Hedgerows Garden Tapestry Journal

Air layering is an easy technique to bring those too-tall houseplants back into a manageable size. This method basically causes the plant to produce roots high up on the stem, then the top part can be severed and replanted as a shorter, compact plant.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Choose the right candidate:
This works on many common houseplants such as dracenas, corn plants, crotons, hedera, rubber trees and schefflera. It should have a tall, lanky stem with the crown of leaves right at the top.

2. Gently wound the stem at the place where you would like the new roots to form. Make a small cut with a clean sharp knife. It works best between 6-12 inches down from the growing tip of the plant.

 
Make a small nick in the stem, prop it open with a toothpick

3. This area now needs some damp material packed around it to stimulate root growth into: try several handfuls of damp moss. Pack it tightly around the entire stem of the plant, and secure firmly with a covering of plastic held in place on top and bottom by string, tape or twist-ties.

Pack it with damp moss or coir, seal both ends firmly to keep moisture in.

4. Then continue to care for the plant as usual, maybe not giving it too much direct sun as that may dry out the moss. Check to see that it remains damp, but not so soggy as to rot the stem.

5. Be patient - air layering is not a quick process! It can take several months for new roots to develop strongly and become visible through the plastic wrap.

6. When there is strong root growth easily visible, you may cut the plant off just below the plastic-encased root ball, and then pot it up in fresh compost and sand mixed together. Firm it in and stake if necessary until it has become established .

    
Cut off top when well rooted, and then pot up

7. With the remaining stem, you might want to try taking stem cuttings, and really increasing your stock of houseplants (these can be donated to friends, local schools or hospitals, or to a charity plant sale). Cut the stem into pieces several inches long, making sure to note which end is up (it won’t work if you stick them in upside down). Put them into sharply draining mix of sand and soil, and keep moist. You can put several into a shallow pan and cover the entire pan with plastic to create a mini greenhouse. With luck, most of the stem pieces will root, and can then potted up separately to form new plants.

Once you’ve mastered the technique, you can air-layer many shrubs outside as well as your houseplants - this works well with expensive plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, crab apples, holly bushes and those fragrant witch hazels. David demonstrated the technique on Canadian Gardener on July 25/98, and these two stills illustrate the process on a magnolia tree:

Packing moss around the wound

Sealed in plastic wrap to keep moist

Don’t start until later though - late spring to midsummer works best for outside shrubs. You will have to be even more patient though, as rooting can take one or maybe two years in some cases, but then, what’s the hurry? You’ll have the satisfaction of being able to propagate many plants yourself.

There are already many signs of the approaching spring season - make sure you take the time to notice them now, while you are out in the garden - early spring bulbs such as aconites, snowdrops, crocus, iris reticulata will already be peeking through, the lovely scented winter jasmine and witch hazel, and later this month, magnolias and forsythia bloom in this area and the fat buds are almost ready to go!

1. General Clean-up of Beds
February is probably the best time of year for a really thorough garden clean up. Carefully go through all your beds and borders and remove any unwanted plants (weeds or more desirables). Put the weeds on the compost heap, and either move the others to a better location, or share them with your friends. Remove all old vegetation that has died back before it starts to rot, this includes any remaining stems of perennials, piles of leaves, etc.

2. Prune and tidy perennials
Cut back all of last years growth on herbaceous perennials this month, before fresh new growth makes this job much harder and more time-consuming. In milder areas such as the West Coast of Canada and the south of England, this can be done immediately. In cooler areas, wait until the end of this month, so that the old growth can provide that last bit of extra protection from the elements.

3. Winter Mulching
Now that the borders are relatively clear, it is an excellent time to add a thick layer of mulch and/or compost material to them. Carefully sprinkle this material around the plants, taking care not to bury the crowns of perennials too deeply, only add a thin layer over the tops. Several inches spread evenly works best. If you are really careful, the material can be gently forked into the top few inches of the soil, or you can just leave it and it will work its way down during the next few months all by itself.

