you guys have to go off not knowing what you're doing and come up with all kinds of alternative shit?

Just make this as complicated and confusing as you can!


----------



## Doer (Oct 22, 2014)

st0wandgrow said:


> What?
> 
> Uncle Ben would _never _take credit for an age old technique and call it his own!
> 
> https://www.rollitup.org/t/uncle-bens-topping-technique-to-get-2-or-4-main-colas.151706/page-279


We already discussed that many times and you are just doing the troll jerk, as usual.

He named his method not the technique you vast unrelenting idiot.


----------



## st0wandgrow (Oct 22, 2014)

Doer said:


> We already discussed that many times and you are just doing the troll jerk, as usual.
> 
> He named his method not the technique you vast unrelenting idiot.



You're mistaking me (again) for someone that values your opinion, Talker.

It is cute how you hump UB's leg though.


----------



## churchhaze (Oct 22, 2014)

In case it wasn't clear, I was only joking!!

I facepalmed when that was the first question and thought "why would you want to use something else when you just learned how to do it?"

So then when it doesn't work right, they can come back blaming you for their own mistakes. Hey, it's a new trick to me. I don't know what would make it better or worse!



Uncle Ben said:


> I recommended the best rooting medium and you guys have to go off not knowing what you're doing and come up with all kinds of alternative shit?
> 
> Just make this as complicated and confusing as you can!


----------



## Doer (Oct 22, 2014)

st0wandgrow said:


> You're mistaking me (again) for someone that values your opinion, Talker.
> 
> It is cute how you hump UB's leg though.


You are not standing close enough to swat


----------



## Stompromper (Oct 22, 2014)

No I dont take it in the face like you do herpi mouth..


----------



## Doer (Oct 22, 2014)

brilliant retort


----------



## Uncle Ben (Oct 23, 2014)

churchhaze said:


> In case it wasn't clear, I was only joking!!
> 
> I facepalmed when that was the first question and thought "why would you want to use something else when you just learned how to do it?"
> 
> So then when it doesn't work right, they can come back blaming you for their own mistakes. Hey, it's a new trick to me. I don't know what would make it better or worse!


Sorry! Flew right over mah pointy haid.


----------



## pineappleman420 (Oct 27, 2014)

Thanks for the great info. I cant wait to use it. I think i also have a lemon tree that im going to try it on too.


----------



## Scroga (Oct 27, 2014)

Thanks for the info Ben... I always thought It was complicated shit and had something to do with plant culture in Petri dishes... Not sure where I got that from but I'm glad you cleared it up for me... Will def be giving it a go.. I'm imagining it takes slightly longer than the bubble cloner? It's hard to understand the cut from the >|< diagram but its cool I'm interested enough now to go hunt out any YouTube clips... Cheers bud
P.s to all of those that are constantly spreading bad vibes and generally just bitching please fuck off.. Nobody enjoys reading that shit...year after year .... Be positive and contribute or why bother?


----------



## Uncle Ben (Oct 28, 2014)

Scroga said:


> Thanks for the info Ben... I always thought It was complicated shit and had something to do with plant culture in Petri dishes... Not sure where I got that from but I'm glad you cleared it up for me... Will def be giving it a go.. I'm imagining it takes slightly longer than the bubble cloner? It's hard to understand the cut from the >|< diagram but its cool I'm interested enough now to go hunt out any YouTube clips... Cheers bud
> P.s to all of those that are constantly spreading bad vibes and generally just bitching please fuck off.. Nobody enjoys reading that shit...year after year .... Be positive and contribute or why bother?


Friend of mine at the old OG, called himself Butcher Bob, did it quite a bit and every time it worked for him. 

Good luck


----------



## Uncle Ben (Oct 28, 2014)

pineappleman420 said:


> Thanks for the great info. I cant wait to use it. I think i also have a lemon tree that im going to try it on too.


Should work but be sure the tree is actively growing. Early spring when it begins to push would be fine. I also grow citrus and other tropicals like avocados, mango, pineapples, dragon fruit. Most of my citrus and cados I grafted myself using T-bud, cleft or veneer grafts. Plan on doing a "cocktail" avocado tree, 3 rare and/or patented varieties, to one root stock come spring. 

UB


----------



## daemon kronic (Oct 28, 2014)

Ya trying that asap....tkx bro!!!


