Propagation of woody plants by cutting often fails. The cuttings die before the roots develop. Propagation by air layering is a simple technique by which a branch is wrapped with potting medium to promote formation of roots. After the roots formed, the branch is cut off from the parent plant and transplanted in a pot. This post shows you how to clone a shrub using a Boomerang Lilac shown on the featured image.
Tools for propagation by air layering
- Propagation air layering pods
- Rooting hormone
- Potting medium
- Sharp knife
Propagation air layering pods
The propagation air layering pods simplify the procedure. They are designed to keep a section of stem moist with potting medium for the development of roots. The pods came in three sizes. For most shrubs, either medium or small will be suitable. They can be purchased from online garden stores or Amazon.com. If you do not like to use these pods, you can simply wrap the stem with some potting medium using black plastic sheet and secure with tapes.
Procedure for propagation by air layering
Select a young branch. With a sharp knife, cut around the stem twice about 1 inch apart, and remove the bark between the two cut marks as shown in the picture above. Then scrape some tissue off the exposed stem with the knife.
With a Q-tip, apply some rooting gel on the exposed stem. The rooting gel contains a plant hormone to promote root formation. Then fill the two hemispheres of the air layering pod with moist potting medium. Place them in the area of exposed stem, and lock in position as shown in the picture below.
Lock the two hemispheres in position with the plastic tab. If desired, secure the pod further with a piece of wire through the holes at the edges as shown in the picture above. But this is optional. Add water once a week through the “funnel” at either end of the pod to keep the potting medium moist.
After 1-2 months (depending on the shrub), open the pod. If roots have developed, cut the branch off the parent shrub and transplant it to a pot. You may need to use a stick to support the transplant until the roots are established. You may want to leave the newly rooted cutting in the shade for a few days before placing it in a sunny location to avoid transplanting shock. Water the potted plant once a week (or twice a week in hot weather) to keep the potting medium moist. It may take a few months for the root system to fully develop, before you can transplant this new plant in the ground.
Transplanting the cutting in ground
After a few months, the root ball of the cutting has developed. You may want to transplant it in the ground. The best time for transplanting the cutting is early fall, so that it can establish before winter sets in. Sometimes, the old leaves may turn yellow and fall off. However, new leaves will appear later.
The picture above shows the new transplant blooming in the second spring. Now, you have cloned a shrub.
