You undoubtedly wish you could have a lot of African violets in your indoor garden if you love them as much as I do. The good news is that these gorgeous floral plants are simple to root.
African violets can be rooted in water using a leaf, which is the quickest and simplest method I’ve discovered. You can use a leaf from one of your own African violets or even one belonging to a friend.
1. Fill a wide-mouthed container with warm water close to the top. Make sure to tightly wrap a piece of plastic wrap around the surface.
2. Pinch a mature, yet yet young, African leaf. It should be in good condition—green, attractive, and undamaged. Leave at least an inch of the leaf stem intact when you remove the leaf from the plant’s base. Two inches are preferable. Make a straight, non-jagged cut.
How can an African violet be started from a leaf?
African violets may be grown from leaves fairly readily. Even novice growers can easily grow more plants and increase their collection.
Step 1: Trim and remove the leaf. Take a new leaf off the plant you want to multiply. The ideal leaf to utilize is mature; nevertheless, avoid using an old, harsh leaf. Trim the leaf blade’s top with a razor or a sharp knife. Although this step is not required, it will speed up the growth of the leaf’s roots and plantlets once it has rooted and will prevent the leaf from expanding on its own.
2. Cut the leaf petiole.
View the image on the right. Cut the petiole (also known as the leaf stem) at a 45-degree angle with the cut side facing up, to a length of about 1/2. Cutting at an angle will promote the growth of additional roots and plantlets, and they will more likely show up in front of the rooted leaf as opposed to being tucked under or behind it.
Root the leaf cutting in step three.
View the image on the left. Your rooting medium should be poured into a tiny pot. This mixture ought to be extremely airy and permeable. One part Pro-Mix (a soil-free peat and perlite mix) and three parts coarse vermiculite make up our rooting mixture. Any combination, at the very least, is allowed (some growers use only vermiculite or mix with perlite). You should moisten the mixture (not too soggy, or the leaf will rot). Utilize a “swizzle stick” to create a small hole in the mixture. In this hole, insert the leaf petiole up to the base of the leaf blade (as shown), and compact the rooting mixture around it. If there is space, more than one leaf cutting may be rooted in a single pot. Put the pot in a transparent, covered container or plastic baggie after labeling it. After that, put this somewhere sunny and cool—avoid direct sunlight or places that are too hot as these could cause the leaf cutting to burn or decay.
Plantlets at 12 weeks in Stage 4. From the cut end of the rooted leaf’s petiole, one or more plantlets will start to form and rise above the dirt. The ones shown are ready to be divided and planted right away, but we often wait 4-5 months because that gives more plantlets time to develop from the cutting. Additionally, the plantlets will be slightly bigger, more manageable, and more likely to survive their transfer.
Separate the plantlets from the leaf cutting in step 5. View the image on the right. Plantlets can be detached from the “mother leaf” when they are big enough for you to handle them easily. Take the cutting out of its pot, grip a plantlet firmly, and carefully remove the plantlet away from the leaf cutting. If your rooting mixture is light and not too wet, you can probably do this without using a knife. If your plantlet is healthy, it will grow roots when it is potted, so don’t worry too much if it doesn’t have many (or even any).
Step 6: Get the plantlet’s pot ready. View the image on the left. Your typical soil mixture should be used to fill a small pot (2 or 2 1/4). Create a small hole using an old pencil that is deep enough to accommodate the plantlet that will be potted.
7. Plant the plantlet.
View the image on the right.
Place the plantlet carefully into the hole and firm the earth around it. Plantlets should be buried in the soil just deep enough to cover the entire naked central stem or “trunk,” but not so deeply that the tiny growing point in the middle of the plant is buried.
Eighth step: You’re done! Water the plant minimally and label it. You can immediately put larger plantlets among your other violets. Put the plantlet into a clear, covered container or plastic baggie if it is still very little and/or has few roots. This will provide it a little “terrarium-like environment and protect it as it grows. In a few weeks, remove it from this container.
Can a leaf from an African violet be rooted?