----------



## pineappleman420 (Jan 16, 2015)

Uncle Ben said:


> Should work but be sure the tree is actively growing. Early spring when it begins to push would be fine. I also grow citrus and other tropicals like avocados, mango, pineapples, dragon fruit. Most of my citrus and cados I grafted myself using T-bud, cleft or veneer grafts. Plan on doing a "cocktail" avocado tree, 3 rare and/or patented varieties, to one root stock come spring.
> 
> UB



That sounds awesome. I hope to get to the point someday. I've been growing as much as i can for 10 years and still feel like i learn a lot every year.


----------



## pineappleman420 (Jan 16, 2015)

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,47236&p=46938 Hope this link helps someone out. I found it useful.


----------



## Uncle Ben (Jan 16, 2015)

pineappleman420 said:


> http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,47236&p=46938 Hope this link helps someone out. I found it useful.


Very cool!


----------



## a senile fungus (Feb 1, 2016)

It works!

Scrape the stem a bit, apply a bit of cloning gel, wrap in peat plug, wrap with plastic, wait 2wks... I would've had more roots if I hadn't completely forgotten about it and let the peat plug dry out completely.

But, it did work, and the clone has been transplanted! That's GG4, in case someone cares


----------



## KingBlunted (Feb 1, 2016)

UB thank you. I really was in desperate need of a more efficient method.


----------



## Budley Doright (Feb 1, 2016)

It's a great technique for field grows, we used to do it quite a bit back in the day. Oh and yup we used dirt lol. Pretty sure the moss would have been easier to work with though, Great post UB, just another reminder of how old I am .


----------



## Uncle Ben (Feb 3, 2016)

Budley Doright said:


> It's a great technique for field grows, we used to do it quite a bit back in the day. Oh and yup we used dirt lol. Pretty sure the moss would have been easier to work with though, Great post UB, just another reminder of how old I am .


Another old pHart eh! We got da wisdom.....


----------



## BobCajun (Feb 3, 2016)

You could also root several stem sections along one branch, meaning make cuts just above each node until you get to the tip. The new clones would have nice thick stems to start with so they may develop faster. I wouldn't use a bunch of peat though, just too bulky. I would just put some wet paper towel around it and wrap that with aluminum foil or dark plastic to keep light out, poke a few needle holes for air, and after probably 7 days root tips will have started appearing. That's when I would cut them off and place them in pots of medium and cover them with a humidity dome until the roots actually grow out. It's the lag time between applying the rooting hormone and the roots actually emerging from the stem which is when they still need to be attached. No point leaving them on there growing long roots into a ball of peat really. Might speed things up by a day or two but that's about the only benefit.


----------



## Budley Doright (Feb 3, 2016)

BobCajun said:


> You could also root several stem sections along one branch, meaning make cuts just above each node until you get to the tip. The new clones would have nice thick stems to start with so they may develop faster. I wouldn't use a bunch of peat though, just too bulky. I would just put some wet paper towel around it and wrap that with aluminum foil or dark plastic to keep light out, poke a few needle holes for air, and after probably 7 days root tips will have started appearing. That's when I would cut them off and place them in pots of medium and cover them with a humidity dome until the roots actually grow out. It's the lag time between applying the rooting hormone and the roots actually emerging from the stem which is when they still need to be attached. No point leaving them on there growing long roots into a ball of peat really. Might speed things up by a day or two but that's about the only benefit.


Actually back a long time ago it was thought that you couldn't clone a pot plant (what we were led to believe anyways) and air layering was the only way to get cuttings. Not even sure rooting hormone was available but ya I'm pretty old lol.


----------



## a senile fungus (Feb 5, 2016)

a senile fungus said:


> It works!
> 
> Scrape the stem a bit, apply a bit of cloning gel, wrap in peat plug, wrap with plastic, wait 2wks... I would've had more roots if I hadn't completely forgotten about it and let the peat plug dry out completely.
> 
> ...



here is a follow up, four days later, after transplant into amended promix...

ROOTS!!!


----------



## Skunk Baxter (Mar 8, 2016)

I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried this with plants that are deep into flower. I did it tonight with 3 White Rhinos that are now hitting Week 9. I figure they have a solid 2 weeks to go, so that should be time to develop roots. I used the lower branches on all three plants - trimmed the leaves and larf buds from the node closest to the stem, applied rooting gel, enclosed them with a rooting plug split down the middle, and wrapped them in saran wrap. 2 clones each on 2 of the plants, 3 clones on the third.

