The postal service has a 25" long and a 38" long shipping tube for priority/express mail. Both have 6" sides which should accommodate most air layers. They come flat so you can tape the root ball to the inside of the tube to prevent sliding, then fold the sides over and stick it together. Also, FedEx has a similar tube (only for express, not ground), and I'm willing to guess that UPS and DHL probably have the same. For those who air-layer in the spring, it may not be such an issue if the layering medium is removed before potting up, if the tree is bare-rooted at the end of the season. If the intention is to keep the new tree in a container for a couple of seasons, then I would either remove the layering medium before potting or use the same growing mix to air-layer as the tree will be potted in. As for the success of air-layers in different media, I have experimented with my normal growing mix, my former rooting mix, sphagnum moss and rockwool. My experience is that all have about the same success rate. Rockwool is my least favorite since it is difficult to remove the excess moisture from it once it is soaked, and is is difficult to remove from the root zone. Moss is easiest to use when I am setting the air-layer at the same time I am repotting the parent plant, or if I am air-layering a small limb. I use my current growing mix in Air-Pots when air-layering larger limbs. Since I am rooting in the same mix I will be potting in, I can pot the air-layer up without much root work. Cecil, I cover my air-layers with foil to keep the heat down. Even this doesn't help much in the summer though. I think I am only going to do fall air-layers in Houston. The fall is still warm enough to allow root growth. Once the layer is removed from the parent and potted up, the temps are still warm enough to allow root growth while the top is asleep. Unfortunately, the foil is not a deterrent to squirrels or anything else. I have had many layers disturbed or destroyed by the little sh!ts. Last year I found a pecan in the dried out sphagnum moss I was trying to air-layer a 'Black Jack' with last year. I generally (depending on the variety and probably many other factors) see roots in about 4-6 weeks, if the limb is wounded. Otherwise, I have had limbs take several months before there is a visible root. ~james

I don't have easy answers for you short of hiring a specialty cleaning company to come in and do it for you. It's a huge job. Here's how I approached it -- maybe it will help you. First, if you're using your furnace, change out the filter regularly. Remove and clean draperies, pillows, throws, rugs, doodads, etc. You'll probably want to have carpets and upholstered furniture professionally cleaned. Every single surface and item needs to be cleaned, including ceiling, furniture, light fixtures, windows, walls and floors. Start from the top and work down. Keep rinsing out your cleaning rags and mops, and keep changing your vacuum filters. Good luck!

There's other kind of layering, for specific plant, or for specific purpose. For papaya, half cut the trunk will work. For big branch fruit plants or bonsai that need big interesting root, big root grafted to branch then air layered is doable.

Overlap the existing seams glue and screw or use ring shank flooring nails and it will be fine. Be sure to re-nail it or screw down existing subfloor before you put down the underlayment.