4.Wildlife in the Garden
Overwintering pests can be removed if you find them now - groups of snails will often hide together in sheltered corners of the garden. Choose your favourite disposal method (try to do better than throwing them over your fence into your neighbours garden - he’ll probably be doing the same thing to you anyway, so you’ll both just end up with a fresh set!). Do be careful not to disturb friendly animals hibernating in these quiet corners, such as hedgehogs in Europe, and racoons in North America. Keep the bird feeders clean and well-stocked, and don’t forget their water sources.

5. Prune deciduous hedges and shrubs
Late winter is an excellent time to rejuvenate deciduous shrubs and hedges with some careful pruning. Remove overly thick branches to let in light and air and encourage fresh, strong growth from the base in spring. Prune for shape as desired, since the outline of the bush is clearly visible.

6. Clean Greenhouses and Cold Frames
Thoroughly scrub out and wash greenhouses and cold frames to prepare them for the early seedlings and cutting soon to be filling them. By keeping them scrupulously clean, you cut down greatly on disease and pests of all manners. Sweep out the corners and wash the glass to let in as much light as possible.

7. Move Snowdrops “in the green”
Much ado is made about this mysterious practice of moving snowdrops in the green, but I think it really boils down to convenience - do it now while you can see them clearly and know where they are!! Lift blooming clumps carefully with a spade and relocate around the garden to spread. If you do not wish them to self-seed, remember to deadhead them once their flowers are over, though why anyone wouldn’t want more of these lovely flowers is beyond me! A real treat is to put a few into a nice container and bring indoors to enjoy - they have a delicate honey-like fragrance that isn’t usually noticeable outside but you can enjoy it on your dining room table or desk. If this takes too long, they also last a surprisingly long time as cut flowers, and make delightful tiny bouquets - put them in a shooter glass or other small container for best effect.

8. Plant bare-root shrubs
Fruit trees, roses and soft fruit can all be planted now. Soak them for a few hours in tepid water if they look really dried out. Plant to the correct level, just above the base of the canes, and add a thick mulch around to protect it from the last cold days and prevent drying out. They should be off to a good start shortly, and provide fruit and flowers in the first year.

9. Layer Rhodos
Some shrubs such as rhododendrons and azaleas respond well to layering and this is an inexpensive way to increase your stock of these expensive plants. Pull downwards a low-growing branch and peg it to the soil. A slight wound on the bottom will encourage rooting. Leave the peg and branch in place until next year, when it can be severed from the parent plant and moved on.

10. Order Seeds
Make sure to get the seed varieties you need for your garden soon - many new or really desirable ones will already be sold out for the season, but no matter, there are lots of lovely plants left. Beginner gardeners should try simple seeds first to gain experience and confidence in the process, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with these basic garden staples!! Almost completely failsafe are annuals such as cosmos, lavatera, baby’s breath, bachelor buttons, sweet alyssum and many more. No matter how good a gardener you are, and how long you’ve been at it, no garden is really complete without these simple comfortable old friends cheering you up.

“Don’t be in a Hurry with your Seeds!” by David Tarrant

February is often the month when we get carried away and start to sow annual seeds too early for the season ahead. The key factor to think about when sowing seeds is to count how many weeks it will be before it is safe to plant them outside. In climates such as ours on the west coast this is usually around the third week of May, while in cooler areas it may not be until the first week of June.

Usually twelve to fourteen weeks growing time is just right for the average bedding plant. However, it must be stressed that having the correct conditions is vital for success. All seedlings respond well to being sown in a temperature around 18-20 Celsius. But once germinated, they need much cooler temperatures: around 12 by day and down to 8 or 10 degrees at night. During the day, supplemental light for thirteen hours is a great help. It can be as simple as two fluorescent tubes, one warm white and the other cool white, mounted in a moveable holder so that they can be adjusted to be 30 to 40 cm from the seedlings - this will prevent stretched growth. Good air circulation is essential at all times to prevent fungus attacks and damping off.

Rather than being too hasty to sow seeds this month, concentrate on preparing a room - either a spare room or in your basement. Better yet, get your cool greenhouse ready for a mass sowing next month.