Growing African Violets from Leaves
If you want an outlet so you do not become the frustrated housewife, one that will not cost you anything but a little time and patience yet will provide the thrill of seeing a plant grow right under your nose from day to day, this is the hobby for you. I’ve got three African violet leaves growing into beautiful plants, and guess where – in an old tin can that some mushrooms came in! I punched a drainage hole in the bottom, wrapped the can in foil, then took a lid cover to put under if for a saucer. The soil I bought at a variety store, just any good growing soil will work. I’ve taken soil from the garden porous and a bit sandy, and one of my African violets is growing beautifully in it and blooming it’s pretty little head off. I was just that there were no worms or plant eating bugs in it.
You can send for a leaf from a commercial nursery or, and this is so much easier, ask a friend for a leaf or go into a store and ask for the dropped leaves. Most places will gladly give you what has fallen off.
At home, put it in an empty aspirin or similar bottle, preferably a dark green or brown. First put a warm water in the bottle with aluminium foil, holding it in place with a rubber band, then for every leaf you are going to put in the bottle, make a hole in the foil for the stem to got through, put one extra hole so you can keep adding a little warm water to cover the bottom part of stems.
If you want your leaves to root quickly, within two weeks, put them in a warm place where the stems can get heat and the leaves can get light. They do not need filtered sun at this point. The window sill is not too good a place, especially where there great temperature changes. They would probably root there, but it would take longer and they might not be able to stand the temperature variations.
As the water in the bottle goes down, keep adding a little warm water. Then after two weeks you will see thread-like roots. You can leave it there until it forms tiny baby leaves or plant it right away. Leave the mother leaf on until the plant begins to grow leaves about the size of a dime. If you plant a rooted leaf with baby leaves, try to keep leaves and then watch them grow into a lovely blooming plant. Give your plant a little warm water every day, that is better than a once a week. Yes, I know that some people feel they have to soak the plant in water once a week, but it has been proven that a little warm every day or every other day is better, and watering from top will not hurt it. If you water during the day when the sun filters through, take the plant out of the sun until the leaf dries. However, you can save yourself if you just give it water in the evening. I keep mine under electric lights from the lamps and this doesn’t discolour the leaves.
The sun that filters through lace curtains is perfect for African violets, or if you are modern, matchstick drapes work. I’ve tried both and I like the effect of the curtains. Direct early morning sun will not hurt them, but they must have light all day in order to bloom. If you are concerned about light and want to use artificial light, fluorescent light works very well. Put this on a table and put the plants under it. You can actually can see the growth from day to day. Turn the fluorescent light on about three in the afternoon and leave it on until about nine or ten at night. However, you can just put plant in a place where it will get the early morning sun and it will grow almost as fast this way. It should not need fertilizer for four to six months, then you probably will see buds in nine months from the time you started putting the leaf or leaves in water. I would suggest you get a small can of fertilizer, it costs very little. Or you can catch rain water, warm it ( do not boil it ) and use to water plants; this really gives your plants a boost, and on mine, it acts as a fertilizer. When it is hot and dry, do not keep plants too near window, also, at night, to avoid the sudden cooling off, keep plants away from the window.
If you plant in a brown clay pot, cover the edge, salts form here and injure the leaf. Just put a little foil around top of pot. Mine grow beautifully in plastic pots and most any other kind of pot, but all must have good drainage. Sometimes I put pots inside decorative pots.
Always wash any container used in hot water first.
My favourite plant is in a large clay pot with all different kinds and colors of African violets, singles and doubles. Most of them have been grown from leaves. This clay pot was put inside a plastic container and placed on a table where it could get plenty of filtered light. This one plant is reward enough. I did not even name the varieties as I put them in the container, but it is so beautiful and is still full of blooms after about two years. It gives such pleasure to everyone who visits our home, that not being labeled does not matter. People who come to buy leaves pick the color from this plant many times, others ask for certain ones, in smaller pots, that I have labeled.
