Start New Plants with the Layering Technique
Start new plants from your favorite heirloom grape, rose, vine or trailing houseplants with layering.
Locate one or more long, healthy and pliable stems. Start the process at the beginning of the growing season for outdoor plants. Make a notch about 9 inches from the tips of the vine. Carefully bend the stem over, bury the notched portion in the ground or bury it in a container filled with potting mix.
Leave the top 6 inches of the stem above the ground. Anchor the stem in place with a metal wicket or stone.
Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil moist. The attached parent plant continues to provide water and nutrients to the stem while the roots form.
Once rooted, disconnect the layer from the parent plant. Dig or plant your rooted layer in a new location in fall or the following spring.
A bit more information: Increase your odds of success, especially with woody-stemmed plants, by using a rooting compound. These products contain hormones to stimulate roots. You can find them at your local garden center or garden supply catalogue.
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