Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Let's Chat, "Mid At" ! Whatever, whoever, yak away, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Ruby---

IF you need more plants to sell--take a leaf off of any of your African Violets to root.
Or--snitch them at any store or nursery if they are broken off anyway.
I do the same with X-Mas Cactus as peoplehandling these pots are very careless.
In straightening the pots on the cart--I pick up any broken off pieces to root...

Just take it to propagate. I do that a lot---all the Stone Crops I had at he Swap
were from broken off pieces laying all over the tray..Just cleaning up!....ahem....

There are 2 ways you can root AV's leaves---water or rooting the leaf in soil.
I always prefer the soil way--as the roots will grow in a more "natural" environment.

Get some 3" pots (cups?)--or, any plastic container about that size. I think yogurt cups may do.
Just make sure you poke holes in the bottom for drainage.
Then--buy a tube of clear plastic cups--about the same size.
To get an idea of what I am leading up to--have you ever seen the pot and top that
Venus Fly Traps are sold in? The most perfect rooting pot combo for AV leaves.

Moisten the soil really well (NOT wet!) and insert the stem (rooting hormone is OK)
into the soil and put the clear glass on top--either TIGHTLY inside the rim of the pot--or outside.
The main thing is NOT to let the AV leaf touch the sides of the clear glass on top.
Use toothpicks to support the leaf--if you have to.

IF the seal is tight--you do not need to do anything else until the new AV is growing
baby leaves, which will come from the bottom off the stem inside the soil.
About 2-3 months....They will come in bunches---amazing thing to see!

After this happens--remove the clear glass from the pot and let it grow until you feel it
needs transplanting into a 4" pot. Water as needed--but keep it just moist.

After the new leaves are growing--you will need to divide and transplant the new growths
into individual clusters. This is advisable--so your AV will just be growing from ONE cluster,
NOT as a multi-clustered one. NOT good!
Take care doing this--as AV leaves break off easily....

In about a year or so--you will have a multitude of new AV's to sell...

Here is the pot/top set-up that works great. In this case--the pot is a bit too big (4")
for the clear glass topping it. Like I said---3"pot and glass work the best....
But--You get the idea?