Joe--Just wrote you a reply and added 4 pictures--and my finger hit the Windows button--and--POOF! All gone!
I HATE THAT! For i do not know how to retreive it!
Will re-type tomorrow.....Gita
Holiday Cacti general Discussionpart #4.
Poor Gita, sorry you lost your pictures. I know how that is. I do it all the time and especially on Facebook and that is so annoying. Guess we just need to give our fingers a talking to. During my work with the Christmas Cactus Cuttings yesterday I noticed that everyone of the cuttings you gave me Gita are doing so well and I just love you for thinking of me. I must take some shots of the pots they are in and the last ones you sent me I put in single pots and they are looking just great. Is there anything you want or need. Working at HD I would guess you have almost everything.
No one seems to talk about African Violets. Do people still raise them like they used to. I was never able to start them with leaves...how do you all do it if you do?
I have been sprouting some black pussy willows. If any of you want some cuttings, now is the time to let me know. I will be happy to send them to you. I put 15 in pots yesterday and I have some larger cuttings that are really rooting good. I will not be putting them out until the weather is settled and then I am not sure if I want to pot them or put them in the ground. They make lovely borders or hedgerows.
I am going to put the up on the MarketPlace very soon, in fact today if I have time. Have a great day. I am about to go to Mass to get ashes today. Lent begins and I am trying to figure out what to give up.
I had better make up my mind soon. LOL I was thinking about chocolate but oh my, I just love chocolate. I am so bad. Later, JB
JB---
Poor me--again!!! Wrote you a lengthy Post at work on growing AV's (African Violets) from a single leaf.
Hit "send"---and nothing much happened. I guess our work computers are so overwhelmed with a
zillion programs running on them, that they just could not "send" my post--as along with it came all the rest of
the post and the pictures and all that. I think it "died" trying...got an error message. I just logged off....
I am now back home and it is almost time for bed for me.....But I wanted to re-write all i did for you on the AV's.
Propagating from a single leaf is SO easy!!! And--you can make a lot of plants from just one Mama AV.
There are TWO ways (that I know) to root a single leaf of an AV. Both totally easy as pie!
Method #1 is rooting the leaf in soil.
--Take a healthy, leaf cutting off of your favorite AV. Leave about a 1 1/2" stem on it.
--Use a 3.8" (Angel Plants) pot--or similar size--and fill it with great, loose potting mix. Like--Pro Mix.
--You will need a clear, plastic glass as a dome. You can buy these in any grocery store--or $$ Store.
What you DO need is for the plastic cup to fit, snugly, on top of the plant pot--INSIDE the rim.
--Fill the pot with the potting Mix. water it in to a moist state and then stick the stem of the AV leaf
in the center of it, making sure the leaf does NOT touch the soil.
--Now--place the plastic cup over the pot (INSIDE the pot rim) and that is all!
IF you have a tight fit--you may not have to water it again. IF there is wiggle room between the pot and the
plastic glass--the soil may dry out and you may need to dribble a bit of water around the edges.
MOIST is the thing here---NOT wet!
--Set the pot somewhere in semi-bright light and some warmth (like your G.H.) and wait.................
--In about 2 months or so (maybe faster in a GH ) you will soon see baby AV leaves growing out of the soil
next to the stem.
--YEAH! You now have new AV's!!!! Sometimes more than one--you will see in time if it needs
separating. That is all there is to this!!!!
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Method #2--Rooting in water.
--You will need a SMALL (3" or so) vase or a fairly narrow glass. Some Plastic Wrap too.
--Fill the vase/glass almost to the top with water. Stretch a piece of plastic wrap tightly over the glass.
Smooth it down the sides and, either, tape it to the glass or put a rubber band around the neck of it.
--Take a sharp-tipped knife and poke a SMALL hole in the center of the wrap covering the glass.
--Stick the stem of the AV through it and put it somewhere semi-bright and warm and W-A-I-T.....
--In a couple of months--you will see the roots forming and the new baby AV leaves growing--ALL under water!
At this point--you can pot it up in a small pot to let it continue to grow.
Personally--I prefer the soil method (#1)--as soil and water roots are different.
Why stress the new rooting plant more than you have to? Soil-to-soil is better than water-to-soil.
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JB--Now about your other question--as to what to give up for Lent?
How about "Pickled Gizzards of snakes" ??. I just made this up....Watching too many "Bizarre Foods" shows...
JB--I am glad my CC cuttings are doing well. I bet it is because the Apricot CC is such a robust grower---
Also--I sent you fresh cuttings. You already have the Apricot CC's anyway-- Right?
