Propagating violets – by leaf and cuttings, step by step, at home, in water and soil

Violets

Violets are now a staple in flower lovers' home collections. These compact flowering bushes are beautiful and can brighten up any room. Furthermore, they are easy to care for, making them easy to grow for anyone.

There are currently about 500 known species of violets, differing in their leaves, size, and color. All varieties are easily propagated, most often by leaf cuttings. Even a novice can propagate violets by leaf cuttings, provided they understand the procedure. However, it's important to carefully study all the rules, as cuttings also require care and are susceptible to pests and diseases.

Characteristics of the species and methods of propagation of violets

The violet (Saintpaulia) belongs to the Gesneriad family. Wild varieties can be found in the mountainous regions of East Africa. Indoor plants are compact, perennial herbaceous plants with short stems. The foliage forms a basal rosette. The leathery leaves are finely pubescent.

The rounded foliage has a heart-shaped base, and the tip can be rounded or slightly pointed. The green leaves are most often uniform in color, but there are cultivars with spotted leaf blades. The plant's flowers form five petals and are gathered in graceful racemes. Saintpaulia also has a calyx, which is formed from five sepals.

There are four ways to propagate Saintpaulias:

leaf cuttings;
stepsons;
peduncles;
seeds (selection).

In indoor gardening, leaf propagation is most often used, as it is considered the simplest and most effective. Less commonly, plants are propagated using stems and shoots, but these methods are not always feasible at home. Seed propagation is the most difficult: it is quite labor-intensive, requiring a great deal of patience and extreme caution.

Selection of material

The plant's subsequent development depends on the chosen planting material, so choosing the right leaves should be done carefully. If you examine a mature plant closely, you'll notice that the leaves grow from the rosette in rows. If you count the rows from the bottom, this would be the first row, and it's best not to take cuttings from this row. This is because these plants are quite old, so you'll have to wait a long time for the leaves to appear.

Important!

You should also avoid taking the central leaves of the rosette: small cuttings may not be able to root.

Furthermore, cutting out the center can damage the growing point, which can be detrimental to the plant. The optimal cutting location is the second or third row from the bottom. These leaves are young but already strong enough to quickly root and form offspring.

The algorithm for propagating violets by cuttings (leaves) at home

After selecting the cuttings, it's time to prune. This can be done in two ways: cutting with a sharp tool or breaking off the stem tip. A sharp, disinfected knife is required for pruning. Place the selected leaf on a table, then cut its stem at a 45-degree angle.

Sheet — The cut cutting is left to dry or the cut is immediately sprinkled with powder from an activated charcoal tablet.

The second method is used only if you don't have a sharp tool or nothing to use to trim it. It involves separating the cutting by hand at a certain distance from the leaf. Step-by-step propagation instructions and photos of the procedures will help you perform all the steps correctly.

Propagation of violets by leaf in water

This method is popular among both experienced gardeners and casual plant enthusiasts. To perform the procedure, prepare:

a clean container with a capacity of no more than 200 ml;
water at room temperature, which must first be boiled;
activated carbon (1 tablet);
cut stalk;
a sharp, disinfected knife.

Reproduction — Dissolve an activated charcoal tablet in a container of water. If the cut has dried out, renew it, leaving a 1-2 mm margin. Place the leaf into the container to a depth of 1 cm.

The container is moved to a warm room with diffused light. It's important to avoid direct sunlight. During the rooting period, add water to the cup as it evaporates.

The rooting time depends on the conditions and the flower variety. When the roots reach 1 cm in length, the cutting can be planted in soil.

The rooted cutting is planted shallowly in the soil, otherwise the young shoots will expend a lot of energy trying to break through the substrate. The soil around the cutting is lightly compacted and watered. The pot is covered with plastic to create a mini greenhouse. The cover can be removed only after the new plants have formed.

It often happens that the cutting begins to turn black or rot. In this case, it is removed from the liquid, the rotted portion is trimmed off, and the entire propagation procedure is repeated. A disadvantage of propagation by this method is the difficulty of planting in soil. Fragile roots are easily damaged, which can lead to poor adaptation or even death of the plant. A positive aspect of propagation in water is the ability to monitor the development of roots.

Rules for propagating a flower from a leaf in the ground

To root violets in soil, you first need to prepare a suitable substrate. It should be very light and looser than the soil mixture for mature flowers. Purchase a soil mixture for Saintpaulias at a flower shop and add calcined river sand to it. Some gardeners use sphagnum moss as a filler.

Disposable food cups and other small containers with drainage holes in the bottom are most often used for planting. Small stones or crushed polystyrene foam can be used for drainage.

Add a layer of substrate onto the drainage layer, leaving some space for the cutting, which will be positioned at a 45-degree angle. Make a small hole in the soil and place a freshly cut leaf into it, no deeper than 1 cm. Fill the hole with soil and compact it lightly for stability.

Place the cup containing the violet inside another cup without holes. Lightly moisten the plant, then move it to a bright, warm location.

Soil watering should be regular but moderate.

After 1-2 months, the flower will take root and produce young shoots. Transfer The plant is transplanted into a permanent pot using the transshipment method. The plant will be ready for "moving" only after the young leaves reach 3 cm in diameter.

Sometimes a planted cutting begins to wilt. This may indicate plant rot. It should be removed from the container and inspected. The damaged area should be cut off, and the entire propagation procedure should be repeated from the beginning.

Growing from a leaf fragment

At home, propagating pups from leaf fragments is quite rare. This method is used for rare varieties or when a leaf has rotted. To avoid losing the planting material, the stem is cut all the way to the base of the leaf. The leaf blade should be divided into several pieces with a sharp, sterile knife, ensuring that each piece has at least one vein.

Experienced flower growers and collectors often use this method, as it allows for the production of many more offspring, which form from each vein.

After dividing the leaf blade, the separated sections are left undisturbed for 20 minutes to allow the fresh cuts to become coated with a film. Each section should be placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, after which the cut edges are treated with activated charcoal.

Landing — After 10-15 minutes, each part is planted in a separate container and covered with polyethylene.

Further steps are no different from propagation by whole leaves.

Frequently asked questions about growing

Is it possible to plant a leaf in universal soil?

A universal substrate is suitable for growing most houseplants. To ensure that the Saintpaulia leaf takes root, it should be planted in very light and loose soil; universal potting mixes will be too heavy for proper root development. It's best to purchase a substrate specifically designed for Saintpaulias and add river sand to it.

If a leaf was broken off and not cut off, will it grow roots?

If you don't have a sterile tool, you can break off a violet leaf by hand. If the leaf is healthy and firm, it will likely root well. However, gardeners recommend cutting the planting material with a disinfected tool.

Do I need to feed the leaves?

The planted leaves don't require additional feeding; the nutrients in the soil are sufficient for them. When fertilized, the leaf begins to grow vigorously, "forgetting" that it needs to produce offspring.

Is it possible to plant several leaves in one pot?

Several violet leaves can be rooted in a single pot. It's important that the grower plant leaves of the same variety in the same pot to avoid mixing up the resulting offspring, especially if the offspring are being grown commercially.

Growing a violet from a single leaf is quite simple. Moreover, there are several methods for leaf propagation, so every gardener can find the most suitable one.