Propagation of Fruit Bearing Trees by Air-Layering

Most of us want to plant and grow fruit trees at our home garden or in an orchard for their tasty fruits. There are many ways a fruit tree can be propagated - from seeds, from a nursery-bought seedling or by means of Air-layering.

The problem with growing fruit trees from seeds is that it may take very long to bear fruits - some times more than ten years - and there is no guarantee that the fruits will taste same as the one from which you got the seeds.

Air-layering is one method of propagating a fruit tree from an existing one, which will bear fruits sooner, and the fruits will taste same as the mother-plant.

Most of the Citrus trees can be propagated by air-layering. I have successfully air-layered the sweet lemon tree at our home garden and here are the step-by-step instructions on how to do air-layering.

Step 1: Tools and Material Required

The following tools and materials are required to do air-layering

1. A sharp knife
2. Thick cotton thread
3. Clean plastic sheet
4. Hack saw blade (or) a Pruning shears

Step 2: Selecting the Right Branch

Select a branch of about one year old and half an inch thick. The branch should be healthy and free from any pest attacks. The best time to do air-layering is when the plant starts growing new leaves

Step 3: Make Deep Cuts

Make two clean cuts around the branch about one inch apart with a sharp knife.

Step 4: Peel Off the Bark

Peel off the bark between those two cuts

Step 5: Wrap With Ball of Soil

Make a ball of soil mixed with tree moss or soil mixed with sand and wood ash around the area where the bark has been peeled off. Here I have used soil mixed with sand and wood ash.

Step 6: Wrap With Plastic Sheet

Wrap the soil using a plastic sheet of right size.

Step 7: Tie the Ends

Tie the ends tightly with cotton thread, so that no water or air can enter.

Now you have to wait for about eight to ten weeks, some times more, before rooting takes place.

Step 8: See the Roots Through the Plastic Sheet

After about ten weeks time, my air-layered sweet lemon tree branch has grown roots. You can see the white roots through the plastic sheet.

Step 9: Remove the Wrapping

Remove the plastic sheet. Now you can see the roots clearly.

Step 10: Prune the Rooted Branch

Cut the branch just below the rooted portion with pruning shears or with a hack saw blade without damaging the root ball. I have used a hack saw blade as the wood was very hard to be cut with pruning shears.

Step 11: Plant and Enjoy

Planted the rooted branch in a pot. You can plant it in the ground also if space is available. I got a new sweet lemon tree which will start bearing fruits about an year from now.

Comments

[thuslyi]

Can fruit be left on air layered fig tree? Should leaves be trimmed?

[ngobesesibusiso744]

Do you use rooting hormone. If not what effect does the wood ash and sand have

[ManilynB2]

Good day Sir.. may I gently ask if when is the best month to harvest Calamansi marcott or when is the best month to perform marcott Sir..? Hoping for your quick response sir.. that will help my thesis study.. Thank you and God bless

[Gams2many]

Can you share how old the original tree should be before air layering a branch?

Also, with fruit and citrus trees, should you wait until it is finished fruiting or does it matter? Thank you!

[ManilynB2]

Ok sir

[Gams2many]

Thank you for making the steps so easy to understand. The accompanying photos are very helpful. Can't wait to air layer.

[Marta D.S]

do you sell this mix (soil) that gets wrapped around the branch? I have never done this, but l want to do this to my fantastic lychee tree.

[namklinaam]

Great instructable. What's the best time to start on a guava tree? I am in southern California.

[TxGardener]

Very clear instructions, thank you. But a couple of questions. (1) Some fruit trees require root stock from a different tree to make it more viable. How does this apply to air grafted trees? Do they still need to be grafted onto other root stock? If yes, which fruit trees can be air grafted and which not? (2) When planting seeds from a fruit tree, they do not always accurately produce the same fruit. Is that also true for air grafted trees? Thanks in advance for your help.

[antoniraj]

1. They are grafted plants not air-layered. Air-layered plants do not require root stock from another plant

2. Growing trees from seeds is entirely different from air-layering. Plants grown from seeds may take more than 10 years to fruit and there is no assurance that the fruit quality will be same as the one from which seeds are collected. Air-layered trees start fruiting even after one year and the fruit quality is same as mother plant

[SteveK198]

Hello Sir, I tried but the ball dried up in three weeks , should I open it up and water it?

[antoniraj]

See if the branch above is still alive with green leaves. If it is dried then there is no use. If alive keep the ball moistened

[CornettoD]

How to keep it moistened? It's pretty hot here, do I water the plastic everyday?

[antoniraj]

Since you have opened it, add some fibrous material like coconut fiber, sprinkle water and then tie very tight. This will keep the air-layered portion moistened.

[bold moon]

I have air layered 4 citrus thick branches and 3 apple branches using
some rooting hormone February 8 of this year .and i have done it
exactly like you have done it so when will i see some root.

i have checked the 4 other lemon, grapefruit,orange and mandarin air
layering that i have done it on February 8th and no roots at all ,even i
have opened the plastic wrap to see if there is any roots that is not
visible but NONE .do you think that I have done it early ?and what would
happen since I opened the plastic wrap and closed it .

[antoniraj]

Please wait till roots appear and keep the air-layered part moist

[bold moon]

Thx for your response

[murps]

hello sir!! is it good if i prune some twigs of marcotted branch while stii in the mother plant?

[antoniraj]

No need to prune twigs. Leave them as they are

[murps]

hello sir!! is it good if i prune twigs of the marcotted branch while still in mother plant?