Do you have an old houseplant that lost many of its lower leaves and you want to give it a new lease on life? Or maybe your houseplant has reached the ceiling and you don’t know what to do with it?
If so, the air layering technique would be a perfect way to save and propagate your plant! It is easy and quick to do, and only requires a few simple steps.
What is Air Layering?
Air layering is a propagation technique that is often used on older plants that have become woody and would be difficult to propagate otherwise.
This technique allows your cutting to actually form roots while it is still attached to the parent plant! This technique minimizes the shock that your cutting will endure while it is rooting, and maximizes your success!
This will speed up the formation of roots. Then take the toothpick and gently apply the rooting hormone to the incision that you’ve made.
Then take the toothpick and gently insert the center of the toothpick horizontally into the incision so that it can hold open the cut while the roots are growing.
Then take your scissors and cut off both ends of the toothpick. You’ll want to do this so that the points of the toothpick don’t pierce holes into the plastic wrap once you wrap it in Step 5.
Step 4: Wrap with Sphagnum Moss
Take your sphagnum moss that you have soaking in water and squeeze out all the excess moisture with your hands.
You want it damp, but not dripping wet otherwise your plant may rot. Then gently wrap the moss around where you cut the stem and gently squeeze it into a ball so that there is proper contact between the moss and the cut that you’ve made.
Step 5: Wrap the Moss With Plastic Wrap
After you have a nice ball of moss surrounding your cut, take some clear plastic wrap and wrap it around the moss a few times.
Step 6: Secure the Plastic Wrap
Finally, firmly tie both ends of the plastic wrap with garden twine. I like to tie it like I’m tying my shoe laces. This way, you can easily remove it when the cutting has rooted.
Step 7: Wait!
This is the hardest part…waiting! It may be a few months before your cutting roots, so it’ll require a little patience on your part.
Step 8: Separate your Cutting and Pot It Up
After a few months, you should be able to see the roots growing through the moss inside of the plastic wrap. At this point, you can cut the cutting off of the parent plant and pot it up. This actually has two benefits:
You’ve propagated a whole new plant!
The stem on your original plant should grow a new branch (or maybe even two) and your parent plant will get more full.
I will update this blog post later on with what the rest of the process looks like after the cutting has rooted.
So try it out! What plants do you have that you would like to try air layering? Comment below!
Please do me a favor and share this post to social media because it will help me spread the Ohio Tropics houseplant care tips to the masses! Also, check out my shop on Amazon for all your houseplant care needs:
I have a huge Monstera which is an old mature plant, it is growing in all directions. can I share a picture to take your advice?
Raffaele
Saturday 2nd of January 2021
Sure, you can email me using the contact form on my website. When I respond, you can reply and attach photos.
Jenn
Monday 14th of December 2020
Just discovered your site, and I am loving your clear, detailed posts--kudos! New plant mum here, a Canadian expat in Saudi. I have two questions (right now, ha!):
1. Are there any houseplants you know--or suspect--this method won't work on?
2. We are still in the northern hemisphere here, but in our area of Dhahran, KSA, the tree leaves seem to shed in Dec-Feb... which also seems to be when people sell and do a ton of planting outside, from petunias to frangipanis. It's ridiculously hot and humid from about Jun-Oct, and quite lovely from Nov-Apr. So my question is: WHAT would be the dormancy period here, or "winter" when it comes to the plants? Because while this is considered winter to us humans in Saudi, to the plants it looks like prime growing season. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Raffaele
Monday 14th of December 2020
Hi Jenn! Those are great questions. You can do various methods of air layering on a lot of different plants. But the one I showed in this post is best suited for plants that have woody stems. As far as winter in your area...just pay attention to if your plants are slowing down at all. Maybe most of your plants may not have any type of rest period, depending on what you're growing. Are you asking mainly for fertilizing?
kyra dale
Wednesday 20th of May 2020
I tried this with a hoya that I received in the mail that had an injured limb. It's working! I see a root in the little spag moss pocket I made for it.
