Air Layering Plants
Plants in the greenhouse that are on the larger side, and that have more of a wood then green stem, often need help to grow properly in containers. Sometimes these woody-type plants can lose their leaves and look as if they are more dead than alive. To save these plants, we are going to encourage new roots to grow and to develop more leaves so the plant becomes fuller and healthy.

Posted Wednesday, April 12, 2006

You’ll want to start with a plant that you know is healthy; pest and disease free, even if it has very few leaves left. Less leaves indicates a plant that is root bound, or that is planted in a pot with soil that is too dense for roots to spread out.

Choose a plant to work with that has a bare stem at the top where leaves should be. You will use a sharp knife to make a cut about two thirds into the stem below the lowest leaves on the plant. Be sure to hold the top portion of the plant so it doesn’t bend over.

Use a match to keep the cut surface of the stem open and allow sap to flow out. Wipe off the sap that comes from the plant. Leave the match stick in the cut of the stem. Use a small brush and some rooting hormone to wet and coat the cut area on the stem.

Next you are going to put a piece of plastic around the cut and you are going to tie the bottom of the plastic tightly to the stem of the tree. Inside the top of the plastic, you are going to pile some soil. This should be a loose, soft, starter type soil. Wrap the top of the plastic to keep the soil in and around the plant. This is where the roots are going to grow.

After a few weeks, you will notice a root ball beginning to form. As you see the roots become formed, you can take a sharp pruner and finish the cut that you had originally started with that two thirds incision. Plant the new portion of the plant or tree in another container. You will need to stake the plant until it firmly takes hold in the soil.