I'm really curious to see how it plays out in terms of bud development - will this cause hormonal changes that will affect bud development in those branches? I'll be watching for that. I'm also curious how it will work if I harvest the buds before the roots fully develop. Or, conversely, if the roots develop before the buds are ready, should I cut the clones off, pot them, and see whether the buds continue to ripen?

There seem to be a lot of possible ways for this to go, and I'll play it by ear as I go along. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. I'll settle for just getting some clones that I can reveg and save the genetics, but if any opportunities arise to play mad scientist, I'ma fer shur gonna jump all over it.


----------



## Gaz29 (Mar 21, 2016)

Skunk Baxter said:


> I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried this with plants that are deep into flower. I did it tonight with 3 White Rhinos that are now hitting Week 9. I figure they have a solid 2 weeks to go, so that should be time to develop roots. I used the lower branches on all three plants - trimmed the leaves and larf buds from the node closest to the stem, applied rooting gel, enclosed them with a rooting plug split down the middle, and wrapped them in saran wrap. 2 clones each on 2 of the plants, 3 clones on the third.
> 
> I'm really curious to see how it plays out in terms of bud development - will this cause hormonal changes that will affect bud development in those branches? I'll be watching for that. I'm also curious how it will work if I harvest the buds before the roots fully develop. Or, conversely, if the roots develop before the buds are ready, should I cut the clones off, pot them, and see whether the buds continue to ripen?
> 
> There seem to be a lot of possible ways for this to go, and I'll play it by ear as I go along. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. I'll settle for just getting some clones that I can reveg and save the genetics, but if any opportunities arise to play mad scientist, I'ma fer shur gonna jump all over it.


That's exactly what I was thinking, can you do it with plants in v.late bloom.. as i want to Kp genetics..!? I'm gonna have a go too. Happy growing,
Gaz


----------



## tekdc911 (Mar 22, 2016)

Skunk Baxter said:


> I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried this with plants that are deep into flower. I did it tonight with 3 White Rhinos that are now hitting Week 9. I figure they have a solid 2 weeks to go, so that should be time to develop roots. I used the lower branches on all three plants - trimmed the leaves and larf buds from the node closest to the stem, applied rooting gel, enclosed them with a rooting plug split down the middle, and wrapped them in saran wrap. 2 clones each on 2 of the plants, 3 clones on the third.
> 
> I'm really curious to see how it plays out in terms of bud development - will this cause hormonal changes that will affect bud development in those branches? I'll be watching for that. I'm also curious how it will work if I harvest the buds before the roots fully develop. Or, conversely, if the roots develop before the buds are ready, should I cut the clones off, pot them, and see whether the buds continue to ripen?
> 
> There seem to be a lot of possible ways for this to go, and I'll play it by ear as I go along. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. I'll settle for just getting some clones that I can reveg and save the genetics, but if any opportunities arise to play mad scientist, I'ma fer shur gonna jump all over it.


makes me wonder if you rooted them in veg and started feeding them and just dont cut them off if the plant would benefit from it .... use a little air pot or something so it air prunes the roots or something along those lines ..... did they end up rooting ?


----------



## Skunk Baxter (Mar 22, 2016)

No, it has not worked so far. 2 weeks in, and I unwrapped 5 of the 7 today. Of the 3 plants, the 1 that has 3 attempted clones on it show no activity at all, 1 of the plants that has 2 rooting plugs on it has formed thick nodules at the wrapped nodes but no roots yet, and the 3rd I really can't get at very well. I'm going to try to make some room later to get in there and unwrap the plugs, but having come up empty on the first 5 plugs, my hopes aren't too high. I think I did everything right; they're just not taking. Maybe 9 weeks into flower is too late, at least with this strain.

I'll post a couple of pics of how I did it. I left one end of each plug exposed to discourage bacteria and promote oxygen exchange, and watered each of them once or twice a day by using a hypodermic needle to inject ph water directly into the plug. I let them dry out some between waterings, but none of them ever became fully dry.

Looks like reveg is the next step, because today is the beginning of Week 11, and they're probably coming down next week. Probably won't be time now to try to develop the clones, even if they do sprout roots in the next few days. But take one look at the top bud in the 3rd pic, and you'll understand why I want to save these genetics.


