Four Steps in Air-Layering a Plant

1. Knock most of the bottom out of  2 1/2 or 3 inch pot.

2. Fold up the leaves of the tall “leggy” plant after notching the stem (see arrow) where roots are desired.

3. Place pot at that point, fill it with sphagnum or peat moss and tie it in place – a stake will help support it.

4. When roots fill the pot, break and remove it, cut the new plant from the old stem and pot it in a new pot with more sphagnum or peat moss.

This technique and the old drawings above, came from an old book my Mama Bess used, The Wise Garden Encyclopedia, but I have added a more up-to-date version. I find it easier to use peat planting pots and also rub Root Tone on the notches as mentioned in step 2. 

Sometimes, you can save money by gathering seeds from a good harvest, and then there are times you may want to try an actual layering of a favorite woody plant such as a favorite rose or gardenia to make multiple plants. Try this technique as mentioned above and in my next writing I will explain how to propagate a woody plant.