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LAYERING |
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Layering is seldom done intentionally, but sometimes happens by accident. It is possible with climbers and a few dwarf varieties. It is most useful with those sorts that are not readily propagated from cuttings under amateur conditions, for example the Banksias. Most Wichuraianas layer very easily. Young wood gives best results.
By January or February the young canes will be long enough. The leaves should be clipped from the lower two feet or so of the selected cane, leaving only the heel, or petiole, of the leaf. The branch is then bent to the ground to ascertain both where to dig the hole and which part of the cane will become the actual bend in the layer. The hole should be about six inches deep to provide for a layer of good rich topsoil both under and over the cane. The shoot must be "tongued" by splitting half-way through and in a slanting direction, with a sharp knife, on the underside of the cane and opposite an eye. Keep the slit open by inserting a small stone. The cane is then pegged in position so that, when covered, it will be two or three inches below the soil surface. It is best to use two pegs, one on each side of the tongue; this prevents sharp kinking. By June or July sufficient rooting system will have developed around the tongue to ensure safety in severing the cane from the parent plant and moving the layer as a new plant. |
