Pruning & propagation
Root a low stem by layering
Choose a healthy flexible stem that reaches the soil without cracking.
When to do it
During suitable active growth for a plant with flexible low stems.
What you need
- Small pot or prepared patch
- U-shaped peg
- Label
How to do it
- Choose a healthy flexible stem that reaches the soil without cracking. Keep it attached to its parent.
- Remove leaves from the short section that will be buried, leaving the tip leafy and above ground.
- Bend the bare section into a shallow depression, peg it firmly and cover with moist soil or propagation mix. Leave the tip exposed and upright.
- Keep the rooting patch moist and mark it so it is not accidentally pulled free.
- After roots form strongly enough to support the new plant, sever the connection to the parent and grow it on gently before moving.
What success looks like
- The pegged section forms its own roots.
Watch out for
- Severing the stem before roots form.
- Burying the growing tip.
Plant guides using this technique
Related help
Take softwood herb cuttings
Choose healthy material from a correctly identified plant.
Plant a nursery perennial or bare-root fruit plant
Check the species’ depth, mature space and support needs.
Sources and review
Checked 24 September 2026. Source-checked editorial guidance; not field-tested or independently reviewed by a horticulturist.