1. - Select the area to be airlayered. This is usually just below an area of interest on a trunk or branch.

2. - Girdle the trunk to stop the flow of auxin downward. This is done by;
a. - removing a ring of bark around the area and carving down into the wood.
b. - wrapping a wire around the trunk/branch and tightening it to cut deep into the bark.

3. - Apply rooting hormone (synthetic auxin) to the cut site (optional). I make a paste of Rootone powder and water. Apply this to the upper portion of the girdle where you want the roots to emerge.

4. - Bunch Sphagnum Moss (long fiber) around the girdle site. The thickness of the moss around the girdle should be at least 2 to 3 inches. (The Sphagnum Moss should have soaked for about 15 minutes in water before applying).

5. - Tightly wrap the Sphagnum Moss completely with plastic and secure with electrician's tape. Seal the bottom and top with electrician's tape allowing enough space for water to drain from the bottom and water to enter the top from rain or when watering.

6. - Examine the layer daily at first to comfirm that it remains moist but not sealed off. Then examine weekly for new roots to appear pushing through the moss. This takes about 1 month. When the airlayer is filled with roots, or has enough roots to support itself, cut it free from the tree just below the airlayer site.

7. - Remove as much of the Sphagnum Moss as you can without damaging any of the new roots.

8. - Pot into bonsai soil. (It is frequently possible to plant directly into a bonsai container).

9. - Wait until the next year to begin styling.

10. - Enjoy working on your new bonsai!

I hope this gives a fairly clear picture of the steps in case you don't want to wait for the photo sequences to appear in the Journal. I just did a Beech and a Hawthorne using this approach.