strep babies not doing well. please help!

I am trying to grow streps from leaf for the first time and desperately need some help with the baby plants. l panted the leaf last October, using Miracle Gro potting mix. Maybe I should have used a seed starting medium or something finer than potting mix. Anyway, two leaves came out around last Christmas and a 3rd leaf came out later -- so I assume they are 3 different baby plants. These 3 leaves are about 1.5" to 2" in length now. So far, two of them have got the 2nd leaf. The second leaves don't seem to grow in size though (as shown in the picture). In the mean time, all the leaves have turned to a yellowish green.

What am I doing wrong? Do plants so small need to be fertilized? The soil is very shallow now, only about an inch deep. Is that too little soil for the plants? Should I pot them up? They are sitting by a sunny window. The day time temperature is in the low to mid 70F and the night time is probably somewhere in the 60s. The clear plastic lid is no longer on. The "mother leaf" was totally dead and I cut if off with scissors about a month ago.

Any advice? Please help! Thanks.

The soil mix may be too heavy, they like a lightweight soil I find. I use a lot of perlite, about 50/50 mix. Try transplanting them into 3 inch pots with the light mix.

Speaking as someone who has killed a bunch of streps, I agree with the above. They need a light mix. Don't be afraid to use the perlite. Also, I have a tendency to overwater and you simply cannot keep streps as wet as AVs. They can take drying out but they can't take overwatering.

Pat M.

Thank you both for the advice. Can plants so small survive transplanting? Maybe I should just lift the whole lot together and put it in a different container with a lighter mix? Also, should I fertilize them?

They'll be ok to transplant, just be careful while doing it. I would wait a week or 2 to fertilize after transplanting then use some at 1/4 strength.

Believe me when I say I struggled with growing streps myself in the past but my recommendation in looking at your plant is this:

First I would start with a 3 oz solo cup (the like to be rootbound). I usually burn 3 or 4 holes in the bottom of the cup with a soldering iron.

Put about an inch of perlite only in the bottom of the cup.
Then fill the next 2/3 of the cup with a mix that is 1/2 perlite and 1/2 seed starting mix.

I would move them all together (I wouldn't separate at this point). I also would recommend purchasing a bottle of Neptune's fish emulsion and adding just a few drops to some water.

Then I would set the 3 oz solo cup on a small dish and water from the dish. Once you see the soil get wet (wicking action) above the perlite I would remove and discard any remaining water.

Then I would suggest doming the plant if possible (one of those roaster chicken containers from wal-mart is PERFECT). $3.00 and you get the chicken plus a great little greenhouse.

Again, this is what I would do but might not be the PERFECT solution either. Streps actually like to have their roots "tickled" when they are babies so I think if you took these steps that you would ultimately be rewarded.

Hope this helps,
Kim

I forgot to mention; when repotting be very careful not to pot up to the crown. Leave it so it's a little "wobbly" and don't put dirt right up to the center to "hold it down". Their roots are quite shallow and if you pot right up to the crown you will be sure to lose it.

Kim

Thank you all for the tips. I have potted the babies up in a peat and perelite mix, about 50% each. I was also careful not to get soil to the crown. Will give them a couple of weeks before starting to fertilize them. Keep my fingers crossed :-)

Donnerville, if you don't mind me asking; what size pots are they in?
Do you happen to have any 3 oz solo cups?
I'm concerned about the size of their roots right now and the size of the pot they are in.

Kim

Kim, the pots are 2 1/2" in diameter. I did fill the pots with about 2/3" of perlite before adding the potting mix. I didn't have smaller cups/pots in hand, but will buy some if you think these pots are too big. Many thanks.

Truly I would recommend getting some 3 oz solo cups (in the bathroom section at Wal-Mart).
I usually burn 3 or 4 holes in the bottom. You could try using an ice pick or similar sharp object if you don't have a soldering iron.
I fear that even a 2 1/2 inch pot is still going to be too big. Honestly, gessies like to have their roots "hugged".
2 1/2 inch pot is for a teenager to grown up strep. The size of your babies is just too small for even a 2 1/2 inch right now.
Believe me, you will make good use of a package of 3 oz solo cups. Alot of our gessies all start out in 3 oz solo cups. They are the BEST.
The soldering iron is easily found at Lowe's or Home Depot for like $10.00. Not a necessity but I certainly would die without mine.

I hope you don't find me negative in any way as I'm only trying to help you be as successful as possible.

Please, any of you reading this that might have better advice for Donner speak up.........

Kim

Kim, thank you so much for the advice!!! Don't worry about my finding you negative. You are not negative at all!!! This is the first time I ever tried to grow streps -- well I didn't even know they existed until last October when I saw them for the first time. So you know I can use some advice :-).

I will move them to small cups tonight.

I will back up Kim 110 %. I am afraid of those baby roots rotting before the plants get big enough. You are doing the right thing by getting those solo cups tonight :) I sure hate that you have to re-pot again 'cause it looks like you have done a great job but we want those to grow and bloom for you. Once you get them into the 3 oz. solos, don't re-pot again until they get "root bound" then go up to the next size. Then you can post pics and we can drool over your pretty blooms :)))))))) Keep in mind that they like cooler temps than A.V.s.

Good luck and I am so glad you are taking Kim's advice. Great move!!!

Connie

Thanks for popping in Connie.
Right Donner; try to keep them cool.
You did an EXCELLENT job potting them and once they are big enough I'm sure they will just love those 2 1/2 inch pots!
I would still recommend a barely moist soil and possibly doming them for 4 or 5 days since you have unpotted them a couple times the past few days.
Doming will help them to settle in better. Just be sure the soil is damp and not wet Okay?

Good luck to you!

