Propagation Techniques

Layering is the process of fooling a plant into developing roots it doesn't really need. Small fruits like grapes and currants adapt well to this technique. Spring is the best time to layer a plant because the roots will grow fastest, but it can be done at any time. Choose a vigorous, flexible shoot low on the plant about a pencil-width in size. Gently bend it down to the soil and measure back about 9 inches from the tip. Loosen the soil there. Remove the leaves from the part that will be buried, about 6 to 12 inches from the tip, and scrape the bark lightly from the bottom. Bury this section about 1 inch deep, anchoring it with a piece of bent wire to hold it in place. The end of the shoot should stick straight up; stake it if you need to. Water occasionally to keep the soil moist and mulch to conserve water.

It shouldn't take more than a month or two for roots to form. When the layered stem is well-rooted, sever it from the mother plant about 6 inches above the roots, but don't transplant it until the following spring.

Some berry plants naturally form layers from their tips when they touch the soil. You can increase the number of plants you have by bending a few standing canes and burying their tips. New plants will sprout up from the tips.

It may take more than a single year for this technique to work with certain plants, such as quince and high-bush blueberries. Strawberry plants do this naturally by sending out runners.

Don't try this technique with grafted plants. The grafted sections won't have the desirable traits of the rootstock, such as disease tolerance, and won't grow well.

Propagation Techniques - Layering

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