Propagating your own Saintpaulia
Making new plants from leaf cuttings is a simple process. Before you begin make sure you have the following ready to go....
an exacto knife, pot, soil mixed with vermiculite, rooting hormone, plastic bag or some other form of clear cover.
Mix your potting soil with vermiculite 50/50. Fill your pots or containers leaving some space before the rim. Now pick a few strong, firm leaves from the parent plant. Cut the leaf in half (this isn't necessary, but, it will stop the leaf from growing) and make a 45 degree angle cut on the stem(petiole).



Dip stem into the rooting hormone. Using a pencil make a hole in the soil and place stem into it up to the bottom of the leaf blade. Make sure the soil is packed around stem. Soil should be moist but not soggy (soggy could cause leaf rot). Place your cuttings in a bright location with moderate temps, no direct sun or very warm location, this may cause cuttings to burn or rot.



Put a cover to create a greenhouse type atmosphere, plastic bag/ top of a 2 litre bottle / saran wrap with sticks to hold it up.



It will take at least 12 weeks for you to have one or more plantlets developing from the cut end of the leaf's petiole. If you allow these to grow for at least 4 months the plantlets will be larger and easier to handle when transplanting.
Divide plantlets, and pot them as soon as you can safely do so. Do not seperate variegated types from the parent leaf while they are still all white. (They require the green chlorophyl to nurture them)










Did you know.....
Touching the soft fuzzy leaves of an African Violet can be hard to resist, but, studies have shown that doing just that reduces plant size and quality, especially if used lotion on your hands.

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