Comments on: Easy Plant Propogation: African Violets

By: Pippi21

Pippi21 — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:19 +0000

I love African violets but have never tried to grow them. Our sunroom gets the morning and afternoon sun and makes it impossible to keep the mini-blinds open. When the blinds are open, we get all the reflections of the houses behind us and around us. I think it really would be a great place to raise house plants but wonder if it might be too hot.
Your instructions make it sound so simple.
Thanks for sharing.

By: Gena

Gena — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:32:25 +0000

some of the “pros” say the rooting hormone isn’t necessary, and could in some cases cause problems. I have never used it with AV leaves so I can’t say. You also have them in very big pots! That leaves alot of wet soil surrounding what will in the beginning be a very very small root system – could lead to root rot.

You are obviously experienced and this works for you, perhaps the clay pots keep the soil from getting too soggy, and you never have to move the plants into bigger pots..for beginners, might be better to use little pots, like the 2 inch size that little cacti or sedum come in, or poke holes in the bottoms of the little plastic bathroom cups from “Solo” that you can buy by the dozens in the grocery store. Then you can set the whole thing inside a ziploc bag and zip the top. After the baby plants leaves are roughly the size of nickels, you can repot into a larger size.

By: JCWoodley

JCWoodley — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:08:06 +0000

Any chance you could try to identify the african violet I got in the late 1980’s? I tried looking at the registered names for those years and couldn’t find anything that seemed right. I posted a photo on my blog: http://wellspringcreations.blogspot.com/. Much appreciated. If this plant can survive what I’ve done to it, it deserves it’s name!

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:36:05 +0000

Very good information! I just picked up an African Violet over Christmas. Two of the leaves became separated from the rest of the plant so I just stuck them in the side of the container. When I replanted them the other day both had grown roots. I didn’t cut them in half but that can be necessary when propagating plants.

By: Heirloom Gardener

Heirloom Gardener — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:47:11 +0000

Great post. I’m teaching beginning botany to my children this year. What a great project idea.

Heirloom Gardener

By: jodi

jodi — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:34:58 +0000

Talk about synchronicity…I just fessed up to bringing home a few African violets, and posted a bit of info on growing them too. But I don’t propogate them…no room…that’s my story, really!

By: Carol

Carol — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:15:53 +0000

Good info. I’ve always been fascinated by the ladies of the local African violet society who sell hundreds of AV’s at the local flower and patio show in the spring. I’m rooting some cuttings, now, too. Though I don’t know what I’ll do with all the new plants I’ll get!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

By: Mary Beth

Mary Beth — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:29:44 +0000

What a great step-by-step for growing some AVs from a friends cutting. I can’t wait to get started!

By: kate

kate — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:07:05 +0000

Thank you for the tips on propagating African Violets. I used to grow them, but haven’t for several years. Your post is inspiring me to add some – I am in need of all the flower colour I can get these days!

I like the idea that you took some cutting from your aunt – a perfect passalong plant that will always remind you of her.

By: Deb

Deb — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 07:44:18 +0000

Thank you. I was missing a piece of the puzzle. I had to save an overwatered root rotted violet for my sil. We just put the base of the plant in water and let it recreate it’s own rotted roots, which worked. I did take two leaf cuttings, but did not cut them in half. They did not take.