How to propagate lemon by air layering
How to propagate lemon by air layering
The layering is a technique of agamic multiplication of the plants used as an alternative to the cutting that allows to root a branch still connected to the mother plant.
For this reason the multiplication by air layering is a method of propagation, usable in citrus, which generates new plants identical to the mother plant. Unlike what happens with la, in the layering a portion of the branch chosen for propagation is made to root without being completely detached from the plant. in this contribution we then see how to propagate the lemon by layering and the technique to be adopted.
Propagation by layering is a particularly useful technique for both citrus and other fruit trees; we remember that it is widely used for the olive tree, the cherry tree and the pomegranate tree. To start this procedure it is necessary to identify the appropriate period and the most suitable branch section to lay out a layering. A healthy and lignified branch must be identified, removing the leaves and any possible lateral cast for a portion of about 10 cm at 40-50 cm from the end of the branch. The operation must be carried out with a knife disinfected and sharpened, making an incision along the stretch you have chosen. The incision must have a depth equal to 1/3 of the stem, about 6-8 cm long and kept open with a spacer. On this it is preferable to apply a rooting hormone.
The part subjected to this operation must then be wrapped with a very damp soil, composed of damp earth, peat and sand; at this point it is possible to remove the spacer and cover the part with a perforated plastic bag. The branch, so treated, is well bound with raffia in order to create a kind of sleeve. At this point the part must always be moist with a nebulizer (even a simple spray) near the plastic holes, so that the soil is in optimal conditions for the emission of the new roots. The time necessary for forming long and robust roots varies from 2 to 6 months. After this period the section of the stem closed in the bag will be ready to start an independent vegetative life. At this point the stem can be cut at the base of the sleeve, always with a sharp and disinfected blade. This portion with its roots, and its shoots, can be promptly transplanted directly to dwell on the ground.
Regarding the best period to create a layering depends on the type of plant. in lemon the layering is normally carried out from May to June; for other plants, with a different vegetative system, it can also be done in April or until the end of the summer. The chosen period must however be the milder and warmer one.