let's begin with the failure....i tried using one of the techniques i use for my plumeria seeds with african violet leaves and it didn't work....i had put 3 leaves in a closed mason jar...no water...and let it produce its own condensation....but it produced too much and the leaves began to rot....so i took them out..cut off the bad part...and have put them in damp vermiculite....Now the success:....i did the same thing only in a plastic container....but used all perlite...with lid closed...and again it had to produce its own condensation .and thus far there is one little one popping up...it looks good thus far...My method to this madness is to not have to BOTHER the leaves...not changing water etc....so we'll see how this works...to be continued.
ok one success...one failure
I'd love to see photos!
I can't cover anything in Florida Bob. Either my heat is on or A/C almost year round but still too much humidity to cover. But it sure is fun to experiment ! Have fun !
hmmm..I have some leaves in [amended with perlite] potting soil and it is under a humidity dome which is under lights. Before I placed the leaves I completely wetted the soil down and dipped the stems in rooting hormone. I haven't watered them since and they have been there for a couple of weeks now. No new growth, but they haven't rotted and died yet either. The leaves look real healthy too.
Bob - how long before you started seeing new growth?
laurie..i had posted a pic..i think couple weeks ago of the leaves in the plastic..i'll hunt for it....anita...i didn't put any water in mine...just leaves in the perlite...and the closed plastic container..(i posted about 3 weeks ago..think on the 2nd) makes the condensation...i had one little one pop up in 9 days..but nothing more yet...think it will be 2 weeks tomororow or so...
Every one's enviroment is different. Bob covered but did not water . You never know what's going to work for you until you try it. If you see too much mpisture chances are they may rot. Open them or take top off a few hours each day.
Last fall, winter, spring I had around 500 leaves down all in zipped up mini greenhouse by nice sunny windows. I never hardly had to water them. They seemd to stand there and stand there. Once in a while I'd get a dozen or so with babies coming up. I'd take them give them a fish drink and put them under light they'd grow crazy . Then I tried opening the front flaps so they could get some air circulation.
Ok this fall and winter all babies and leaves are under lights only have about 200 but this year their all growing crazy , babies and plants , they get fed, air circulation, light , ...Not like last year when I had gone crazu buying so many leaves and they just sat there this year they are all growing :))
Allison
allison...sounds good to me....now if i can just get to my plumeria seedlings as well..lol
LOL....Allison - I ONLY have about 200 leaves. ( I have about 30, including the ones you just sent.) : ) Is it hard to keep them all going at the same time? So they are under the lights, but not covered? Where I live is so very dry, I am keeping mine covered, but did get the new light up, so we'll see if that speeds the process up. So far, I have 5 little itty bitty plantlets. But 2 have 2 leaves, 2 have one leaf and 1 has 3 leaves. I thought they would all come up with exactly two leaves. What's normal? all different?
Well I'm always putting down leaves. Any plants I get I put down leaves. Several of them. A good rule always put leaves down from each plant you get. One the plant might not get use to your enviroment and two to always have some to share and trade !
I don't know anymore where they came from. Some came from swaps. I use to buy just leaves but now I buy plants and take them apart share some leaves and put some down. I feel they all root different. The varietie, how old the leaf is, growing conditons... Oh I don't no maybe no science to them. Sometimes I have good size blooming babies in 3-4 months from time leaf went down, sometimes takes a year. I feel on average it's safe to say it is going to take a good 6-9 months from the time you put a leaf down before it blooms! But it's fun! No it's not any harder to have one leaf than have a hundred. They all grow different so potting up from Mom is all different times. And I let mine get way big before doing so. They wait for me until I can do it. No rush. Maybe mine grow good as
I don't have a lot of time to give them as I'm lucky to be a wake 3-5 tops a day and not all together. But it's fun I always have one to work on :))
sounds good to me...i'm going to put some leaves down of everything i get....good suggestions allison
I'm new to african violets I bought 4 beautiful AV's which I promptly proceeded to kill.
Before finally succombing to my care, I removed a couple of leaves from each one and tried to root them in water with no success. In the meantime, I took one of the leaves from "Fisherman's Platter" and decided to try a mini greenhouse so I took 2 of the clear plastic disposible drink cups. In the one, I poked several drainage holes. In the other, I poked one center hole for ventilation. I filled the one with the drainage holes partway with a seed starting mix, dipped the end in hormone powder and inserted it in the middle of the cup.
I then inverted the other cup with the venilation hole on top and sealed the 2 together with tape. I put in in a tray of water and let it soak it up until it felt heavy. I then let in drain the excess out. I put in aside in a bright window and then left it unattended. I would occasionally peek in the ventilation hole to see how it was doing.
