PROPAGATING AFRICAN VIOLET LEAVES

By Nancy Robitaille

Once you have chosen a leaf from the second or third row of leaves of your plant, cut or pinch it out.

You will need to cut it again at a 45 degree angle. This permits more of the leaf’s juices to get to the soil and will give you more babies.

WATER PROPAGATION

Take a glass or cup of lukewarm water. Place aluminum foil over this. You may place a rubber band around it to hold it securely. Pierce holes with scissors or pencil.

Insert leaf and wait until you see babies forming before bringing it out. You may replace water by running more into the glass and allowing the old water to flow out.

When babies are seen, take the leaf out. Plant the leaf’s roots in special African violet soil leaving the babies on top of the soil. Soon the babies will be making roots of their own and they can be separated when their leaves are as large as your little fingernail. Make sure the center leaves of the babies are well developed or the plantlet will not survive.

SOIL PROPAGATION

Many growers prefer to plant leaves in soil. They say that the leaf’s water roots disintegrate when they touch soil and that it is faster to just start the leaf in the soil.

Plant the leaf at a slight angle and place something behind the leaf to hold it—a name tag, coffee stirring sticks from restaurants, etc. Place a plastic sack over the leaf for humidity.

Be sure to write the name of the leaf somewhere on the pot or tag.

When leaves are large and healthy, you can separate the babies. Babies will come apart more quickly if the soil is slightly dry. First, take off the mother leaf. If there are babies which are still to young to be taken from her, put the leaf back into the pot with the babies. They will take on more growth.

Separate babies and put each in a small separate pot, maybe a 21/2 inch pot, using fresh African violet soil. Water well and place a plastic sack over each or place under a dome. Humidity will give these babies a better chance of survival.

Please see the experiments with leaves members are making. This is under Growing Methods, Leaf Experiment. There are some interesting results.