Babies!! In spite of everything :)

The first leaves I put down were from my standard NOID. I did everything wrong...wrong soil, wrong size of container, damaged leaf to begin with! This was BDG...Before Daves Garden. So I went to toss them (Allison said sick leaves don't make healthy babies) and saw this one was making babies. I put in back into better mix and now LOOK! It happened!!! Hooray!!!

I've been encouraged by Jesse's experiment, too. Seems like no harm in transplanting during the process...so I got those leaves out of the vermiculite mix (have lost three to rot) and repotted in about 70% perlite, 30%MG. Maybe it's like other transplanting and gives it kind of a boost !?? Never know....

Just had to share. Can't wait for my named leaves to start making babies, too!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!

I've coaxed a nice baby or two out of some really pathetic looking leaves.... it just takes longer, and success is more uncertain. I agree that transplanting doesn't seem to both leaves or babies a bit and may well give them a boost as you said.

Way to go! You'll have ears popping up on those other leaves before you know it, too!

This particular leaf wasn't too bad...maybe that's why it was the only one with babies....

I was telling my youngest son about it yesterday. He's 20 and not too impressed. So I told him if you stuck your arm in the dirt and it grew a whole new person, you'd be pretty impressed with THAT....geeze~lol

It sure is fun:)))

Hurray!!! Once they peek through the soil they really begin to grow fast. Now is the time to start giving them a weak drink of fertilizer.

Isn't it fun growing new babies. Hoping you have continued success and enjoy growing african violets as much as we do.


Deb

What I meant is a sick leaf it just takes longer, and success is more uncertain of growing into healthy plants. The Mom leaf might not least long enough for the baby to grow healthy. And you don't know what an unhealthy leaf will gring a year from now.
Nanna brought a sick plant to her local AV group. It was taken into the bathroom to look at so none of the plants in the room could have a chance getting sick.
Well it boil down to her having to throw the plant away and going home and throwing more plants that look sick away.
It takes so long time, money and care to grow a healthy plant that if the plant is not going well I throw it away as I don't want to take the chance of affecting my other plants, I want to put my energy into the healthy growing ones and when I give people plants and leaves I want to know I am giving them healthy ones.
I am glad you fount your AV guro ( SP ??) ! And glad your leaf made it. I can't wait to see the plant 2, 4 or 6 months from now ! keep taking those pictures !
I have always tran-planted babies growing as I keep them with Mom a long time 4-6 months and they grow fast and need trans-planting . Trans-planting never harms !
Like Jill said growing from an old leaf /unhealthty it just takes longer, and success is more uncertain .
Any article , book, grower will say to pick the middle age row leaves for the best growing !
Hope your baby grows up nice and healthy !
How are the plants and leaves I sent you doing !

Of my 3 daughters, 27, 19, 16 only the oldest thinks it's wonderful to be able to grow a plant from a leaf, but then she is a grower/planter like me. Before she went back to work her yard was amazing. The other 2 girls could care less and the 19 year old complains that there are too many plants around the house. One day when she was particularly annoyed w/ me she complained to my DH...LOL! He told her that all the plants in and out of the house reminded him of his childhood and family, his mom was always growing something and had cuttings rooting in the house all the time. Guess she picked the wrong ear, no sympathy there!

Allison~ Now that I know more, I wouldn't pick those leaves to put down. I try to pick the middle growing leaves like you taught us :)) Of course, now I have so many cool plants to pick from...not just my Lowe's noid!

April~I didn't start growing houseplants until they all left (empty nest, you know). But I have been a gardener for a long time. My youngest will turn over dirt for me sometimes, so that's okay with me. My daughter (25) is just now starting to be interested in what I am growing. And my oldest son (27) loves my flowers. He has Down syndrome and lives in a group home for the last three years. He helps in the yard work at his house! He's always been the one to walk the garden with me, checking all the plants and smelling the flowers. When he came over on Mother's Day, we went shopping and he bought me new potting soil for my present! "I buy you dirt, Mom" as he pats my arm and smiles. He lifted the big bag and put in into the basket and then into the car for me!!

I think my daughter will eventually become a gardener when she gets older. Too soon to tell about my youngest :))

Jacki sounds like you had a super Mom's day with your children ! Your son sounds so sweet how enjoyable it must have been to be able to go shopping together and for him to buy you a nice Mom's day gift !
I'm so happy your day sounds wonderful !
Hope your feeling better today !

Thanks, Allison :))

It really was a good day! Jacob (my oldest) couldn't stay for dinner because his house was going out (they do so much stuff) but my other two kids were here. Kevin (DH) made dinner for us...

I'm better today, just worn out. But it was for a good cause yesterday. My mom and I did some babysitting with my niece's new baby. Oh, she is so darling!! She's 7 weeks old. My mom is mostly blind from macular degeneration and I have fibromyalgia so it takes both of us to do the job~ LOL~ That baby was a CRAB yesterday...my goodness!! Mother and I were worn out...when I came home, I headed straight to the pain pills and then sat in my shade garden where it is quiet!! That's a pretty good reason to be wiped out~LOL

Oh...and the reason no picture came through on the email was because I didn't upload it!! Check your dmail...I sent the picture this time :))

I just checked Jacki ! Angel Tears Trail ! One of my favoirtes !
WOW 7 weeks old ! So darling but I know you must have been beat you and your Mom.
Maybe you need more leaves ? I can send you some more leaves if you like !

LOL!!! Don't we all need MORE LEAVES???!!! Of course we do!! As soon as I know I can send you postage, I'm going to put in a big request :)

J.

Well as soon as I get caught up .. I think within two weeks health willing I can be caught up on boxes ! I can send some more leaves. I remeber not when I packed your box I got so tired could not do anymore leavse :(( But I tried to send you extra special plants :))
That's also why I'd start the Bingo June 15th as I caught up ! We hubby and i have sent out zillions of boxes ! It's as much fun or more for me as people getting them ! I never knew so many people would respone to my second free baby offer ! I am so pleased ! Yet I still have no extra spaced on my plant stands and have new shelves filled too. lol
I swear the more babies I send out the more God gives me. And Peeps keep sending me leaves and plants :)) I now still have hundreds of leaf pots all going to need trans-planting soon. More babies to share ! Yipee :))

Allison, the Angel Tears Trail you gave me had so many plants in it. I divided into 6 plants and each of the 6 had at least three crowns. I have given three to friends. I am keeping one for myself. The other two are still a little small but very healthy.

Also Midget Lillian is blooming and also The King, Shaigwagsi Trail, and Sweet Sam. I will have to take and post pictures soon.

OH My goodness Nanna Supper WOW ! They are mighty happy in their new home ! I just love Angel Tears Trail ! Now a whole bunch of people will be able to love her too !