Layering Herbs
1. Nick stem. In late spring or early summer, select a healthy, flexible stem and gently pull it to the ground or a pot of soil set near the parent plant. Remove the foliage from the section you want to root; then use a small, sharp knife to nick the underside of the stem in several places where it will touch the soil.
2. Use rooting hormone. To bolster root formation, dust the nicks with a rooting hormone powder.
3. Press in soil. Carefully lay the stem on the soil. Lightly cover the treated section of the stem with soil, leaving about 6 inches of the tip end unburied. Anchor the stem to the soil using a brick that will help preserve the soil moisture; or use 4-inch lengths of wire bent into U-shape pins. Water the soil and keep it moist until roots develop (in about six weeks). When a sufficient root system develops, cut the stem to detach it from the parent plant and transplant the new plant where you wish it to grow.
Download our chart on the best herbs for layering. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat.)
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