Air Layering - The New Awesomeness

Air Layering - The New Awesomeness

The trees are maturing around the border of my kitchen garden. And they are shading out my grow beds.

I have a choice - cut them down or start transitioning the space to a more mature, perennial based food production system.

Since the most shaded beds run along the transition zone between urban savanna and urban forest, I decided that transition perennials like low shrubs would be a suitable place to start.

The fastest way to establish this food system is to take a trip to the local nursery with a credit card. In my case, someone else's credit card...

Alternatively, I could take my time and start with seedlings or cuttings that I can obtain for free or barter. And that's what I'm doing.

So I got to reading and researching not only for local plant material donors who are acclimatized to the Northern environment, but to also learn techniques for cloning and propagation. And I just discovered this technique called air layering which I think is just awesome. Expect to see plastic bags on tree branches everywhere!

So What is Air Layering?

Here is a basic video introducing the concept:

There are two main techniques involved. One is ringing the branch as shown in the video above, while the other involved cutting a notch like in the video below:

Some people just make longitudinal cuts along the branch and it seems to work. The point is that it's not a precise science. Whatever works best for you works best!

Sphagnum moss seems to be the most common packing medium, but coco coir works equally well.

Instead of using rooting hormone, I'm experimenting with willow water I made at home to see how well it works.