There’s no reason you can’t move them into fresh water–they won’t notice the difference. You can propagate violets from cuttings by simply removing the cutting with the roots intact, then placing it 2-4 inches deep in potting soil. The cuttings from plant B, one is doing great and the other is doing okay. The African Violet Society of America recommends using a 20-20-20 plant food formulation, mixed with water, at half the recommended dosage. At present I have 15 plants, all blooming beautifully. If leaves used are old (taken from outer rows of plant) they can be a bit woody/tough and won’t produce plantlets as easily. If the leaf was healthy, will will produce plantlets in time. I’ve put a clear plastic bag over them as recommended. Thanks for your advice/. the violets came yesterday in great shape. It is about a month old. Last time I tried to propagate by leaf, the leaves dried out and shriveled up, I think because the soil dried out and I was too afraid to water it because of fungus concerns with the plastic covering. Do we need to fitilize the plant Let’s? My last attempt succeeded for a while and then the plantlet died. Make a narrow hole in the mix–we like to use a “swizzle stick” for doing this. Keep the pot where it gets bright indirect sunlight and the seeds will germinate in about 8-15 days. I started mine in a seedling tray with commercially available planting disks that expand with water. AV seem to be very easy to root! Place the leaf cutting on a table with the fuzzy side facing up. I was trimming dead leaves off of my mature African violet, and the foliage broke away from the thick root. If you have good light and otherwise good care, it should bloom. Rooting hormone is a natural or synthetic hormone that stimulates root growth in plants. And the leaf got damaged at some point I have a sprout comming from it nothing has come from the bottom yet. There is always some small amount of variation, and will vary more with multicolors. Thank you for this informative description. Thank you Rob and Olive for your support! Be sure the violet is receiving adequate light, such as on a windowsill. They are next to my adult African violets , which are doing fine. After an African Violet leaf has rooted and formed new leaflets at its base, should I expect the parent leaf to rot? If the soil is moist (not soggy) and under cover, it shouldn’t dry out much if left covered. Not sure of the question. Two have produced plantlets so far. A healthy host plant with have a green stem without brown patches. You can place in clear container or bag if you worry about it, until it shows growth. Thanks so much. Probably kept soil too wet. So I read your article and most comments, and now I have tiny plantlets from a leaf petiole. Once it produces roots, it should recover. How does this change the propagation process? Rooting An African Violet In Water. I wish that I had found your sight earlier. Should I just be more patient or give up on them? Once you see shoots appearing at the base of the cutting, separate the shoots from the leaf stem and plant them individual pots filled with potting mix. Propagating From Leaf Cuttings. However, you can add a 20-20-20 fertilizer to the soil to help the plants grow faster. I bought 4 leaves from eBay in April. I, "I have been propagating violets for some time and this was a nice reminder of how it's done. In the process of potting them up, I must have used a nitrogen rich compost (bought houseplant compost in the UK) as I have masses of leaves but no flowers. I did not remove the old fiber cone from the stem and it was buried in the new pot still on the stem. It can be purchased at most garden centers. Also, be sure to quarantine the infected plant. It is supposed to be for Aftrican violets. How soon plantlets appear from leaf cuttings, and how well they grow, will depend greatly upon the variety being propagated (genetics) as well as the condition of the leaf being rooted. They can be propagated through leaf cuttings, or by tissue culture. 100's of collectible varieties. To ‘perk up’ tired leaves you can leave them floating in a saucer of water–if you have it, add a drop of ‘Superthrive’ to the water. I hope you don’t mind another quick question. Honey is a good organic and cheaper substitute for rooting hormone. So I wait until they do get taller to transplant? As They are still only 3 almost 4 months, I hadn’t split them yet, but I transplanted them into a bigger pot, doing it I accidentally broke the “mother leaf”! Depends upon variety, care, and environment. Trim it down as necessary. Yes, plain water works just fine, however, you may want to boil it ahead of time to remove any microorganisms. The photos show a mother leaf with small slits starting from the petiole going up to the middl-ise of the mother leaf. Thank you for your reply. The optimal time for repotting is after some leaves have wilted a bit. I’d like my plants to remain small as I’ve bought some miniature clay pots? It is best to let water sit for a day before applying it to your plants. They should separated and put into their own pots. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Another trick to encourage this is to make extra small cuts part way up the petiole–often you’ll get plantlets both at the cut end and along the cuts. Plant violets in an actual African violet potting mix or any light, loose, fast ⦠It really is as easy, "An excellent description of propagating African violets. Thank you. What can this be? In fact, everyone seems to know that African violet babies come from leaves. The packaging was with the utmost of care. Thank you. Does it really hurt anything? Neither should need more than a few rows of leaves (12-15), so remove older, lower leaves beyond this number. Fill a small pot with your rooting medium. Nowadays, chloramine is also used. i HAVE BEEN able to .root leaves, but have a problem with mealybugs at leaf axils. I have a mature AV plant with a very long stem. Potting soil will work–add some vermiculite and/or perlite to lighten it up for better results. Also the mother violet leaf is white and green variegated. We’ve tried this but, usually, the few additional plantlets tend not to be worth the extra effort in preparing the leaves. Now