Billy,

The secondary branch will remain connected to the primary. I would strip
off all of the leaves but the last couple (this part of the secondary branch
would be like the right side of a U). The bottom of the U would have the
bark stripped off, rooting hormone applied and be buried in the soil. Once
it has taken root, the right hand side of the U would be cut off - leaving
the former secondary branch growing downward and rooted in the soil.

Yeah, I know we have a REALLY short growing season here. It does stay
pretty warm and humid (in a normal summer) for June - Early Septemeber,
though. And I had pretty good success over the last winter with a room in
the basement set up with a humidifier and Metal Halide lighting. Not nearly
as good as the real thing - but growth does continue.

Jeff
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39


First - is this a viable strategy? Second -
any way to encourage rapid growth of those branches?



Jeff
Do you expect the rooted branches to look like air roots? They will
be branches or trunks. If you cut of the mother branch where will the
layered plants attach to the main tree? Sounds more like a grove to me.
This is a tropical and Cleveland isn't so growth is going to be
slower.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast


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