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Layering Perennial Plants



Propagating by layering perennial plants is a time-honored method of obtaining new plants for your garden. And to make things better – it is so easy and almost risk free that it makes sense to learn this technique.

This system works nicely because it takes advantage of the plant's natural rooting tendencies and requires very little in the way of equipment or supplies.

What Plants Can Be Layered?


Almost any plant that can be propagated by cutting can be propagated by layering.

Equipment Needed


A sharp knife, a pair of hands and an old metal clothes hanger.

Basic Technique


A new growing shoot that is close to the ground or can be bent (without breaking) to the ground has it's leaves stripped off where those leaves touch the ground (several inches on either side of this “touch-point” seems to work well. We just don't want to cover a leaf.

The shoot is fixed to the ground with a “staple” constructed from the coat-hanger. A u-shaped length works nicely and as long as the points are in the ground far enough, the shoot will be held in place. The trick – if there is one – is to ensure the shoot doesn't lose contact with the soil.

When the stem is firmly fixed to the ground, cover over the shoot with garden soil.

Keep this garden soil damp.

Some gardeners “wound” the stem before covering by peeling away a little bit of the stem covering. Do not make huge cuts in the stem but a slight wound is likely beneficial.

Some gardeners make slits in the stem before covering instead of peeling away the stem covering.

If this is done in early summer when the growing shoots are pliable, the plant will root up quite nicely.

Moving the Perennial


Once the perennial is rooted and growing nicely, it can be divided from the mother plant with a shovel or sharp trowel.

If you're not sure if the plant has rooted, it will be rooted by fall when the rest of the garden is divided.

Or, you can wait at least a month and then carefully (very carefully) begin to check at the soil mound for new roots. If there are new roots in the covered over section, then you have another new perennial and can divide the newly-rooted shoot from the mother plant.

I note it doesn't hurt to use an anti-desiccant on the new shoot just before you move it.






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