Propagation by layering

Rooting is a technique of vegetative plant propagation that produces a plant identical to the original plant. This method has many variations, such as rooting hardwood, semi-hardwood, softwood cuttings, (basic) layering, stool layering, air layering and tip layering. The essence of it is to bring a part of a plant into conditions for it to begin forming roots in order to become an independent plant. Propagation by layering can be used for fruit shrubs such as black currant, red currant and other currants, gooseberry, jostaberry, aronia, honeysuckle (haskap), flowering quince and many other plants. It is also used to propagate vegetative clones of apple, pear, stone-fruit and other rootstock. Layering is a simple technique. A lower part of a branch is laid down into a small trench dug beneath the shrub, so that its’ end is above the ground. Trench with a laid down branch is filled with the soil. The branch is either staked or pressed down by a rock or a brick. Best season to perform layering – late autumn after the leaves are gone. The roots will start to grow and continue to develop and at the end of next growing season the layers can be separated from the original plant, dug up and planted in a desired location. Project “Growing Seed Savers in Museums” (2021-2022) was funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers program NORDPLUS. More information at: https://growingseedsavers.org/seed-saving-museums-gardening/