I want to airlayer but I don't know how

I'm clear on somethings:

Remove a layer of bark in a strip around the branch.

Apply rooting hormone.

Wrap it in sphag.

Wrap that in something.

Cut off after roots develope.

What do I wrap around the sphagnum? How do I check on it to see if it's rooted. How soon until I can typically expect roots? How do I keep the sphag moist if I wrap something around it?

I think that was all my questions... But I do tend to forget a lot.

Pre-moisten your medium and wrap around the wounded branch. Wrap in plastic and use twist ties or rubber bands to fasten. You can wrap aluminum foil around the plastic wrap as well to exclude light (if you want). Periodically inspect the wrap for moisture and root development. Pour water in the top of the "ball" with a small opening in the plastic to wet again.

If a branch that you wish to propagate is supple and long enough, then you can pin the wounded part it to the ground and cover with soil (no more wraps in this case). Works well with hydrangea and azalea.

Variation on what hcmcdole said. Instead of pinning the open area of the branch to the ground, you can place a pot w/ soil under it and pin the branch down with a rock (or something else heavy). That makes it easier to transplant later.

I have successfully done both ways of pinning rhododendron branches down (either to ground, or to pot w/ soil).

We did air-layering on azaleas years ago. Any kind of plastic bag/baggy which can be sealed well at bottom to hold in moisture and have an easy way to open up the top to add moisture worked. I have no recollection about how long it took to make roots. Seems like it was a couple of weeks.

W/ the branch to soil/pot method I leave it for a month or more at least. A couple of months will allow really good roots to form. The longer that you can wait before cutting it off of main plant, the stronger it will be.

--Mary S.

i saw this when the show was on i hope you can see this and it even tells you where you can order it

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_equipment_new_products/article/0,1785,HGTV_3583_4836439,00.html

I've been air layering some errant brug branches using potting soil heavily seeded with water crystals and wrapping it all Glad Press'n Seal® wrap. It's worked really well for me.

I never thought you remove a ring of bark around the entire branch
Would they not stop any ...whatever....from getting to the part you are trying to root ,causing stress?
I thought you just had to remove a portion of the bark.......

You can see why I'm rooting challenged.......

"One method consists of removing a 1/2 to 1-inch (1 to 3 cm) ring of bark and, with a knife, scraping clean the wood underneath. This ensures complete removal of the cambium layer--a layer of cells between the bark and the wood. If the cambium layer is not removed completely, new bark may develop instead of roots." http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG108


"The cambium layer, the green layer just under the bark, is able to form leaf buds or roots, depending on the hormonal inclination.

Over time, horticulturists have learned that some plants do best if cuttings include a tiny "heel" or tag of bark created by slight tearing at the end of the knife cut. Others, particularly evergreens, may require woundings, which are diagonal slices or knife scrapes that leave more of the cambium layer in contact with the potting mix." http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20020728/ai_n12475055