Leaf cuttings are a simple way to multiply African violets. Cut off a portion of a firm, healthy leaf using a sharp knife. Keep the petiole, or leaf stem, 1 to 112 inches from the leaf blade. Vermiculite and coarse sand mixed 50:50 with moisture should be placed in a pot. Each leaf cutting’s petiole should be inserted into the rooting medium at a 45-degree angle. Each leaf cutting’s petiole should be firmly encircled by the rooting medium.
Once all of the cuttings have been placed, moisten the rooting media and let it drain for a while. Next, put a transparent plastic bag over the clippings. Use tape or a rubber band to attach the plastic bag to the pot. The leaf cuttings’ water loss is significantly reduced by the contained habitat, which also keeps them from withering and dying before they have a chance to take root. Place the pot in a well-lit area. Normal root formation takes three to four weeks. In six to eight weeks, new plants typically sprout leaves.
At the base of each petiole, many plants typically emerge. Carefully pluck or cut apart the plants to separate them. Individualize plant care by potting each one into a container with a well-drained potting mix.
How much time does it take for an African violet leaf to root?
The most common technique of propagating African violets is via leaf cuttings since it is both simple and effective. This project should be completed in the spring. Take a healthy leaf and its stem from the plant’s base using a sterilized knife or pair of scissors. Reduce the stem to roughly 1-1.5 inches in length (2.5-3.8 cm.).
Consider dipping the stem’s tip into some rooting hormone. Put the cutting in a hole dug in potting soil that is one inch (2.5 cm) deep. Water the area surrounding it thoroughly with lukewarm water while pressing the soil firmly.
By covering the pot with a plastic bag and fastening it with a rubber band, you can give your cutting a little greenhouse atmosphere. Just be sure to occasionally let the cutting have some fresh air. Keep the soil in the pot just moist and place it somewhere sunny.
Usually, roots start to grow after 3 to 4 weeks. The leaves of fresh young plants normally appear in 6 to 8 weeks. At the base of the cutting, many plants ought to sprout. Carefully pluck or chop away the young, little plants to separate them. You will receive a brand-new plant from each of them.
Do violets root in water?
Saintpaulia spp., or African violets, are prized for their lovely flowers and varied forms. These characteristics make them perfect houseplants because they can grow and bloom in direct or strong artificial light. African violets can be grown vegetatively from cuttings by rooting them; if a leaf’s petiole, or leaf stem, is still intact, it can grow roots when planted in the right kind of rooting medium. In either water or soil, African violet leaf cuttings can successfully develop roots.
Are African violets a suitable fit for epsom salt?
Since most plants don’t perform well with salt water, it may seem illogical to fertilize your African violets with epsom salts. In reality, epsom salts only contain tiny amounts of the trace minerals sulfur and magnesium, which promote flowering in plants. Epsom salts, when used once a month, can help your violets flourish and work well with your specific fertilizer for African violets.
In a watering can or pitcher, combine two tablespoons of epsom salts with one gallon of warm water. To dissolve the salts and blend them, swish or swirl the water.
Pour the mixture under the leaves of the African violet plant while holding the pot over the sink to wet the soil but leave the leaves dry. Before putting the pot back in its tray or ornamental container, let all of the extra epsom solution drain away.
- Since most plants don’t perform well with salt water, it may seem illogical to fertilize your African violets with epsom salts.
- Epsom salts, when used once a month, can help your violets flourish and work well with your specific fertilizer for African violets.
Do African violets benefit from coffee grounds?
If the pH of the African violet soil is too high, some people advise adding vinegar to decrease it. Instead of adding vinegar to the soil, it is preferable to start with soil that has the right pH for your African violet plants.
African violets require soil with a pH between 5.8 and 6.2, despite the fact that vinegar is an acid and they prefer acidic soil. The pH of vinegar is about 2.5. African violets may be unable to access essential nutrients from too-acidic soil.
To gradually lower the pH level of the potting mix, you can water your African violets with diluted vinegar (one or two teaspoons of vinegar per gallon of water). But since it takes so long, you might as well start with the right soil as you have to repot every six months with new soil.
Nitrogen and a small acidity in coffee grounds aid in the growth of healthy foliage in plants. It may be beneficial for the plant if you occasionally sprinkle used coffee grounds on top of the potting soil for your African violet. But don’t go overboard. It only needs a quick dusting every few months. Coffee grounds generally won’t make much of a difference if you already use a balanced fertilizer on a regular basis.
