I just watered my AV leaves. One of the "Tennessee" leaves has a brown stem about half way up. I trimmed it and put it back in then soil. Is there hope for it? I seem to notice that different varieties do better. Is this a common thing?
Is there hope for "Tennessee"?
There is hope for it but since your leaves are covered, are you sure they need to be watered? If the soil is moist, don't water as it will cause rot. When I put leaves down and they are covered with plastic or domed, they don't need water for weeks or even a couple of months sometimes. As long as they are moist, leave them alone.
OK. I check them with my water guage and if it doesn't say on the dry side I don't water. I think I may should have put more soil in. [is that good English?]
They don't need deep soil,but as Goldleaf said they probably don't need water if they are covered.One thing I always do with AV leaves when I receive them,is make a fresh cut with a razorblade and let the stem dry at least a half hour or a little more before putting them in water or rooting medium.
Oh OK. I cut them at an angle with them a razor blade [part of my tool box supplies]. But I put them right in the soil with an eye dropper of water. Some I had planted before I got the domes, and they are ok but dry out faster. I have 30 so I can definitely do some learning here. Thank you.
Well,
Everybody does things differently.Sometimes I root leaves in water and sometimes in a soiless mixture.A lot of people probably don't let the cut dry a little,but that's my way of avoiding rot.If you plant leaves in soil or a soiless mixture,the whole mixture must be moist (not wet).An eyedropper doesn't sound like much water.Good luck!
Lynn
With african violet leaves I only use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 vermiculite........no soil less mix at all. They can't get over watered or under watered this way. I have never lost an av leaf yet.
Thanks, Gail I will try that next. Does that apply to streps-of which I intend to get some if we ever have spring!
I don't normally stick streps in perlite and vermiculite but I do when I take the mid vein out..........let me see if I can find the last ones where I took the mid vein out and used only perlite and vermiculite to grow them....................I have now potted them all up.
This is right before I potted them up last week......I used an orchid corsage plastic box from the florist.
Gail, does removing the center make for a sturdier strep?
I have never heard of doing that..........I have done that to propagate chimeras but nothing else. I always get rid of those long skinny leaves on streps when I am grooming them.........
Remember that many streps have more than one crown to a pot and I have heard of people separating crowns and making more plants when plants get into 4 and 5" pots if they want to.
But that is simply separating plants........
My only experience with streps ended about a month after I got them. I don't think they like dry air. I had them in our business and there is a ceiling fan. That's my guess to their demise.
mortswife, we have to get you to read the stickys or go to the site:
http://www.streptocarpus-info.com/
There is a wealth of information on both the stickys and on the strep site that the nice lady does for free..............cultivation, etc................on the left hand side..........
We all have to do a lot of reading on our own...........and yes, all plants in the house with little humidity enjoy misting often.................streps included...........
Say, thanks. I do have this site book marked. I forget everything I read. I love magazines like AVSA because I keep them and every few months I re read them.
Ok,Gail,
I have a question.In the past I always misted Episcias,but really didn't find it necessary for AVs,alhtough I frequently gave my plants a gentle bath and always made sure any water in the crowns or large droplets were blotted up by paper towels or gently dryed by using a small paintbrush (and blowing on them..LOL).
My question is that I have recently read that some Gessies,particularly those with very 'hairy' leaves actually resent misting.What is your take on this?
Lynn
Gail, this will probably make you cringe. Some years back I had some nice AVs. About 3 times a year I put them all in the bathtubm and sprayed them with the shower head. Then I held them upside down and gently shook them. They loved it. Cheryl
Lynn, for whatever it is worth, I never misted my avs because I didn't want water spots on them. Now I don't grow avs and the streps and episcias love the misting...............I was like you..........I just cleaned my avs in the kitchen with the faucet and made sure they were dry before I put them under the lights........(I even used the cool switch on my hair dryer on the avs)?????????
But I am no expert on avs............Goldleaf or some of the others might now...........
Mortswife, I never heard of putting avs in the tub and spraying with a shower head but what do I know?
When it's hot outside and the humidity is low, I hose-wash them. My humidity is usually in the 35 - 65% range. I live in the breezy mountains which helps too.
Thanks Gail.I don't mist violets,but I wasn't too sure if I should mist Sinns.I never did before and they seemed happy.
Lynn
JuneyBug,
That's an interesting idea! I would have never thought of that.
Lynn
I've even done it in Lousianna where my plant racks went outside for the summer. As long as they have a chance to dry quickly, there is no problem.
I just put "cookies" in the oven for the "kids". They sit and whine because they know they get some! It's all the way up to 50d and I'm about to sweat!
Cute kids,Cheryl!
Awww...what cutie pies! You'd better give those kids lots of cookies! There are lots od growers who regularly shower their AV's with very good results! Just have to make sure they are nice and dry before exposing them to strong light or sun.
My mini dachshund keeps a CLOSE eye on the oven when I bake his biscuits, too. By the time I've cooled them enough to give him any he has turned into a "whirling dervish"! Dogs are sooo funny!
They must be very good cookies! They are very funny--Phoebe made me laugh all the time!