African violets are native to Tanzania, but they have traveled the world and now are quite happy growing in pots in many of our homes. Their flower color range includes deep purple, white, pink, and lilac and they enjoy indirect light.
They are easily propagated in a potting mix that contains perlite, vermiculite, and soil conditioners that is dampened in a small plastic pot three quarters full of the mix. To propagate:
- Take a clean sharp knife and cut the stem of a mature healthy green leaf.
- The stem of the cutting should be one to one-and-a-half inches long and coated with rooting hormone.
- Make a hole in the mix about one inch deep and tamp the soil down once the stem has been inserted in the hole, so that the leaf stands upright.
- Cover the entire pot with a clear plastic bag, tied on top, to create a miniature greenhouse.
- Find a spot indoors, e.g., a windowsill, that gets 12 or more hours of indirect sunlight daily.
- Fluorescent light may be used but do not put the pot near drafts.
- Water with warm water every 3-4 days.
- If the inside of the bag is so humid that the bag is wet, take the bag off for a couple of hours and dry it before replacing it.
- Be patient as it takes 2-3 months for shoots to appear.
- Then remove the bag and wiggle the new growth loose from the leaf stem and replant each tiny new plant in its own pot.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on African violet propagation.