Raffaele
Tuesday 26th of May 2020
That's great Kyra! :-)
MC
Tuesday 12th of May 2020
Hi! Can you air layer the main stem/trunk of a variegated rubber plant? Or can you notch (is it the same thing)? Mine lost all the leaves in the lower 2/3 (prob due to fungus; treating currently with copper fung.) so it looks like a tree now. It still puts out new growth from the top/apex.
Also, would you know why the new growth of the tineke is significantly (at least 2-4") smaller than the older leaves? And do you remove the leaves with fungal spots, even if I think it's currently under control?
Thanks!
Raffaele
Wednesday 13th of May 2020
Yes you can absolutely air layer a variegated rubber plant as well. It is no different in that respect. As far as the growth being smaller, you have to keep in mind that your home environment is providing less than ideal conditions compared to where the plant was growing before in a greenhouse...and by this, I primarily mean light and there are other factors too (fertilizing, etc.). I wrote a long blog post on rubber plants that you may want to check out as well! If you suspect the fungal issue is under control from your treatment, leave it.
kyra
Saturday 2nd of May 2020
Great information! I just received a long hoya vine which sustained an injury in shipping and I remembered your post! It's not completely broken off but has a clear split area. I only hope I added enough moss. Since it's a small vine, I went with a smaller portion of moss and plastic wrap.
Raffaele
Monday 4th of May 2020
Good luck! :-)
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Vibhuti Jain
Thursday 31st of December 2020
I have a huge Monstera which is an old mature plant, it is growing in all directions. can I share a picture to take your advice?
Raffaele
Saturday 2nd of January 2021
Sure, you can email me using the contact form on my website. When I respond, you can reply and attach photos.
Jenn
Monday 14th of December 2020
Just discovered your site, and I am loving your clear, detailed posts--kudos! New plant mum here, a Canadian expat in Saudi. I have two questions (right now, ha!):
1. Are there any houseplants you know--or suspect--this method won't work on?
2. We are still in the northern hemisphere here, but in our area of Dhahran, KSA, the tree leaves seem to shed in Dec-Feb... which also seems to be when people sell and do a ton of planting outside, from petunias to frangipanis. It's ridiculously hot and humid from about Jun-Oct, and quite lovely from Nov-Apr. So my question is: WHAT would be the dormancy period here, or "winter" when it comes to the plants? Because while this is considered winter to us humans in Saudi, to the plants it looks like prime growing season. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Raffaele
Monday 14th of December 2020
Hi Jenn! Those are great questions. You can do various methods of air layering on a lot of different plants. But the one I showed in this post is best suited for plants that have woody stems. As far as winter in your area...just pay attention to if your plants are slowing down at all. Maybe most of your plants may not have any type of rest period, depending on what you're growing. Are you asking mainly for fertilizing?
kyra dale
Wednesday 20th of May 2020
I tried this with a hoya that I received in the mail that had an injured limb. It's working! I see a root in the little spag moss pocket I made for it.
Raffaele
Tuesday 26th of May 2020
That's great Kyra! :-)
MC
Tuesday 12th of May 2020
Hi! Can you air layer the main stem/trunk of a variegated rubber plant? Or can you notch (is it the same thing)? Mine lost all the leaves in the lower 2/3 (prob due to fungus; treating currently with copper fung.) so it looks like a tree now. It still puts out new growth from the top/apex.
Also, would you know why the new growth of the tineke is significantly (at least 2-4") smaller than the older leaves? And do you remove the leaves with fungal spots, even if I think it's currently under control?
Thanks!
Raffaele
Wednesday 13th of May 2020
Yes you can absolutely air layer a variegated rubber plant as well. It is no different in that respect. As far as the growth being smaller, you have to keep in mind that your home environment is providing less than ideal conditions compared to where the plant was growing before in a greenhouse...and by this, I primarily mean light and there are other factors too (fertilizing, etc.). I wrote a long blog post on rubber plants that you may want to check out as well! If you suspect the fungal issue is under control from your treatment, leave it.
kyra
Saturday 2nd of May 2020
Great information! I just received a long hoya vine which sustained an injury in shipping and I remembered your post! It's not completely broken off but has a clear split area. I only hope I added enough moss. Since it's a small vine, I went with a smaller portion of moss and plastic wrap.
Raffaele
Monday 4th of May 2020
Good luck! :-)