I have since tried it with another leaf from a friend and it is rooted by no baby yet.
Here is a picture of what it looks like. The second is the result several months later of the first experiment.
Jan...
Experiment result. "Fisherman's Platter" I have learned by the way to stop overwatering it.
I only water now when plant appears dry and is very light when picked up. I then water from bottom only and let drain again.
Here it is on the shelf with other cuttings.
way to go Jan...as a matter of fact - I have to check my leaves now. Be back in a bit!
no babies yet - :( But my strep does!! But I won't take up Bob's thread with this.
Jan that's a gorgous plant. Looks mosaic foliage in the picture to me?. Love it ! Great growing. I have never heard of Fisherman's Platter ? It's not registered in Fist Class ? Only Fisherman's Paradise.
ou plant is sure stunning!
I live n Floria too but with our weather I don't have to cover anything but it sure works well for you !
Yes over watering is one of the number one reasons African violets die. It's a great idea to follow how you are watering now !
Welcome to our wonderful African Violet Forum. Thank you for sharing your pictures and experiments ! Hope to see a lot more :)) We have a great bunch of people here always ready to help if you have any questions and were always ready to learn new things ! We have the greatest Stickys too please take time to visit them often and us all the time ! Welcome !
Allison
yes indeed Jan welcome..i'm new here as well...And Anita...hey we want to hear everything....are we suppose to not post on somebody's thread...if so, gosh i am sorry...i just want to hear and learn everything...bob
You're right Allison, it's Fisherman's Paradise. You can tell what my tummy is thinking right now!
Thanks for the welcome. I was so encouraged, I just bought 3 off Ebay. They haven't arrived yet. I really love variegated anything so of course they are all var.
They are:
Robs Shadow Magic - Variegated Semi
Robs Vanilla Pink - Variegated Mini
Powwow - Striking Variegation.
Should I treat the mini's and Semi any differently than the standard?
Budgie you got Pow Wow? Boy are you going to be popular here! hehehe. so many have it on their want list. the foliage is a winner!
Oh yougot the Pow WOW Maybe the one on Ebay April lost. lol Your Fisherman 's Paradise is beautiful :))
Variegated plants are wonderful ! Miniatures and Semi I love too ! They are a little hard to grow. They do take extra grooming , never let them dry out nor be real wet , their needs are a little more special but once
you get the hang of them their a piece of cake !
Rob's Vanilla Pink is a cute Mini !
Oh PS please check out our stickys for information about Minis and everything else !
Well, I don't know how big they will be until they get here. Always hard to tell from pictures but once they are big enough (if they survive this AV newbie care), I'll have leaves to share.
Sorry, April if I outbid you. I just fell in love with it. ;-(
Jan...
This message was edited Jan 21, 2006 11:35 AM
hope better luck than when i ordered pow wow....he had it listed for sale...but than wrote 4 days later to say didn't have any and refunded my money....great you got those plants...and so happy you're here with us...bob
No don't go and jinx me Bob. It's been a couple days since payment so all we can do is wait.
Jan...
Jan..i do hope you get the pow wow...i confidently told Lorry this past Monday I had them coming..than 4 days later got refund saying wern't available..i wrote them saying they should be offering them if they don't have them...bob
How long ago was that?
Well, all we can do it wait and see. I can't imagine why he would repost if he didn't have it. I know I once sold a plant on Ebay that my dog got ahold of and destroyed after the bidding had ended. I had to explain to the buyer and offered a payment return or wait a few weeks for another one I had but wasn't big enough to ship. The seller chose to wait and I included an extra plant as a thank you.
Jan...
This message was edited Jan 21, 2006 6:44 PM
well jan...he refunded the money to paypal and than sent an email...so i'm hoping you get yours....why he would list if he didn't have them...?..that's what i asked him...no response..BUT..having sold on ebay...probably thinks it would be work to re do it etc..but i can tell you..i'm thrilled with the Exotic Violets where i got my streps....they were sent fast...packed so well..just incredible..and they sent email telling me it was sent and to watch for it...can't ask for more
Well, like I said perhaps something happened to it in the few days after the bidding ended and he sent the email. I checked his feedback and everyone seems to be happy. Time will tell.
jan..yep i am certain he is top notch...just probably overwhelmed with everything...i can relate to that.....I remember one night..i stayed up all night packing plumeria that folks had bought...and i always get them out as soon as they're paid for...not easy selling a lot....