Instead of applying used coffee grounds on African violets, I would suggest adding them to your compost pile for outdoor plants. Whenever I try to dust used coffee grounds on interior plants, it always ends up being filthy.
Use potting soil specifically designed for African violets. Because regular houseplant potting soil is excessively dense, your African violets will experience root rot problems. Additionally, it’s possible that the soil won’t be acidic enough for African violets.
You may either purchase commercial African violet potting soil or make your own homemade version.
African violet potting mix can be used for various indoor plants that require light, acidic soil. That sort of mixture would work nicely for some cactus and succulents. Although some other common houseplants may thrive with African violet potting soil, most people don’t give it a try because it is usually more expensive than standard potting soil.
Why Do African Violet Leaves Curl or Reach Upwards?
- When African Violets are exposed to too little light, their leaves will curl or stretch upward.
- The stems begin to lengthen and expand upward, as though seeking for the light.
- Instead of growing flat as they normally would, the leaves are now also growing upward.
- The result is a plant that is top-heavy with leaves and bottom-heavy with lengthy stalks.
- African violet plants begin to develop their leaves upward when they are planted in low light conditions.
- The leaves have a thin texture, a deep green hue, and fragile, lanky leaf stalks.
- The outer leaf stems are covered by the rosette pattern of the inner leaves when a plant develops correctly.
- In normal growing African Violets, the stems of the leaves are scarcely perceptible in this manner.
- The stems, however, become clearly visible and appear “stretched and wider apart” when exposed to dim light.
- Visit the blog post “Natural Light for African Violet Plants” for more advice on how to grow African violets in sunlight.
Why Do African Violet Leaves Curl
- Naturally curled leaves can be found on several African violet plants, including the bustleback and Imps kinds. Visit the blog post “What Are The Different Leaf Types Of African Violet Plants? ” for additional details on the various African violet leaf types.
- African violet leaves may curl or droop downward for a variety of reasons, including dry soil, root rot, a plant that is potted or compressed, excessive light, or freezing conditions.
What Are the Symptoms of Dry Soil on African Violet Leaves?
- If the African Violet appears visually droopy, dull, or limp, it may be time to water the plant. The presence of enough water is indicated by the firmness, crispness, and shine of the leaves.
- The African Violet has to be watered if the top soil is dry and the leaves are drooping.
- Gently insert your finger into the soil (about 1/2 inch deep) to feel for dry soil. No watering is needed if a lot of the soil clings to your finger and feels damp. It’s time to water the African Violet, though, if your finger is clean and there aren’t many dry spots on it.
- Do not overwater the soil; just water it when the soil is dry. Overwatering is highly dangerous for African violets because it can cause crown or root rot.
- Visit the blog page “How To Water African Violet Plants? ” for additional details on how to water African violet plants.
What are the Symptoms of Root Rot on African Violet Leaves?
- The bottom leaves’ stems will turn dark and mushy, and the leaves will appear to droop downward.
- The leaves could also squish together.
- The hue of the leaves will start to appear faded.
- The leaves won’t be solid; instead, they’ll feel soft and droopy to the touch and appear wilted.
- Visit the blog entry titled “Root Rot On African Violet Plants” for additional details on the treatment for root rot.
What are the Symptoms and Remedy of Root Bound Soil on African Violet Leaves?
- The leaves begin to cling to the pot’s rim as they become limp and droopy.
- When the entire soil surface area is densely covered with roots, the roots are growing out of the pot holes underneath the pot, and the roots are visible on the soil’s upper surface, the African violet plant is entirely root-bound.
- African violets prefer to have their roots somewhat restricted, which encourages flowering.
- When roots begin to protrude from the pot holes beneath the pot or when roots are visible above the soil’s surface, the plant is said to be “root bound.”
- The roots won’t be able to absorb water and nutrients if the soil combination is old.
- The overall health of the African violet plant and its leaves will be impacted over time by this.
- It is time to repot the African Violet if it is root-bound.
- Every six months, African violets should be re-potted in new soil and kept in the same size container.