Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
Might as well share this ditty I wrote at the very first cannabis forum years ago.
***************************************************************************************
Air Layering is an almost foolproof means of doing asexual propagation. There is no stress to the mother plant, no humidity tents to fool with, easy and cheap. Gotta to luv it!
PLANT PROPAGATION by AIR LAYERING TECHNIQUE
1. While the plant is in its vegetative stage, select a location at the top of the plant, or any terminal growing location in which you would like to take a clone. Identify a node below this terminal growth to be used for the production of roots, and pinch or snip off the leaf petioles as close to the node as possible, leave alone until the next day to give the petiole wounds a chance to heal. This will be your future rooting site.
2. We will now trick this terminal area to redirect its food resources towards the making of new roots at our future rooting site, which will speed up the cloning process. There are two ways of fooling Mama Natur:
a. Slit the stem just *below* the rooting node site. Pry the slit open with a small piece of a toothpick, leaving the toothpick in place, or,
b. Here's a more efficient method. Using a single-edge razor blade make a cut all the way around the stem just below the node, and through the "bark" into the next layer which is called the phloem. You'll feel a little resistance when you hit it. The phloem is the tissue that conducts food from the leaves downward. Your goal is to cut off this flow of food just *below* your rooting site. Don't worry, you have not affected any growth below this area. Moving right along... make another cut about 1/2" or so below the first cut, and again guide the razor blade all the way around the stem. Join the two cuts with a vertical cut so that it looks like an < I >. The "bark" will now slip or peel off the stem all the way around. Using your fingernail, peel the "bark" off the stem, and lightly scrape the phloem tissue off the 1/2" or so of exposed stem. Don't overdue it or you will get into the xylem, which is the conduit that conducts water and nutes upward. This second method interrupts the transmission of food more efficiently than the first.
You have just created a condition in which the top terminal part is still receiving water and nutes, and the food manufactured by the upper leaves is being retained at and above the future rooting site. Neat huh!!!?
3. Dust the node site (located above the cut bark/phloem tissue) with Rootone F or anyone of your favorite cloning agents. Don't overdue it, this is powerful stuff, even if it *is* diluted with a carrier.
4. Wet a handful of spaghnum moss until it is saturated with water, tap water is fine, and wring out the excess. Wrap the moss around the node site. This is where your roots will show. Hold the moss in place and wrap CLEAR plastic (baggie plastic is fine) or Saran Wrap around the spaghnum moss several times and tightly secure it (wrap it) with masking tape at the top and at the bottom. This seal should be such that excess water can escape but moisture will be retained. Place the plant into your grow room under normal lighting conditions.
5. Roots will form quickly. When you see a flush of roots show up within the confines of the plastic wrap, clip it off just below the bottom of the plastic wrap, and bingo, you have a new addition to the household! Pass the cigars please.
6. Needless to say, carefully unwrap the plastic, cut off your new plant and pot it up.
Good luck and happy gardening!
Uncle Ben
***************************************************************************************
Air Layering is an almost foolproof means of doing asexual propagation. There is no stress to the mother plant, no humidity tents to fool with, easy and cheap. Gotta to luv it!
PLANT PROPAGATION by AIR LAYERING TECHNIQUE
1. While the plant is in its vegetative stage, select a location at the top of the plant, or any terminal growing location in which you would like to take a clone. Identify a node below this terminal growth to be used for the production of roots, and pinch or snip off the leaf petioles as close to the node as possible, leave alone until the next day to give the petiole wounds a chance to heal. This will be your future rooting site.
2. We will now trick this terminal area to redirect its food resources towards the making of new roots at our future rooting site, which will speed up the cloning process. There are two ways of fooling Mama Natur:
a. Slit the stem just *below* the rooting node site. Pry the slit open with a small piece of a toothpick, leaving the toothpick in place, or,
b. Here's a more efficient method. Using a single-edge razor blade make a cut all the way around the stem just below the node, and through the "bark" into the next layer which is called the phloem. You'll feel a little resistance when you hit it. The phloem is the tissue that conducts food from the leaves downward. Your goal is to cut off this flow of food just *below* your rooting site. Don't worry, you have not affected any growth below this area. Moving right along... make another cut about 1/2" or so below the first cut, and again guide the razor blade all the way around the stem. Join the two cuts with a vertical cut so that it looks like an < I >. The "bark" will now slip or peel off the stem all the way around. Using your fingernail, peel the "bark" off the stem, and lightly scrape the phloem tissue off the 1/2" or so of exposed stem. Don't overdue it or you will get into the xylem, which is the conduit that conducts water and nutes upward. This second method interrupts the transmission of food more efficiently than the first.
You have just created a condition in which the top terminal part is still receiving water and nutes, and the food manufactured by the upper leaves is being retained at and above the future rooting site. Neat huh!!!?
3. Dust the node site (located above the cut bark/phloem tissue) with Rootone F or anyone of your favorite cloning agents. Don't overdue it, this is powerful stuff, even if it *is* diluted with a carrier.
4. Wet a handful of spaghnum moss until it is saturated with water, tap water is fine, and wring out the excess. Wrap the moss around the node site. This is where your roots will show. Hold the moss in place and wrap CLEAR plastic (baggie plastic is fine) or Saran Wrap around the spaghnum moss several times and tightly secure it (wrap it) with masking tape at the top and at the bottom. This seal should be such that excess water can escape but moisture will be retained. Place the plant into your grow room under normal lighting conditions.
5. Roots will form quickly. When you see a flush of roots show up within the confines of the plastic wrap, clip it off just below the bottom of the plastic wrap, and bingo, you have a new addition to the household! Pass the cigars please.
6. Needless to say, carefully unwrap the plastic, cut off your new plant and pot it up.
Good luck and happy gardening!
Uncle Ben
