Butchered Rob's Wind Chimes :((((

I thought there were 2 plants in the pot, but once I got enough soil off the roots I realized it was a plant and a sucker big enough to look like another plant. I didn't take a before pic cause I thought I was gonna separate the plants, throw them in a couple pots and be on my merry way.
This is what I ended up with. 1 AV with no roots, 1 sucker with no roots, 1 leaf with all the roots on it(don't have a clue how that happened) and 3 leaves to put down.
Once I realized it was a sucker I tried to take it off. Someone please, tell me how to take off a sucker with out butchering the plant!!!! Anyway, both the plant and the sucker broke off from the root. I said quite a few choice words that I won't repeat.
Here's what I was left with :~(((((((((((((

Just so happen it was Thursday night, 8PM and an AV chat was just about to start. So I got on and asked for help cause I had no idea what to do. I stuck the leaf with attached roots in a pot. Scraped the sides of the suckers, dusted a little rooting hormone on them and put them in little cups. And I put down the leaves.

This is a covered container and they told em to bag em so I put them in this container. Now, this is the container about 24 hours after being butchered and planted. Notice the condensation. Is this too much??? There's one hole in the top, but I'll put more if this is too much moisture. The mix is barely moist.

I'm pretty new at this so I wouldn't be much help. I feel your pain though....

Are your leaves touching the top? To me it does seem a bit too much condensation.

I might put a couple extra holes in the lid of the container, but I think the moisture level looks good, especially since you said the mix was barely moist. I'm betting that your sucker will root, your plant will re-root, and that rooted leaf will pop up babies in record time... Sometimes removing a sucker just goes better than other times, and it can be hard to get off an intact sucker without doing any unwanted damage to the main plant.

There are instructions on the culture pages at robsviolet.com on re-rooting a crown from a plant with a very long neck, and those are the instructions I follow for suckers also (since they're basically rootless crowns)... It's pretty much the same as you've done here, but I don't use the rooting hormone, not that it will do any harm so don't worry about it.

I think you did a good job, and I think you're going to end up with several beautiful specimens! Keep watching to make sure they don't get either too wet or bone dry, and just be patient... It's going to take a while for new roots to fill those pots, and until they do you won't see much happening on top.

With the condensation, achoo is right, it might be a teeny bit too much moisture, but I think they'll be fine as long as leaves aren't touching the plastic. With my containers, a few droplets condensing like that on the sides still seems to indicate humidity in the acceptable range, but if I get droplets (rather than those puffs of mist) condensing on the top I know I have to open the container for a day and let it dry out a bit.

As with everything, your mileage may vary... There are so many other variables with regard to potting mix and cultural conditions that exactly what works for me might not work for you at all... but it looks to me like you've found a good place to start!

Sometimes I don't put all my eggs in one basket, just in case a problem (like rot due to too much humidity) starts and spreads to other pots before I catch it... You might consider bagging the crown cutting or one of the leaf pots separately, just to hedge your bet.

achoo, the leaves aren't touching the top, but I was looking at that top right corner and thinkin it may be too much condensation. So I'll put a couple more holes in the lid.

critter, thanks for all the info. I went back and looked at your pic you put in my thread about rooting leaves. Mine has a little more condensation than your pic. So more holes. And I'm glad you mentioned the eggs in one basket!!! Your absolutely right!! Now, which one is the crown cutting?? I've been wondering what a crown cutting is. Did I do one?

Debbie

The "crown cutting" would be your main plant that broke off from its roots... And that's not necessarily the one you should separate, even just pulling out a leaf pot or two as a backup would help ensure that you didn't lose this variety from your collection... but I think you're doing everything right and not in danger of losing any of them!

