I use egg cartons to pot up my babies. Right from the leaf they go into individual egg holders, then into solo cups, then into 2" pots and sofort. Violet roots like to touch. Make a hole into each holder then use top of carton as tray. Nice and sturdy.
What a great idea! I bet they love the warmth and cushion of the styrofoam. My be like an insulation chamber. Must cut down on watering too. I usually buy my eggs in cardboard but maybe this week I will go for the styrofoam :)
Thanks for sharing. I love this idea.
Kim
wow, thats great,, never thought of that.smart people.lol
mrsbonnie
Did this for many years. The key is that as soon as the root system is developed enough to hit a wall,(meaning come against the edge of the container) first making a foundation, it then puts energy into the leaves .Meaning here the hole is smaller to fill with roots then in a solo cup. Works well for starting other plants from seeds.....HD
Also in starting your leaves, the less soil in the solo cups the sooner the babies come....
This message was edited Apr 1, 2010 10:00 AM
Thanks for the info! I have started seed from tomatoes, peppers, etc. in them but never A.V. leaves. Good idea.
Great idea Helene!!
Helene, I learned the lesson about less soil in solo cups the hard way!!!! Now I only fill mine a little less than half full.
I read the egg carton story on AV Brats just yesterday! I am planning to try it as well with some semi mini leaves in May.
YES, YES i am just getting back into this Av growing again, and so much is coming back. i had forgotten to try putting down leaves. Today I put down 2 in less than 1/2" soil in solo cup.. put down some others in 1-1/2'. the other day, will see if this will come true.
Also i seem to remember if you cut the leaf diogonaly close to the leave, more babies. Not sure about this. will give it a try again???
Hi all. If you go to Rob's Violet Barn site, there are most excellent instructions for starting leaves, regular repotting and how to save an old AV plant. I printed all the different instructions out and use them. Oh, when starting leaves, cut the top 1/3 to 1/2 off the leaf off so the energy will go to making new plants and not growing the potted leaf. Chulin
Helene - is there anything you don't do???
I just came over here to look around. One of my really nice AVs, that has been healthy for years, just decided to get root rot. Last week, I plucked off some of the healthier looking lower leaves & have them in water. Then have the stem with some of the smaller leaves in water also. After a week, I see small roots on almost everything.
Never though of potting in egg cartons................ may give it a try.
Hello Jean, No, not in water. Best is ChuLin's way as in the post right above, in the plastic cups. Even cutting some of the leaf off.... A little AV soil, or regular potting soils with some perlite for looseness, then when the little once appear you separate them and you make your plugs (little individual plants) in the egg carton. from one leaf, it's hard to say how many plants you will get, from one to five or more.
Jean, I grew AV's for show and had a set-up indoors for about 2000 plants, All sizes. Yes 2M.
i do impatient cuttings here in Fl. in the egg carton and then just put the whole thing in clear plastic bag for about 1 week, then open the thing, and you'll have new plants.
That is the best way, but you can start your AVs in water. It's harder and takes longer as you have to accustom the new plantlets to being out in fresh air after growing in water, but growing them in water can be done. ;) I've got 2 different Propagation projects going on right now. 1st one is in a small 6 oz cup that came from my dog's Dogster dessert treat, and the other is in a pan of water out in the open with no cover and I'm just making sure to keep the roots covered with water . Granted it should be in a covered container with water creating like a greenhouse or hydroponic effect, but figured I'd try something new and start in water get hte roots going then move to a small cup or egg create see what happens. Especially since I have some shredded and completely ground up coconut hair soil that should work really well for the AVs as they hold more water and it is bacteria free. I've got one of my other AVs transplanted in the Coconut-hair "soil" and it seems to love it. I did add some of my beach stones to it just incase it may get too dense like regular soil, but I haven't noticed any bad changes to my AV at all.
I have a small gesneriad that I got at the AV spring show here in Houston. When i bought it it was just a leaf in a small dixie cup like you would use to rinse your mouth out or something...? I was told I would need to repot it soon, but I don't really have an idea as to tell when I would need to do that. Moreover, what would be a decent container to move up to next and what medium is best to repot in?
Rob,
What kind of Gesneriad is it? Most will do fine in a mix of equal parts of perlite,vermiculite and peat moss or you can use any sterilized potting mix and add a little extra perlite.Streps. and a few others need more perlite.In general,they need a pot about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the leaf span.If it has grown a lot of roots you should be safe to move it up to a pot an inch or even two wider,but it should be shallow if possible.It's usually best to put drainage holes in the bottom.
