Marking a tree is more delicate than a shrub, but it is achievable with species like the olive tree which tend to produce suckers. Two precautions nevertheless: the operation is delicate because it is necessary to dig the sucker to the sapwood (living part of the wood); if the tree is grafted, then the marcotte will reproduce the characteristics of the rootstock and not of the variety producing the olives.
An olive tree mounted on a stem sometimes emits one or more twigs (greedy) on the trunk. Without intervention, the olive tree would divide in the lower part and lose its initial appearance. Hence the interest in cutting the branches positioned on the barrel, under the crown, as you go. However, this pseudo-gourmand can be used to reproduce a new olive tree thanks to air layering. This multiplication method is applied to plants with erect stems which cannot be pinned to the ground, under penalty of breakage.
The best time to lay an olive tree is in spring, but this can also be done almost all year round except in cold weather.
Air layering of an olive tree: step by step
In principle, air layering is carried out with a sleeve. Here, the layering branch is low enough to take root in a pot.
- Pour a drainage bed at the bottom of the pot.
- Thread an iron wire into the water drain hole which will then be used to hold the layer pressed against the substrate.
- Fill the pot 2/3 full with a mixture of half garden soil and the other half of universal soil.
- Dress the future marcotte by removing the leaves positioned along the stem in the lower part. No leaf should be buried.
- Incise the stem with a sharp blade lengthwise at the level of the future buried part.
- Hold the layered layer with the wire so that it cannot go up.
- Cover the marcotte with soil and potting soil.
- Straighten the layer with a tutor.
- Water copiously.
- Mulch over to avoid drying out.
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