I recently have gotten some african violet leaves. As per Rob's instructions I am trying to root them. My problem is that some of them are getting very limp. Is there anything that I need to do? I have tried recutting them, put them in water to see if this will help, but it doesn't look to good right now. Is there anything else that I can do? So much for being a newbie!! LOL!!
Thanks so much,
Melanie
I think that I might need some help!!
Hi There;
recutting the leaves & putting them in water should do the trick, you can also add a little bit of sugar to that water & that helps to.they should perk right back up.
bonnie
Melanie,
I just use perlite and vermiculite with solo 3 ounce cups that you get at the grocery store or Walmart . Put one leaf in each solo cup................water thoroughly , put the dome on the top and never look back.............it sounds like you don't have enough humidity with the dome on. Maybe it is not fitting properly............good luck
Thanks to you both! I added a pinch of sugar to the water so we will see. I have them in three oz. cups with a mixture of half perlite and half of a seed starting mixture, alot like vermiculite. Then I have them in a Jiffy seed starting tray, without the seed starting pellets. I think that the top fits well, but will double check.
I just have to tell someone that I went and bought my own Valentines yesterday!! I went to a greenhouse in Raleigh and came home with, Rum Punch, Laughing Anna, Chameleon, Ma's Corsage, and Optimara Rita. My DH is setting me up shelves with lights!!
Thanks so very much!!
hey , good for you. now your an addict just like the rest of us. lol ^_^
mrsbonnie
Pix! I want pix!
Mee too!
Syru--love your strep--my B.Goose Egg is going to town!
what a dear man. I'd keep him. You will now have tons of funs like the rest of us addicts.
You are fortunate to be able to buy named varieties in person locally. Good luck in all your growing efforts!
Hi, Gold. Just wondered if you might know Pat Murphy who owns a grocery store there? He graduated with my husband here in Lakeview. It amazes me how many people I know in this country. I've moved a lot in my life. Now I am back to my home town and refuse to budge.
Oh man,was it Bluebirds greenhouse you went too? You picked up some nice Av's!
Yes, I will have to agree he is a keeper!! LOL!! He puts up with all of my addictions, brugmansias (crowded in the spare bedroom), Japanese Morning glories (which I have started) and now AV's.
I'll post pictures in the morning. I went to Logee's greenhouse in Raleigh. They have ton's of AV's. Even more semi's and minitatures. Needless to say I had a ball just looking!! Wish I had a purse as big as my eyes were. LOL!!
What is a brugmansia. Is it more known back east?
OK Here are some pictures. I really need to take a course on photography!! LOL
Here is Rum Punch.
Optimara Rita
Ma's Corsage,I tried to pick ones that are just getting ready to bloom. Laughing Anna and Chameleon have buds but are so small. I will post pictures when they bloom.
Love that Optimara Rita. What a beauty!
No, I don't know Pat Murphy.
meag848, what a nice day you must have had at Logees. Having that nursery nearby is fabulous.
Hi, Gold. I saw him yesterday. He came up to a friend's funeral. I told him I'd talked about him on the net.
Mortswife, I really didn't mean to ignore your question. Brugs are tropicals. There is a forum here at Daves. You really need to go over and check them out.
meag848,
You are not the only one that needs a course in photography.Your pictures look better than mine by a longshot.
Lynn
Meag848: What great AV's you chose! Lucky you to be so close to Logee's! I get e-mails and drool over some of their plants, would love to visit their greenhouse someday! I love Ma's Corsage, such a pretty AV!
Mortswife: Brug's are not in the Gesneriad family but they are another gorgeous plant that is very popular with a lot of folks! Check out some of these listed in Plant Files: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=brugsmansia&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&searcher%5Bgrex%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search&searcher[genus]=Brugmansia. Some people grow them as houseplants but they are grown as landscape plants in the south. I have one in my backyard that isn't looking too great ... got hit by a freeze we had a few weeks back. I'm not sure if it will survive.
Ok, I have questions on the leaves too. I put 9 down in the solo cups on Jan. 1st. I put the solo cups into a plastic container. The containers that I had gotten a rotissiere chicken in. 6 still look healthy, but the 3 smaller ones do not look good, they are wilted and turning brown. The moisture held well in this container. How long before I should see something? Should I take the top off? The soil is still moist, I did check that. Am I just looking too much and they need more time? Help please!!
