Layerage refers to any of several methods of propagation in which the stem is encouraged to develop roots while it is still attached to the mother plant. A layer is the part of the plant being used to make a new plant. In effect, layerage is a means of making cuttings without severing the new plant from the old until it has a good root system. Layerage is especially useful for plants that are difficult to root from cuttings because, unlike a cutting, layers develop roots while still getting nutrients and water from the mother plant.

The objective of this exercise is to introduce the student to the technique of propagation known as layerage.

• Make an air layer of a dicot or monocot.
• Note other examples of layerage that we will encounter during the semester.