African Violets and Gesneriads: Space Savers, 0 by Allison_FL

Allison_FL wrote:
Those are nice Nana. Cute babies ! I know a lot of people that use the egg crates. They also say they are good for mini's.
I done( Tried) leaves everyway you can think. Water, on damp paper towel in zip lock bag...Then at my local group I use to go to I learned to use the solo cups and plastic shoe boxes.
I started using the 6 quart ones which hold about 16 3 oz. cups.
Lot's of people cover them put them under light and forget about them for a month or so. But I have not done well with covering each time I do they get too humid and go to mush. I put lots of holes and check the next day but no luck.
It was fine doing all the different ways when I did not have many leaves down...but then I became addicted to growing babies !
I use the 6 qrt. but now have many larger ones my husband picked up for me that hold more cups !
I label each cup, wick them, fill with soil-less mixture, I cut my leaf stems short to one inch or less or a wedge. , I put it straight into the soil-less mixture until the leaf touches. water threw let them drain. Then place them into the boxes. I then set them under the lights. In most cases 95 percent roots and babies coming up take 4-6 weeks. Some have taken months. As long as the leaf is healthy I keep it. Once the babies start growing I like to remoever the cups and put them on trays of like right close to the light almost touching and I start feeding them. When I have ( i'm out of it) I like giving them some fish emolsion drink. This realy shoots them up ! )
I also like to keep them in the pot with mom until they have grown pretty big ! Sometimes I take big babies and put them then in 2 " round plastic pots . If the mom leaf has roots and other babies I put it into new soil-less mix new cup to grow more.
I also use the tops that come with the boxes for my plants ! I wick them and fill the tray with plants, not too many on each so nothing touches. They fit nice on my plants stands under lights.
I like the boxes and lids as they can be bleached. Every couple weeks they get new trays , boxes also if needed and my husband soaks them in the bath tub over night in hot water and strong bleach.
It's all about having fun and what's good for you !
Allison