Debbie you did a good job potting them up after their butcher accident.
You'll have some really nice plants soon !
The suckers will root real fast. I do this a lot with plants with nexks or jucky roots and lots of new plants that I don't want to keep any of the soil, pots..I can wash and treat crown use my new pots and streile soil and this way I have better chance of happy healthy plants.
There is too much condensation . It can causee rot amd fungus , mildew. The top is a little too close to the plants
Keeping them warm and giving them light is very important. I never have to cover. Even now when it's cool nights 40 and days only 60 no humdity We either put little cups around them just one or two 3 oz is fine, or Kitchen or bathrooms is great with the hot water washing dishes , cooking. That's where my Mac's Just Jeff is I got a couple weeks ago. He has already rooted and doing good !
Another important thing is air circulation what I worry about with covering.
I feel if you keep an eye on them, keep warm, evenly moist not soggy, five them light and keep close eye on the moisture level/condensation if you are going to cover they will be great !
If the condensation gets too much I would take lid off and dry good then put another hold, lift a corner . Still too much try without it.
Rob does have good info like Critter mentions , I also enjoy Rachel's web sight has everything with pictures ! Let me get the link for you !
Happy Growing, Allison

Rooting Suckers / same as crown with no roots and pictures !
Rooting and Starting Suckers
http://www.rachelsreflections.com/violets3.htm#rooting%20and%20starting%20suckers
Like she says " There, now in just a few short weeks you will have another blooming plant. Water thoroughly and keep soil as moist as you would your leaf starts. " :))
More with picture
She does not cover any ~
http://www.rachelsreflections.com/potting.htm
Go to her web sight page down to index and you will find information with picture you can blow up for everything !
http://www.rachelsreflections.com/index.htm
Seed starting, Seed pod, Chimeiras, Leaf starting,
mailing list keep plants safe while shipping ,
separating babies

african violet stands,
leaching soil ,
african violet tool box,
long neck problems, suckers ,
bath your african violets , long neck problems (more) "sucker" picture
broken leaf?,
bugs and symptoms,
making babies faster ,
starting leaves
displaying the little ones,
sucker removal
fertilizers ,
natures trick,
planting your seeds wedges?
humidity,
potting up an african violet .
watering
hybridizing african violets ,
potting up one size to another ,
wicking
If it ain't broken, don't fix it!
rooting hormone potpourri
Jeff Smith on hybridizing ,
rooting hormone (more),
chimera propagation
lighting ,
seedpod
And More :))
http://www.rachelsreflections.com/index.htm

I am learning so much about AV's from all of y'all .... looking at the photo, I thought they were too cramped in the container, with the leaves touching the top. I tried a container like that once and got mushy plants, so I switched to plastic bags with much better luck.

That is such a pretty plant Baja .... hope you have lots and lots of new little "babies" real soon! I have never heard of Rob's Wind Chimes ... what color is the flower?

I keep forgetting about the "stickies" at the top of each forum .... gotta get better about remembering to check them out, a lot of great information!

I know there is a lot on information here but you could also open the lid and tilt it slightly. Or leave the lid off during the day and on at night depending if your nights are cold. after a couple of days the mix should be a little drier and you can pot the lid back on. Sorry is this is repeat information.

The suckers look very healthy. Good Job!

Thanks for the links Allison. I hope they grow roots.

lin, it was pretty!! LOL The flowers are supposed to be light blue. I haven't seen them yet. Here's a pic from AVSA web site. http://www.avsa.org/Photographs/Rob'sWindChimesLrg.jpg#http://../Photographs/Rob'sWindChimesLrg.jpg#

nanna, I put more holes in it this morning and I'll check in the morning after work to see if its better. I also took 2 of the cups out and put em in a different container. Need to check the moisture on that one too.

Debbie

They will root Debbie !! You will have beautiful plants !

OK, I put a couple more holes in the lid and now the condensation has gone down. Now just wait?? Being in the plasic container should mean I won't need to water very often, right?

I water when dry, You really don't need them suckers in more than a week or two . Then gradualy open little each day ,I like mine to then be fed I give them VF-11 warm drink, or fish , or weak food. Keep close under lights and warm.Air circulation being able to water feed more often I learned they like ! Shut in too long they grow slower.
Like she says Rachel " There, now in just a few short weeks you will have another blooming plant. did you see her pictures !!
Mine I potted cut roots couple weeks or less ago living in kitchen window rooted nice not one lost leaf and no signs of stress !