root as normal–better to root in moist soil or similar medium rather than water. This is not unusual, though these plantlets tend not to be as strong or developed as the ones appearing from the petiole as they are often shallow-rooted. Prepare the potting medium. Will that do for now or should I separate them all? Fresh, tender, leaves are always better to propagate with. If the water from your faucet is too cold, allow to it warm up to room temperature. It’s been 5 weeks, and 5 of the 8 cuttings have leaves. years. I have a question about watering the pots with the cuttings while you wait for plantlets to appear after the initial moistening. I don't live in her town and didn't inherit her green thumb, so I came to wikiHow to learn how to properly propagate them. Also, I have pots that are self-watering- meaning they have water below that soaks into the upper pot. I repotted the leaf shallowly so that the tiny plantlets will be exposed to light. If I do open it, how often? I’ve been opening up the ziplock bag about once a week to check on the leaves, and then I blow some air into the bag and zip it back up. As a general rule, green (nonvariegated) leaves, and mature, yet not old leaves (not from the old, outer row) will root and produce plants more quickly. I just started this fascination with African violets last December. A mature leaf should be 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) in length. Yet I do not know when to remove the baggie from my very tiny violets growing from the petiole I propagated about 2 1/2 months ago. The stem rotted at the point where it entered the fiber cone. By creating an African Violet trimming from an existing plant, replanting your leaf stem, and later splitting up your plants, you can successfully propagate these gorgeous plants. Itâs a good idea to do this when the plant has divided in two, although you donât have to rush to do it the second this happens. Much depends upon the variety, environment and care. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Hello, I love you advice and am about to try to propagate my plants. Do you ever remove them from the plastic covering during those weeks before separating and potting the new plants? Have tried African Violet fertilizer when watering, and have repotted it a few times to see if the soil was to blame. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Shipped within week. I am growing them in A. V. Pots where the plants only receive water from the bottom through the clay, and that is also how they receive their nutrients on a regular basis. To my surprise, one leaf had ghostly little white plantlets that seemed to be growing down instead of up toward the soil’s surface. For fungal infections, cover the leaves of your plants with sulfur. Have you ever heard of this happening? Check our FAQ section, or search “mealy bugs” on our site for more information. % of people told us that this article helped them. At near left is the a pot of rooted blossom stems about 3 months later, beginning to produce small plantlets. Apparently, there was no harm done. In the area and want to save on shipping? - Service. Treat it the same as you would a leaf cutting (i.e. I used a paring knife to remove this African violet ⦠- We know & show, what we grow Here's your escape plan. Mostly wait, since it will take a little while for the leaves to produce plantlets. Goot loight is most important for a mature plant to bloom. Rooting powder, though not necessary, is not always harmful for violet cuttings. One trick, that some use, is to create additional small cuts or “nicks” along the petiole to encourage additional plantlets to sprout from these as well. I need some advice. I usually leave the parent leaf on, ad infinitum, but I wish to gift these on so they need to look neat. I have not had them under plastic. Propagation Methods used for African Violets: African Violets, just like any other plants, have many ways that they can be propagated. The plantlets also will be just a bit bigger, easier to handle, and more likely to survive their transplanting. The two most practical methods for rooting divisions or leaf cuttings is by placing the African violet plants in either soil or water as both methods are practical. The cat killed one, the other grew a large neck and was on its last legs, but I was able to save it using your instructions, and hopefully will produce a new plant or 2 to carry on as well. Those pictured are ready to be separated and planted now, but we usually wait 4-5 months, since the extra time allows more plantlets to grow from the cutting. The plant is healthy, and I recently propogated 2 leaves from it. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Just wondering if that’s possible? Hello, Also, simply, it simply takes us more time to do this than it’s worth–the extra plantlet or two isn’t worth the effort (as a commercial producer, it’s about efficiency). Not sure if this is a question. My question is, when do I take off the plastic baggie? Thanks for you answer. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. By using our site, you agree to our. It comes with a clear plastic cover that preserves the humidity. Next, plant the cutting into a small plastic pot filled ¾ of the way full with potting mix and seal the pot inside a clear plastic grocery bag. