Introduction
African violets are well known for their beautiful flowers and foliage, and many gardeners enjoy them as houseplants. Propagating African violets from leaves is an easy way to increase your collection without having to buy more plants. It takes a little bit of patience but with the right technique, you can have success in propagating these pretty plants at home.
Preparing Your Leaves
The first step to propagate African violets from leaves is to carefully remove healthy leaves from the plant. Make sure that the leaves you choose are free of blemishes or any signs of disease. Cut the petioles (the stems that attach each leaf to the main stem) away using sharp scissors or a sterile knife, then place them on top of some moist paper towels until they’re ready for planting. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in your refrigerator if you need to keep them longer than a few hours before planting.
Choosing Your Planting Medium
Once you’ve prepared your leaves, it’s time to decide what type of planting medium will work best for propagating your African violets. The most common choice is perlite which provides excellent drainage while still holding enough moisture for successful propagation; however, soil-less potting mix or sand will also work as long as it’s dampened prior to use so that there’s adequate moisture around the roots when they’re forming. If possible try adding some fertilizer into your chosen medium before planting so that newly-formed roots have access to nutrients right away!
Planting Your Leaves
Once you’ve selected your medium it’s time to start planting! Place one leaf onto each section of growing medium making sure there’s good contact between both surfaces; this ensures that new roots will form quickly once planted and get off on a healthy start! Cover with more potting mix if necessary but be careful not too bury too deeply – just enough so no light reaches through should do it! Finally after all sections have been filled water lightly and place somewhere warm out of direct sunlight until new growth appears – this should take about 4 weeks depending upon conditions like temperature etcetera…
