African Violets and Gesneriads: Rooting Episcia Stolons, 1 by Snowrose

Snowrose wrote:

- Rooting Episcia Stolons -

Actually, a very simple process. If you have a favorite potting mix used for other gesneriads like African Violets, by all means use it. Select your pot (with drainage holes at the bottom) and fill with good quality bagged potting mix. I moisten the mix slightly prior to filling the pot and inserting the cutting. Insert episcia cutting (stolon) into moist mix and water. Cover with a dome or clear baggie until rooted. In a warm environment, this should take about 10 days or so. You can check to see if rooted by tugging "gently" on the plant and if it stays secure, then it has rooted. You may remove the baggie at this point. Variegated episcias prefer terrarium type culture.

All episcias thrive in a warm, humid environment, 75-85 is ideal. Never let temps go below 60 degrees. At 55 degrees, severe damage or loss will occur.

I wick water my plants. Wicks can be nylon cord, synthetic yarn, etc. In order to be successful your soil mix must be loose and porous. Soil straight from the bag will be way too heavy for wick watering. The "wick mix" formula I use is:

1 part quality bagged peat based potting soil ( w/ no added fertilizer - Promix, Jiffy Mix, etc.)
2 parts coarse Perlite
1 part coarse Vermiculite

You can use whatever you want to measure....cups, quarts, etc. depending on how much wick mix you want to make up. Moisten and mix thoroughly. I keep some made up to use whenever I want.

Insert your wick cord up through a hole in the bottom of pot at least half way or more. I cut a slit in the top edge of the pot and fasten the wick in so it can't come out (see next photo below). Then add moistened wick mix...insert your cutting and water. Cover with baggie. Set your pot on top of a water reservoir (can be a deli container with a plastic lid, etc. with 1 or 2 holes cut in the top for your wick to go through into the water. If you make 2 holes, then you can refill easily.

Once your cutting has rooted, then you can start fertilizing. I "constant feed" my plants a very dilute fertilizer at the rate of 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of tepid water. Miracle Gro is fine or any favorite you may use. Fill your water reservoirs with this fertilixer solution.

I grow all my Episcias, African Violets, Sinningias, Koleria, etc. with this method.


Photo is of variegated episcia 'Unpredictable Valley' -