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. The baggie will help, since it will keep soil and pot from drying too quickly. When do I cut off the “mother leaf”? This is ,I guess, not the place for this question, please answer anyway, as growing African violets is my dream. Remove the cutting from its pot, firmly grasp a plantlet, and gently pull it away from the leaf cutting. Can a stem only be rooted, a stem with no leaf? It has already served its purpose in producing new plantlets and is no longer needed. The one you mention is must one of these formulations (that I’m unfamiliar with). Choose 4-5 leaves from one African Violet plant if possible, otherwise 2 leaves are also fine to start with. You shouldn’t need to. Weâll usually put 6 to 8 stems into a 2 1/4â³ pot. Cut the petiole (i.e. How do I do that when they are growing interlaced? How old does the new (baby plant) have to be before it will bloom? If this is the temperature where the violet actually is (if grown indoors and not outside), and happens frequently, then no. Water on the leaves won’t kill the leaves–both mother nature, and many large commercial greenhouses, water from overhead. Yes, we continue to ship! I have been given a fresh violet leaf in beautiful condition but it is without a stem. We are not familiar with “baby bio” so cannot knowledgeably comment on it. African violets bloom virtually all year. Typically, the parent plant should go on living. Is there something I should do differently? Thank You so much for sharing your expertise. Hello, my plantelets are staying the same size for 12months now . African violet seeds take around 8 to 14 days to germinate. Thank you. I was very impressed with the care and detail that went into packing the little plants to protect then from the cold weather. The are many different formulations of Pro-Mix. In time African violet leaf cuttings should produce a new plant, but using rooting hormone will speed things along considerably faster. I didn't know that you separate the little plants from the, "I have had the best luck by putting the leaf in water and letting it grow roots, then planting it in soil.". The leaves look healthy, but there are very few roots. Puzzled as I’d thought the genetic information would have been identical. putting a plastic bag on it), and in a few months you should have many babies to separate. I would like to know if Ma’s Pink Beetles can be rooted from a leaf cutting. Cut the stem at ⦠Thank you again. We’ve seen this done, and have experimented with it in distant past, and it can work. You can “create” a petiole (stem) from the leaf blade. How To Propagate African Violets. I’ve cut leaves and placed them in a glass of water – stems in the water. It was a gift from a friend of mine that moved far away so it is very important to me. Though the mix may play a minor role, lack of blooms is more likely result of lack of adequate light. Is there a chance something will still come out of it or should I give up? Now that is above and beyond in my opinion. Last Updated: June 4, 2020 The gold spots almost looks like burn marks. When that happens, itâs time to divide your violet and repot into separate pots. Same water, same feeding, same light? 5 plants I grew from leaflet cuttings are also doing great . If the plantlet is still very small and/or has few roots, you might want to place it into a clear, covered container or plastic baggie. Should I put the newly potted leaves in a greenhouse instead of a plastic box/bag? See photo at right.Gently push plantlet into hole and firm-in soil around it. But repotting your prized blooms might be a bit more complicated than you expected. Any ideas? I have one leaf cutting that is not growing plantlets in the soil, but rather 1/2 way up the stem. The mix should be moistened (not too soggy, or the leaf will rot). Victoria. But how do I get this stem shorter. Root leaves that are not old and tough–young, but mature, leaves are the best. There are two ways to propagate your African violets: leaf cuttings and through division. It’s best to use a mature leaf, but not one that’s old and tough. It has been about 3 months since I planted them. How do you start an African violet from a leaf? Thanks for the advice. Curled leaves are generally an indication of conditions that are too cold or too dry due to lack of watering. Can you help me figure out what I did wrong? Do you think they will still form plantlets? I ordered a violet from you months ago and it is coming along quite well. The roots and plantlets have appeared, the water looks good still, but there are a couple black spots and gold spots on the inside of the cups. Step 7: Pot plantlet. It still looks great, the leaves green and healthy, but no flowers are coming. On some varieties, blooms can appear this quickly but, on others, you may have to wait longer. I will be ordering more in the future. Leave as it is. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Environment and care will play a big part as well. It is easier in plastic though, since the soil can be kept more evenly moist, which is important when rooting leaves or cuttings, which have small (or no) root systems. They will stay small only if they are miniature varieties. They can be bought online or from gardening shops. It has yet to produce a plant let but the root system has grown up and out the sides of the cup? The cutting needs to be 1–1.5 inches (2.5–3.8 cm). what can I do to get rid of mealies and why do they seem to come from nowhere? I cut the stem about 1/2″ and inserted them in the soil right up to the edge of the leaf. Do you need to water during that time? This is a constantly occurring problem, so I have a bad habit of doing something wrong, as your plants arrive in beautiful condition. I just “discovered” this thread so I am not certain that this query has not already been addressed, but have you tried rooting leaves in perlite by keeping it moist rather than rooting them in water? Your email address will not be published. Dear VB What do you think of that kind of pot? This keeps the leaf from growing up and forces its energies into producing roots and plantlets. But no sign of plantlets or baby leafs – but the stems themselves of the leaves are growing! I did this last year from plant C and everything worked great. December 23, 2020, From Trish, in Ontario Can I cut the stem? Similar situation – plant from a cutting still not blooming after about 18 months. All 3 plants were gifts so I don’t know their origins. The plant is beginning to die. It may still produce plantlets, but it should have already by now. I have a bunch of young African Violets that I propagated that are doing great and are on display in my bay window. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b3\/Propagate-African-Violets-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Propagate-African-Violets-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b3\/Propagate-African-Violets-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1421732-v4-728px-Propagate-African-Violets-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
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