Thanks
Laura (just a wanabe!!)
Laura it takes about 6 weeks for Avs-- just found out it takes about 4 for Chiritas. The sky and snow sport leaves you sent last all are still not producing babies, some are dying too. sometimes tho the babies will pop up from the roots after mom dies. Maybe someone with more experience will jump infor ya.
thank tommie, i appreciate the info. how are things comming along after the freeze?
Laura,It sounds as if the soil may have retained too much moisture.The 3 that are turning brown and wilted will probably die,but sometimes a baby will still come up if the mother leaf was rooted.Do a very gentle tug on one of the healthy leaves.if there is resistance,they are rooted.The top could be left off if they are rooted.If they are not, they still should receive some air,either by propping up the top for a while each day or poking a few holes in the tops of the containers.The soil should be moist,but not wet.
Lynn
Lynn, thanks so much for the input. I love to experiment, but hate to wait!!! LOLOL I have not had to water, so I may have drowned them!! Ok, there was resistance, maybe there is hope for some!! Thanks Again
When you first put leaves or cuttings down it is very important to use moist mix,not wet.
Did you plant them in a very light mixture,such as peat and perlite or straight into a soil mix?
I'm so happy there was resistance! You must have roots.
Lynn
Hey Laura-- i guess I shamed the sky & snow--have a baby now;)
Good for you Gran!
thats awsome!! ok,when did you puy those down? can you shame mine now????
I put them down when you sent them--last oct? I even cut the top part of the leaf off like I had heard to do and FINALLY I saw an ear, but only on 1, one died and the other is still sitting there. I will talk to it and send the same vibes to yours later today;)
Ok, then I know I'm just not having enough patience!! I will wait before I start to shame shame them! They have only been down since Jan 1st!
I just started some veggie seeds 2 days ago, I'm already watching them like a hawk. But when just one comes up, it soo worth the wait!!
Laura
Leaf starting is all about patience. It took just over 3 months for my Blackberry Jam leaves to start showing babies . . . .
Patience, whats that? LOLOL, guess I better go google it!!! I'm just glad to know that I had not killed them, thanks so much for all of your input! At least now there is hope. I just replanted an epicasia, I put it in one of my goldfish bowls, out of the 3 or 4 that I had, Thad's cheeta was the only one to make it!! I don't think they like me very much!! The rest of my AV's, actually look healthy, just no blooms. I'm going to take the cover off of the light that I have them under, I use the Mircle Grow 777 each time I water them. The Blue Dragon and Mandan Dandy had a few blooms when they were in the window, and I thought maybe under the light on the counter would be better, but at least I haven't killed them!! I just love droolingover all of your pictures!!! Everyones blooms are just amazing! I now have 3 streps, on is a larger plant that I got last October, it hasn't bloomed for me yet and the 2 new ones only have one full leaf and a small one as of yet.
I thought everyone started av leaves in 1/2 perlite and 1/2 vermiculite? Don't you, Nichole? Then, you don't have to worry about too much moisture.
I use my wicking mix with good results-- don't dome them either (except the teeny ones)
I did use the 1/2 and 1/2 like you all had suggested, but I did dome them. I went through them all earlier today, and only one, the mini didn't take so far, no signs of babies yet, but when I tugged on the leave a tad, there was resistance!!! hoorraayyyyy!!! This could mean good news!! I started my cauliflour, a few petunia, purple rose of sharon and 2 experimental seeds from last year, Madrian (spelling) then are tiny orange flowers with purple centers and Oespermum Symphony Series, the white with purple centers. If anyone is looking for seeds for outside, I do have an assortment. Send me a note and I will gladly send you my list. As always, thanks for all of your feed back on the AV's!!!! Laura
In the fall I used my normal wicking mix. That worked for me. But the leaves I stuck after the incident I used the perlite/vermiculite mix.
How does the perlite/vermiculite mix seem to be working? Is it a little too soon to tell? It sounds like each one depends on all of the elements, plant, moisture heat/light etc.