Kim

I think you have received some good advice here already.Because they were potted in too heavy of a mix before,they appear overwatered or have too much salt buildup in your first picture.The solo cups are a great idea.I would not feed them at all until they begin to put on some new growth.Then a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer or some fish emulsion could be used.......a very weak solution.
Be very careful about doming them.Make sure they get at least some air.They will be very prone to rot until they start growing,although being in a mix with a lot of perlite will help.

Here are the repotted streps. I didn’t get to go shopping for solo cups yesterday :-(. Instead I cut 3/4” off the top of 8zo cups and used the modified cups for potting. There are about 1” of pea gravel (for weight) and perlite at the bottom and about 1 ½” of potting mix.

I didn’t have anything for doming though. I probably can put them in a container and put cling wrap over it… anyway, they are sitting in a humidity tray for now.

Again, many thanks for all the advice. I shall give you an update on their progress later.

Happy gardening.

Hello Donnerville,

Any updates on your strep babies?
I have been thinking about you and wondering how they are doing.
Hope all is well and growing wonderfully.

Kim

I have started them in pure Perlite as well FYI. Yeah, give us an UPDATE!

After growing streps for a year and having limited success I have finally realized that they need a very light mix and they like to be pots in smaller sizes like everyone is saying above. I put about 1/3 of perlite on the bottom and then a mixture of potting mix with perlite, about half and half. I recently repotted and they already look happier.

Also, someone suggested I check my water pH and I found out that my water was very, very hard so I am adding stuff from the pet shop to take out the chlorine and vinegar to lower the pH. It is really easy to do and cheaper than buying distilled water or spring water. I am hoping this will make a big difference with all of my plants as some of them have just not been thriving and I supect my water as well as my heavy potting mix.

Pat

Hey Pat,

I saw the ph of your water. It was high. Since I have let my water sit for a few days, the plants seem to like it better but I will keep in mind what that someone told you to do. Can't wait to start collecting rain water again. Hope your streps hang in there for ya :)

Hope we didn't scare donnerville off and I hope the streps are doing okay. Would love to know how they are doing.

Connie

Kim and everybody, thank you for asking.

As you can see from the photo, they have improved in the past 12 days since they were potted up. I kept them in a domed container. Since the moisture level was rather high inside the dome, they have not been watered since. I was out of town for a week and came back to 3 much healthier plants. All 3 of them have got the 2nd leaf now. They are much greener too. I removed the dome today and will start to water and fertilize them.

Again, many thanks for all your advice -- you saved my plants. Not sure how long it will be before they start to bloom, but I shall keep you posted on their progress.

Happy gardening.

Oh Donnerville I am SO happy to see this!
Thank you for updating us.
They look WONDERFUL!
That is SO great! Look how green they have become.
GREAT job!

Kim

YAY donnerville!!!! They look wonderful :) Thanks so much for updating us on your babies. Amazing difference in the before and after pics. You did good, donnerville :)

Connie

Kim and Connie, I think the babies have made it :-) Cannot wait to see them bloom. Again, many thanks for all the help. Will update later.

SO tickled to hear that Donnerville!
Can't wait to see them with their first blooms.
Congratulations on saving them!

Kim

AWESOME!!! I can't wait to see the blooms either. Great job, donnerville. Please do keep us udated :)

Connie

Any updates on your strep babies Donnerville? I often wonder how they are doing :)

Kim

Hi Kim, thank you for asking. The baby plants are doing very well. Two of them have got flower stalks, although they still don't have many leaves ;o)

I read some posts a while back about propagating streps after I had made all the mistakes with my experiment. The process described in the posts was a lot shorter than mine -- I didn't use the right potting mix and didn't provide the right condition for the leaf cutting to root and for the baby plants to grow etc. I am very glad that I even got 3 plants out of it :-) Anyway, the baby plants are finally taking off thanks to all the good advice you and other members gave me. I am hoping that the first flower bud will open within a week or so. Very excited about it!

In the mean time, I have propagated more from a leave of another plant, Strep Blue Ice. This time I used the correct potting mix and domed the cuttings. As a result, the baby plants came a lot quicker and healthier. I am hoping they will start to bloom in August or September. Soon, all my friends will receive streps as gifts :-)

Again, many thanks for your help. I will post more pictures once the flowers have opened.

Donner

Here are the new babies that I have grown from cuttings of a Strep Blue Ice.

WOW, good job, they look really good.
Mrsbonnie

OMG Donnerville, I can't even believe THOSE are the same streps!
How proud you must be!
I am just SO tickled for you, you don't even know.
I know exactly the feeling of struggling along and making many mistakes. I have made many and continue to do so.
I am just simply amazed right now and SO very proud of you!
That just totally makes my day!
Great job!!!!
Thank you for sharing an update as I have always wondered what happened to your babies and from the pictures I can see that they are just as happy as can be.
I am smiling ear to ear as I type this to you and I'm SO happy your shared your experience.

That's awesome!

Kim

Great job!! They look very happy.

Lynn

Awesome! Way to go!

I just got a Bristol's "Sally Mander" and "Sunset" from Rob's. Can't wait until they are big enough to bloom!

My very first strep flower :-) :-) :-)

All 3 plants have got flower stalks. They have come a long way :-)

Look how you have taken that plant from stage 1 still now! You should be very proud of that baby and yourself for doing such a wonderful job!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Connie

Kudos to you.It looks wonderful!!

Lynn

That's a GREAT color! Congrats!!!

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL Donnerville; LOVE the hot pink coloring.
GREAT job and awesome story :)
You must be SO proud!

Kim

Thank you all for the kind words, encouragement, and advice along the way. This has been an interesting journey for me and for the baby plants. I am proud and quite encouraged :-) Ready for more action :-)