----------



## Gaz29 (Mar 24, 2016)

Skunk Baxter said:


> No, it has not worked so far. 2 weeks in, and I unwrapped 5 of the 7 today. Of the 3 plants, the 1 that has 3 attempted clones on it show no activity at all, 1 of the plants that has 2 rooting plugs on it has formed thick nodules at the wrapped nodes but no roots yet, and the 3rd I really can't get at very well. I'm going to try to make some room later to get in there and unwrap the plugs, but having come up empty on the first 5 plugs, my hopes aren't too high. I think I did everything right; they're just not taking. Maybe 9 weeks into flower is too late, at least with this strain.
> 
> I'll post a couple of pics of how I did it. I left one end of each plug exposed to discourage bacteria and promote oxygen exchange, and watered each of them once or twice a day by using a hypodermic needle to inject ph water directly into the plug. I let them dry out some between waterings, but none of them ever became fully dry.
> 
> Looks like reveg is the next step, because today is the beginning of Week 11, and they're probably coming down next week. Probably won't be time now to try to develop the clones, even if they do sprout roots in the next few days. But take one look at the top bud in the 3rd pic, and you'll understand why I want to save these genetics.


Skunk B, thanks for letting us know if yours worked out late in flower.. I'm just gonna re-veg my keeper, i cut her big nugs/tops off n left popcorn buds n leaves all over middle/bottom of plant, fed it sum veg nutes n got it under lights 24/0. Goodluck on re-vegging yours. Happy growing,
Gaz


----------



## Skunk Baxter (Mar 27, 2016)

Whoa, I spoke too soon. Jackpot tonight. One plant that had 2 plugs on it is sprouting a nice little bunch of roots in 1 of the plugs, the other 2-plug plant is starting to form some roots on both plugs, and the plant with 3 plugs is starting to show roots on 2 of them. I guess I just needed to be more patient. It'll be 3 weeks this Tuesday, and I think by then most of them should have nice little root systems.

Just in time, too, because I'm chopping at least one of them this week. Still may re-veg that one just for insurance, but now it looks as though I may not actually need to.


----------



## 808newb (May 14, 2016)

Thanks. I finally found a cloning method that works for me 100% success rate. I wrapped them on May 1 and clipped this morning to pot up. That's exactly 2 weeks and are full of roots. Awesome!


----------



## MeJuana (May 16, 2016)

One of my newest strains ACDC doesn't like to be cloned she remained in my cloner for about 2 months before reluctantly growing roots. As soon as that little clone is big enough I am going to try this air cloning on her. Otherwise at this point I don't know how I am going to deal with this plant. I grow plants for a local hospis or really a friend of mines wife who manages a hospis. This acdc plant is 100% donation herb and I don't mean to be a prick but I didn't want to work so hard to donate lol This technique might just have me smiling again.


----------



## Star Dog (Oct 4, 2020)

Can someone clarify something for me. 
Do you cut all the way around the stem or only the half you scrape? 
Do you completely remove the bark or only the half getting scraped? 
I don't want to fk up I'd rather double check.


----------



## Rahz (Oct 11, 2020)

Uncle Ben said:


> Might as well share this ditty I wrote at the very first cannabis forum years ago.
> ***************************************************************************************
> Air Layering is an almost foolproof means of doing asexual propagation. There is no stress to the mother plant, no humidity tents to fool with, easy and cheap. Gotta to luv it!
> 
> ...


Are there any potential contamination issues with this technique?


----------



## Star Dog (Oct 12, 2020)

Rahz said:


> Are there any potential contamination issues with this technique?


You can maybe help me understand? 
I can't get my head around the cuts, is the piece between the cuts only meant to be peeled back only or removed right around? 

To try and answer your question, there's always a chance of contamination but no more than topping, removing leafs taking a clone etc etc generally speaking next to no chance.


----------



## Rahz (Oct 12, 2020)

The instructions suggest both, or rather the first method suggests one vertical cut held open with a toothpick while the second method suggests removing the outer layer completely so the stem can't transport downward. I'm thinking it would be good to have a spare plant set aside to experiment on because it seems like there's the potential for errors.


----------



## Star Dog (Oct 12, 2020)

Rahz said:


> The instructions suggest both, or rather the first method suggests one vertical cut held open with a toothpick while the second method suggests removing the outer layer completely so the stem can't transport downward. I'm thinking it would be good to have a spare plant set aside to experiment on because it seems like there's the potential for errors.


Thanks for the clarification on that (thumbs) 
I've got a donor plant I can use to practice it on. 
The idea of picking rooted clones is appealing


----------

