Air-layering crotons - how to?

I am new to air-layering crotons. Can someone give me instructions or point me to some if they are posted somewhere? I have a few scraggly crotons I'd like to cut back but I want to harvest some cuttings from them before I do so.

 

Ron-
Just Google 'air layering technique' and all sorts of sites with detailed info appear. Much easier than rehashing it here. Just wear old clothes since croton juice stains are almost impossible to remove from any fabric.

 

Ron,

If you have a few large crotons, airlayering them can be fun and very rewarding. It allows you start with a nice size plant instead of a small cutting.
I just walked in the door, after being out with my good friend Rob (y230) for nearly 2 hours at a friend's house. We put on 120 airlayers today alone and 20 more back on monday. In approx. 4 or 5 weeks, we will go back and they will be well rooted enough to cut off and pot up. We estimate that there were about 20 varieties or so, of which many I didn't know. I will need some help with some ID's in the near future.

Jeff

 

Jeff & Rob - How many "extras" are there?

 

Don't worry, there will be extras.

 

The harvesting HAS begun! The hot and very humid weather were now having has really kept the crotons growing and their putting out nice large, colorful leaves.

 

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Best way i found which may take you a good month before removing is, Use a razor or knife cut away the hard bark till you get to the white meat. Make a Ring with your knife and depending on the size another ring below that. Example: a air layer with 1/2 in diameter on stem space the rings about 4 to 5in, and strip away the bark. Then get you some spagma moss wet preferred even better soaked in miracle gro. Then if you have some root tone rub that on the white meat. Now get a handful of that wet spagma moss and wrap it around the wound you just made (Good size hand full). Then wrap that in aluminum foil and twist the ends to secure. Best placed air layers are the ones that get some sun. In a month or so you will have plenty roots for potting. I did one once the stem was 2 1/2 in round lol was a tree when i removed it, Looked like a aluminum basketball when it was wraped.