Growing these plants just to see if I could has brought great pleasure. It is relaxing and soothing. There is one sure way of successfully growing these lovely plants, treat them with loving care. Your reward will be more than ample when you see your African violets blooming in colourful profusion.
For more information visit:Vintage Crochet Pattern- Vintage Knitting Patterns
You can send for a leaf from a commercial nursery or, and this is so much easier, ask a friend for a leaf or go into a store and ask for the dropped leaves. Most places will gladly give you what has fallen off.
At home, put it in an empty aspirin or similar bottle, preferably a dark green or brown. First put a warm water in the bottle with aluminium foil, holding it in place with a rubber band, then for every leaf you are going to put in the bottle, make a hole in the foil for the stem to got through, put one extra hole so you can keep adding a little warm water to cover the bottom part of stems.
If you want your leaves to root quickly, within two weeks, put them in a warm place where the stems can get heat and the leaves can get light. They do not need filtered sun at this point. The window sill is not too good a place, especially where there great temperature changes. They would probably root there, but it would take longer and they might not be able to stand the temperature variations.
As the water in the bottle goes down, keep adding a little warm water. Then after two weeks you will see thread-like roots. You can leave it there until it forms tiny baby leaves or plant it right away. Leave the mother leaf on until the plant begins to grow leaves about the size of a dime. If you plant a rooted leaf with baby leaves, try to keep leaves and then watch them grow into a lovely blooming plant. Give your plant a little warm water every day, that is better than a once a week. Yes, I know that some people feel they have to soak the plant in water once a week, but it has been proven that a little warm every day or every other day is better, and watering from top will not hurt it. If you water during the day when the sun filters through, take the plant out of the sun until the leaf dries. However, you can save yourself if you just give it water in the evening. I keep mine under electric lights from the lamps and this doesn’t discolour the leaves.
The sun that filters through lace curtains is perfect for African violets, or if you are modern, matchstick drapes work. I’ve tried both and I like the effect of the curtains. Direct early morning sun will not hurt them, but they must have light all day in order to bloom. If you are concerned about light and want to use artificial light, fluorescent light works very well. Put this on a table and put the plants under it. You can actually can see the growth from day to day. Turn the fluorescent light on about three in the afternoon and leave it on until about nine or ten at night. However, you can just put plant in a place where it will get the early morning sun and it will grow almost as fast this way. It should not need fertilizer for four to six months, then you probably will see buds in nine months from the time you started putting the leaf or leaves in water. I would suggest you get a small can of fertilizer, it costs very little. Or you can catch rain water, warm it ( do not boil it ) and use to water plants; this really gives your plants a boost, and on mine, it acts as a fertilizer. When it is hot and dry, do not keep plants too near window, also, at night, to avoid the sudden cooling off, keep plants away from the window.
If you plant in a brown clay pot, cover the edge, salts form here and injure the leaf. Just put a little foil around top of pot. Mine grow beautifully in plastic pots and most any other kind of pot, but all must have good drainage. Sometimes I put pots inside decorative pots.
Always wash any container used in hot water first.
My favourite plant is in a large clay pot with all different kinds and colors of African violets, singles and doubles. Most of them have been grown from leaves. This clay pot was put inside a plastic container and placed on a table where it could get plenty of filtered light. This one plant is reward enough. I did not even name the varieties as I put them in the container, but it is so beautiful and is still full of blooms after about two years. It gives such pleasure to everyone who visits our home, that not being labeled does not matter. People who come to buy leaves pick the color from this plant many times, others ask for certain ones, in smaller pots, that I have labeled.
Growing these plants just to see if I could has brought great pleasure. It is relaxing and soothing. There is one sure way of successfully growing these lovely plants, treat them with loving care. Your reward will be more than ample when you see your African violets blooming in colourful profusion.
For more information visit:Vintage Crochet Pattern- Vintage Knitting Patterns
