African Violet Leaf Starting to Root? ...

[Linda W.]

Hello ...

I posted here several weeks ago, asking about rooting an African violet leaf from a plant that had suddenly stopped doing well.

The plant continued to not do well, and so I placed a leaf in water and have had it in water since then. The leaf is now starting to show tiny little fiber-looking strands -- very thin and, at this point, only a fraction of an inch in length -- very slight.

What should I do at this point? Should I leave the leaf where it is? Will the strands get longer? How will I know whether this is a leaf that can actually begin a new plant? How will I know when to plant it?

Many thanks for any advice at this next stage of rooting -- at least I hope this means it is rooting :-) ...

Linda W.

[B & J]

Allow the leaf to remain in the water until the roots on the leaf become about a quarter inch long; plant the leaf in high humus soil, keeping the soil moist/not wet; and place the pot in a warm, high light with no sun area. Within a month or two, often longer (don't be impatient because it takes time), plantlets will start coming up at the base of the leaf, sometimes a single one but usually multiple. Allow the plantlet to grow to a size where they can be handled and then divide and replant in individual pots. BTW, the parent plant is now into its second phase of flowering since I received it in May.

I started three leaves in water the middle of May and potted them in high humus soil as soon as they showed quarter inch roots, which occurred around the middle of June. One sent up a single plant that is now three inches across and rapidly growing although the leaf is still attached: the second has sent up multiple small plantlets that are still too small to handle with the leaf still attached; and the third is still a single leaf that is just sitting there.

This is a case of "What you see is what you get!" In most cases starting new AV's from leaves is a winner.

John

[Linda W.]

John ...

Thank you so much for this very helpful information.

May I ask a few questions?

First ... where should I look for the high humus soil? Would a garden center be likely to have it in small quantities (since I only need a small amount?)Where do you purchase yours?

Second ... I have a window that gets bright light in the afternoon, but it is sunlight. How would I avoid the plant getting sunlight? I don't really have a place where I could set up a plant light. Also, I need to be budget conscious about this. Is there a way I could put it in a window where it would get some sunlight?

Again, many thanks.

Linda W.

[Linda W.]

LeAnn ...

Thank you for this information and for the link to your story. :-)

Linda W.

[Lee]

you might try shielding the sun from it with a lace panel so that the sun light is diffused. an east window with lace curtains is usually great for them. lee.

[Linda W.]

Thank you very much.

Vermiculite was mentioned to me when I first started to root this leaf. I went to a local garden center but was unable to find it.

Could you tell me a little bit more about it? Is it like soil? Does it come in a package? Small or large package?

And then, if I find it -- would it likely have instructions on the package as to how to use it with the leaf?

Right now, the leaf only has one little sort of strand of root, perhaps a quarter inch long, and a few tinier ones.

I would appreciate any information about vermiculite so that I might be able to find it.

Many thanks!

Linda W.

[Linda W.]

Thanks so much for this information.

When you say to use a plastic or paper cup -- do you mean a little one

-- like those little bathroom-size cups? Or a larger one? Would styrofoam be okay?

I wish I'd tried to root more than one leaf from the old plant. But hopefully this one will "work."

Thanks again ..

Linda W.

... balance of my previous message snipped for space ...

[Linda W.]

As general follow-up ... Phisherman suggested I use the vermiculite to continue the rooting process, and John suggesed putting the leaf in potting soil.

So I'm wondering -- would you advise using the vermiculite first -- provided I can (a) find it and (b) afford it? :-) And then would I transfer the baby plantlets from the vermiculite to potting soil?

Is my understanding correct that I could also transfer the rooted leaf from water directly to potting soil?

I just want to make sure I understand the alternatives.

Again, many thanks!

Linda W.

[Phisherman]

A plastic, paper, or styrofoam cup will work well. Most important, put a few holes in the bottom of the cup. A 4 or 6 oz cup is plenty. I would not pot up the baby until there is plenty of roots. The roots will cling to the vermiculite. Vermiculite is a couple bucks for a bag of it.