today i was watering and saw something growing behind a leaf and it was......A Mushroom!!!!! how did this happen? my apache blanket that i thought had a baby awhile back turned out to be a mushroom starting to grow as well. these haven't been outside so how in the world did i get a mushroom? am i doing something wrong? i sure wish i could get baby a.v.s and not unwanted Mushrooms.
kelly
found something when watering but not a baby :(
mushroom spores are everywhere. It may have come in on anything; vegetables or fruits from the store, shoes, clothing, or it could have been "sleeping" in your soil and awakened when it received warmth and moisture.
How long have your leaves been down?
Are the leaves still healthy looking?
Do you have the whole leaf down or is your mom leaf cut in half?
Nanna
most of the leaves i have down are looking good. some were put down on 3-9 and some on 3-15. mom leaves are whole. i have lost a couple leaves but not many.
kelly
mine will probably take longer for babies as i did use rooting powder. these are my first leaves and didn't realize that rooting powder wasn't good for a.v's. oops!
kelly
It takes at least 6 week for the ears to appear. Once I had them in 5 but never before. Looks like you have about two weeks to go. Don't give up.
You can give the leaf a "little" tug. If it is tight and holding onto the soil is has rooted and it is just a matter of playing the waiting game.
You can cut the tops of the leaf horizontal to the pot the leaf is in. This might quicken things up. Sometimes a whole leaf takes all the energy trying to stay alive. When the leaf is cut the energy goes into producing new plants.
I put some leaves down just about the same time as you put down yours. I'm playing the waiting game with you.
Patience!!!!!
Nanna
Rooting powder is not necessarily bad for AVs. From what I have read they don't particularly produce quicker with it and sometimes it hinders or requires a little more time.
i have tugged on a few and all i have tugged are tight and don't come out of soil. some are in clear cups and i can see roots. i will try cutting a few of the leaves and see if this makes it faster. thanks so much for the advice!!!!!!
kelly :)
next go round with leaves i definetly won't use the rooting powder.
kelly
I did the same thing last year. My first time at leaf propagation. just plain leaves works best for me. I can get the babies but I have a difficult time growing the ears into plants. I either over water or underwater or get them too close to the light or something.
This time I am trying "earing" on wetting mats and also with wicks in the cups. Hopefully the moister will be more even and I can grow some plants.
My fingures are crossed for both of us.
Have a great day
Nanna
Kelly
Did you use new soil-less mix ? Was it sterilized ? This will help. Are your leaves too moist , not enough circulation ? I've never had a mushroom so I am guessing.
Leaves don't need to be too wet . Just slightly moist . I find if too went the babies are slow to come up. Lot's of times there will be lot's of roots and babies under the soil and one day they just come up ! I have taken them out of the little cups to find them sometimes giving a larger pot as there were so many crowded babies in the pot under the soil.
I'd try keeping them on the dry side but not totaly dry out. And make sure they have good air circulation.
i have not watered them much. i let them get dry to the touch on the top of the soil before i water. as for air circulation that may be a problem as the cups are very close and the stand is up against a french door. we go out the door next to the stand a lot so i am not sure. the scott's a.v. potting mix was bought and opened the day i put the leaves down.
kelly
I don't think you need to worry. Just pull it up and continue to wait for your "babies!!!
I think I had a mushroom in one pot I just got rid of it before my kids and husband saw it, I figured they'd tease me!
lol yes i bet mine would tease me as well :) i didn't tell any of them.
kelly
It's just one of the little "things" that happen in life. Everyone has a "mushroon" somewhere.
You could send them to Jill :)) She grows them and eats them :)) HEHE ( Wonder how Jill's Mushrooms are doing )
Sorry to worry you Kelly . I should not say I never had one now I am probaly going to get a whole bunch now.
My leaves dry out so fast this time of the year. Or maybe it's beacause I have too many hundreds down and stopped wicking them. lol
I have to becareful to water more often as each time I water I have to throw some out as they got stone dry. Plus not good for new roots to get dry. But I mean dry to the point the leaves may have disapeared gone dried up shivel up dead :((
We all get different challenges ! Just the way of life don't worry you will have lots of babies Kelly :))
thanks for the reassurance. i was hoping it was nothing i was doing wrong. i will just pull them up and continue on lol. just hope they didn't get spores everywhere lol.
kelly
No rooting powder. Argh I used it on a few of mine. No more though.
Oh, gosh, I need to soak that mushroom kit & get it started on another round!
Kelly, you mentioned using Scott's mix "right out of the bag"... your mushroom spore could've come from anywhere, but just FYI, I'm pretty sure no soil mix is sterile out of the bag. I sterilize mine in the microwave (well moistened, 10-15 minutes on high with lid placed loosely on top until I see lots of steam condensing, then close lid & allow to steam another 15 mintues).
Allison, I guess it's not just me... I've been pulling out a few dried up pots each time I water also... I thought I'd have hundreds of plantlets this spring, but it's starting to look like maybe only half will make it to a good size... I think I had a higher rate of success when I just had a few to keep my eye on! I'll still have plants to ship out next month, just not quite as many extras as I'd hoped!