I have only rooted a grape vine by sticking a branch in a pot and placing a brick on it for months. It rooted and its how I am rooting a blueberry now. Air layering is the next thing I want to try for a fruit trees. There are many ways to do it and I see its instructed to use peat moss or potting soil and to either wrap it in plastic or to use a plastic bottle. You need to score it by either removing the mark or slicing it at angle with a toothpick stuck in it.

My question is do you really need to remove the bark or slice it? If I use regular garden soil wrapped with a plastic bag and tied at both ends would it still root? Or if I use a cut a coke bottle at the bottom, slide the branch through it so the lid face down. Putting in garden soil, tying it up to stay in place, and leaving it unsealed for rain to water and keep the soil moist. Would these still root or are there certain things that must be done?

Thanks!