In this vegetative propagation method, roots are induced on shoots while they are still attached to the mother plant and then detaches as an independent plant. Mainly air layering is practiced on Schefflera arboricola and Ficus benjamina plants in Lakmal gardens nursery.
First a healthy shoot of a mother plant is selected and a 2.5 cm ring of the bark, just below a bud is removed. Then rooting hormone is applied on the cut surface and moist coir dust is placed around it. After that the cod of coir dust should be covered with a piece of polythene. The ends should be tied properly to prevent evaporation of the moisture.
After 21 days white color roots will be visible through the polythene. Then the layered shoot should be separated from the mother plant just below the layering with a sharp cut. The polythene should be safely removed and planted in a pot, which is then kept in a net house.
Fertilizer Application
Plants need to be fertilized because most soil does not provide the essential nutrients required for optimum growth. Even if the soil is favorable for the plant growth at the beginning, as your plants grow, they absorb nutrients and leave the soil less fertile. By fertilizing, can replenish lost nutrients and ensure that the plants have the food they need to flourish.
Fertilizer application in the nursery is done in every two weeks. Mostly inorganic fertilizers are used as it gives rapid growth of plants. But organic fertilizers like compost and cow dung are used in planting media preparations. As inorganic fertilizers Maxi crop, Urea, Purple granules, Blue granules and Baurs (11, 12, and 14) are used.
Irrigation
Irrigation is the method in which a controlled amount of water is supplied to plants at regular intervals.
If your country or state belongs to low country wet zone, sufficient rainfall is received throughout the year. But during dry periods watering is done twice a day. Two wells with fresh, hygienic water is allocated for the irrigation purposes and watering is done by rubber hoses.
Root Balling
Well grown bamboo and palm varieties require root balling before they are transported. So that they can grow well after transplanted. Generally a trench is dig 1 feet away around the tree with 0.5 feet width and 1 feet depth. Next a root ball is prepared and a layer of coir dust is applied around it. After that it is covered with a gunny bag and tied well with a rope.
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