Basics of Layering

Layering is most often used to propagate either plants that have long flexible stems and layer naturally or plants that are hard to propagate by other methods. Though the details vary, most layering techniques include the following steps:

1) The stem is injured so that food produced in the leaves accumulates. Girdling the stem or making an incision part way through the stem will prevent the flow of the food to the roots of the plant. The food will accumulate just above the injury and provide energy to form the new roots.

2) The injured stem is treated with rooting hormone.

3) Light is excluded from the portion of the stem that will produce the roots. This is most often done by covering the stem with soil, but in air layering, the stem is wrapped with damp sphagnum moss.