MARCOT A LYCHEE
Lychees can be propagated in summer using the marcotting or air-layering technique. PHIL DUDMAN explains how
What you need:
Pliers
Large plastic zip-lock bag Moistened coir peat
Utility knife
Twine
1 REMOVE a ring of bark 5cm wide on a healthy stem in a spot that is about 50cm away from the tip of the branch. You can do this with pliers, or make two cuts with a sharp knife and peel off the bark in between. Scrape the bare section to clean off any soft tissue.
2 SQUEEZE OUT any excess moisture in the coir peat, which is the rooting medium. Half-fill a large plastic zip-lock bag with the coir peat and firm it in.
3 MAKE a cut across one side of the bag in the centre of the medium using a sharp utility knife.
4 TIE a small loop at the end of your twine then wrap the twine around the stem. Thread the opposite end through the loop to form a noose. This makes it easier to secure the bag to the stem.
5 WRAP the cut section of the bag around the ringbarked stem then pull the open end of the bag firmly over the top of the cut to seal it off and keep the medium moist. 6 PULL the looped twine over the bag and tighten it, then firmly wrap the twine around a few times and tie a knot. Roots will form on the stem. Once a good root system is visible through the bag, the marcot is ready to be removed. First, cut halfway through the stem and leave it attached for another 2–3 weeks before cutting completely through. Then, carefully unwrap the root ball, wash off the peat, and pot it up using a good quality potting mix. Stake it to a bamboo stake to keep the stem from moving and breaking the roots.
Thanks to David Thamm from Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery for demonstrating this technique. daleysfruit.com.au