Lynn
I finally have some AV's that I separated today and thought I'd post the progress from egg carton onward to 4" AV pot. Markers are solo cup cut into strips. I work frugal.
They grow outside in Fl. humidity and warmth.
They look great Helene!! Nice growing.
Lynn
wow, so smart, i would have never thought of that. lol
mrsbonnie
i'll keep you posted. They just love making roots into the rounded egg cups. Will post pic.
am glad i found this thread-i am growing an african violet leaf and have it in way too big a container--thanks for the info on why i need a tiny container to start-love the egg carton idea--i do have a question--when taking the leaf off the big plant -i took a bottom leaf off of a healthy full plant--can i remove a few more? or should i wait a while?
also -glad to find out i can cut off top of leaf for more growth--
Those bottom leaves may be tired due to age. You might have better luck removing from the next row up and make sure your cut on the petiole is at a 45 degree angle with the shorter end starting on the front of the leaf. You can remove more leaves :)
Good luck!
Connie
oh--thanks
Helene, don't have pics today, but wanted to let you know that my babies are coming along nicely in the egg cartons. It's so exciting to see!
That is soo exciting. Man one can get hooked on such simple things as growing violets...Mine are coming as well. I find they make nice round plants - only one is a bit out of kilter. need to remove some leaves to make the three's helene
This message was edited Jul 10, 2010 1:32 PM
i finally have my egg carton started--my only problem is that all my babies are started from the same plant--4 so far--a pink african violet with kind of ruffled leaves
i looked in the sticky and found a few i think i'd like to try
frozen in time
pow wow
irish flirt
old fashioned rose
chartreuse wonder
ness fantasy gold
blueberry mint
crimson ice
alchemy gold
dirty face
emerald lace
ma's melody girl
powder keg
if anyone has a leaf of any of those i will pay postage--thank you
by the way the one i started long ago in the big pot is still just the leaf i stuck in--still healthy but no new plant yet!
This message was edited Jul 14, 2010 6:42 AM
http://www.reedsgreenhouse.com/store/shopping-cart?page=2&sort=2
check out this site for some awesome Violets. Expensive. i love frozen in time.....
Yeah , I have some in a large pot for about 4 months and nothing, checked today.
I think, growing in egg cartons and or 1/2 filled solo cup- the roots hit a wall sooner and then give off plantlets. Also they like a bit of warmth underneath.
Plantlets in egg cartons make pretty round plants for the same reason - round on the bottom make nice round crowns. Not my theory - my experience.
thank you for the site--i enjoyed looking at it
This is a good site for older plants - Very involved with the AVSA so good plants
http://www.african-violets.com/index.htm
A treat for the eyes. She is not shipping at the moment too hot anyway.
I promised I'd continue with egg carton story.
this one month+ later than picture above. plants have been groomed already into 3 leaves even though quite small. They don't grow too well because in AC and dry air....But healthy. A little dusty will get a bath now that the roots are established. This Optimara Michelle.
This message was edited Jul 15, 2010 12:29 PM
Not groomed
Here is "Fisherman's Paradise" by Sisk planted into carton 2 weeks ago.Not touched since. growing quicker because it has humidity as it is growing in AC but in a strawberry plastic clam, closed . Quite Nice
This by nature, as you can see has a beautiful onset of three's, always three's
When I was showing, this plant always won in shows because of this natural crown making habit. Also white varigation with purple flowers.Stunning All Sisk plants make beautiful crowns.
I do have a problem with Miracle Grow AV soil. It has nutrients added and is too strong, therefore burns the center leaves of my plantlets.
I am trying to share some of these new experiences that I come across, growing here in Fl.I hope i don't bore you all. Helene
thank you queen helene : )
not bored at all and will be looking forward to my plants looking like that in my egg carton--
I just started trying to propagate AV's - I got a bunch of half-dead ones off the clearance rack for 50 cents each at Lowe's and figured they would be my experiment! Wish I'd read this sooner - I stuck those leaves in a big 6" pot! Ah, well - live and learn! The only good news is that some of the leaves have rooted .... I'll have to pull off a few more and try the egg carton! Bet they come up quicker than the big pot!
quicker! As soon as the roots hit the sides and bottom they are prompted by nature to make growth....