I have a tray-full under my lights still. They are all rooting great. Will need to move them soon to start some seeds.
The ones on all my window sashes (from last year) are not doing as well. I think they need more watering/fertilizing
that I seem to be negligent on.
I know! I know! It is, OH so cold, on those window sashes. But--It is Oh, so warm, under my grow lights.
I am also trying to water them more regularly.
I think, once they root, they really need more watering. And in those 1 1/2" clay pots--they just dry out in a couple of days.
OK! Now I REALLY need to go to bed......Hope all this helped you some.
GO for it! Grow AV's from leaves.....The DO do well.....
By the way--out local EXPERT on propagating AV's is "donner" (Sally). Send her a D-mail if you want more info.
She is a wonderful Chinese lady who knows all there is to know about this. We have become "friends" of sorts...
You can "catch" her name on the MAF Seed Swap we just had in Frederick.
How are you doing?????? I care! Gita
Here are some of my, and Sally's, new AV starts under my seed lights in November, 2011.
For some reason I just can not grow AVs....don't know why. Used to, but now I gave up trying. My daughter does so well with them.
Thanks so much for the info. I will ask her to give me some leaves and I may try again using your method.
Do you need any black pussy willow cuttings. Now is the time if you do.
I am doing fine, just busy trying to get a line up of things to sell. The accountant wants me to make some money this year. LOL.
You called your CC Salmon when you sent it to me. Now you tell me it is Apricot...which is it? I would like to see one of the flowers if you have a picture. I would guess there must be a difference...or are they all the same. Like the fuchsia is called magenta by some people. I love it....I am too old for all these colors. LOL
I am doing good healthwise too, thanks for asking, I hope you are too. I do not mean to make this a Gita-Jacquie post so let me say hello to all the other people who are on here and if you have any suggestions for an old lady send them along. Hugs to all. Stay well and enjoy this wonderful Spring(Winter) weather. JB
Hello everyone,
JB, my moma use to grow AV's like there was nothing to it,i haven't had nothing but bad luck with them.She kept them in the bathroom window and the kitchen window above the sink.But we were not allowed to ''ever ever'' touch them.She would say "if you lay your greasy paws on my violets i will know it" and she would also tell us if we used the kitchen sink which the violets were in the window behind not to get any water on them.She was right to,she could tell.As i grew up she explained how the plants don't like their leaves to get wet or to be touched.She bottom watered them all.I have tried to grow them but unfortunately she isn't with us any longer & i would give anything to be able to ask her advice on so many different plants.
JB, may i send you a d-mail.We moved last summer to where i'm currently living.I (don't know if i've said anything about this to yall or not) have an entire yard to plant and parts to clear.We did just have almost 20 tree's cut down to let some sun in and to get big ones away from the house.I am lost and looking for idea's and looking for plants i can plant outside here without breaking the bank.I'm sure some of you may know the feeling.I truly believe i will owe medical bills when i am dead & gone.
Gita,I hope you get your information and pictures back especially if it was any advice for me. LOL I am going to copy and paste your advice on AV's.I would love to give them another try.Right now i need to concentrate on what & how i'm going to get my yard beginning to look up.
I have one other question,I know the forum is set up to keep topic's separate to make it easier when searching for something specific.Where can i talk about moving my asparagus fern from inside in a HB to planting it in the ground.I thought that might be to far off topic to discuss here.I know this is a holiday cactus thread.I have grown to trust yall's opinion's and you are all such nice people..
Sure Jo you can dmail me or email me, no problem. I am not really up on outdoor plants, I just play around with plants we have growing here on the farm. Nursery and Landscaping plants are a whole new ball game. I do know a guy from Dave's Garden that has lots of inexpensive landscaping and garden plants if you want his dmail I will be happy to share it with you. He has lovely hosta of all types.
If you want to discuss other plants on this Holiday Cactus forum I have no problem with that as long as we can continue to talk about the cactus when we have concerns or problems. We are all here to learn and share and it makes no difference to me where we do it. If we have a compatible group here who want to keep talking be my guest. Just so we keep the chatter about our plants.
Enjoy yourself, I am going to make stakes for the new cuttings. Later, JB
Hang on to your hats gang, we are moving to the new thread, hopefully it will help you all who find the length of this one slowing up your computers.
Bring your pots and plants and continue your discussions here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1243875/
This will be #5 of the Holiday Cactus General Discussion thread. Enjoy.