The first indoor senpolia or uzambara violets were grown from seeds of a wild plant in the distant 1892. In modern floriculture, there are about 16,000 varieties of this charming flower. It turned out that the propagation of violets by a leaf is much more likely to succeed, since it is extremely difficult to maintain tiny seedlings obtained from seeds and provide them with suitable conditions for existence.

Selection and receipt of a leaf for propagating violets

Every owner of this houseplant sooner or later has a desire to propagate the beautiful Saintpaulia. If you are going to grow a daughter plant, then there is no problem with choosing a leaf - it is not difficult to choose the most suitable specimen.

How to select and cut a sheet for propagation

In order to grow a full-fledged new plant, the parent flower must be adult, flowering and completely healthy. But even the senpolia, which meets all these requirements, not every leaf is suitable for propagation.

Sheet Selection Criteria:

  • the leaf should not have any signs of disease and external damage: stains from burns, dents or scratches - such a leaf, devoid of nutrition from the mother plant, will inevitably decay;
  • it should not be in the lower tier - in aged leaves the metabolism slows down, and the formation of a new outlet will have to wait too long;
  • it is not worth taking leaves from the center of the plant for two reasons - you can damage the center of violet growth, in addition, young, completely unformed leaves do not have the necessary strength to form rosettes, they do not have enough nutrients for this;
  • for the propagation of variegated violets, leaf blades are chosen, in which the variegation is less pronounced, the more variegation on the leaf, the greater the likelihood that it will rot; the chlorophyll-free part reduces the strength of the sheet, and its ability to form rosettes.

Consequently, leaf blades located in the second or third tier, counting from the bottom of the outlet, can be considered the most suitable. It is best if the leaf is taken directly under the peduncle. These leaves have a maximum nutrient reserve.

But choosing the right sheet is only half the story. You need to cut it correctly. A knife or blade for this choose a sharp one. The cutting surface must be disinfected. The easiest way to wipe it with alcohol.

To achieve the maximum area for the formation of roots, a slice is made at an angle of 45 degrees. For the same purpose, the stalk is sometimes cut across. It happens that the sheet for reproduction is simply plucked from a flower outlet. In this case, the slice still needs to be properly formed, making it a disinfected knife on a flat surface. Petiole length is from 3 to 5 cm. For miniature and semi-miniature specimens, its length should be less than no more than 1.5 cm.

The slice must be washed with warm water, be sure to dry. It is very good to sprinkle it with crushed activated carbon, which has bactericidal properties.

Senpoly lovers often exchange leaf plates of different varieties. If the material sent is in good condition, you need to do with it the same way as with a freshly pinched sheet. In the case when its elasticity is lost, you can try to reanimate the sheet, at the same time disinfecting it. To do this, the sheet is soaked, immersed in a weak warm solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours, and then dried well.

To propagate violets with a leaf, there are two ways: water and ground. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages.

  • If the rooting of the cuttings goes in the water, the process is easier to control - the emerged roots will be clearly visible. But in this case there is always a danger of decay of the end of the cuttings in water.
  • When planting a leaf blade in the ground, you need to arrange a mini greenhouse so that it does not dry. But the result is guaranteed by almost 100%, and the time of formation of small outlets is also reduced.

Let's consider each method in more detail.

Rooting violet leaf in water

The instructions for reproduction are as follows.

  • Each sheet is allocated a separate container for habitation. Most suitable are small glass vials with a not wide throat. It is highly desirable that the glass be dark.
  • Water, preferably distilled or filtered, is poured into a container so that the handle is lowered into it no deeper than 1 cm. It should not touch the bottom. It is very good to put an activated carbon tablet in water. The danger of decay of the cuttings will be less.
  • There is no need to change the water, but maintaining its constant level should be mandatory. To do this, pour it.
  • The light should only be diffused, direct sunlight will dry the plant.
  • The rotten cuttings are again cut to a healthy tissue, as well as to rooting, not forgetting to dry and sprinkle the cut with crushed coal, and install in a container, replacing water.
  • A plant is planted in the ground when the roots have reached a length of about 1.5-2 cm. Usually this happens after 1.5-2 months.

In the ground, the rooting process is carried out differently.

Read also:Chinese rose care at home

How to root a leaf in a soil mixture

  • The capacity for rooting should not be large, a plastic cup of 50 ml is enough.
  • The bottom of the cup must be perforated in several places to drain the water.
  • Expanded clay or polystyrene drainage should occupy about 1/3 of the volume.
  • The rest of the space is filled with loose, not heavy soil mixed with perlite.
  • Make a small depression in the center, where a mixture of soil with perlite is poured for better aeration of the roots.
  • The depth of planting of the handle is 1.5 cm. The earth needs to be pressed a little.
  • The sheet is not planted vertically, but with a slope of about 35 degrees. If necessary, make supports from matches so that the sheet does not fall.
  • Keep in diffused light, placing in a mini greenhouse. If one is not available, cover the cup with the plant in a plastic bag to create optimal humidity. The bag can be replaced with a glass jar of a suitable size. Condensation that can form is harmful to the plant, so all shelters need to be removed for a short time for ventilation.
  • Watering is carried out without allowing the soil to dry out.

To irrigate the senpolia, you need to use water with a temperature not lower than room temperature, cold water for plants is fatal.

  • Planted in a larger diameter pot, when the size of the leaves of the daughter outlet is about 3 cm.

It happens that the stalk, despite the efforts made, decays completely. There is no need to despair, the propagation of violets can be done only with a leaf plate and even part of it, the main thing is that at least one vein is intact. Cut the leaf to a healthy tissue. Allow a protective film to form on the cut. It takes about a quarter of an hour. Dip the slices into crushed coal.

Press the trimmed part to the ground until they are in full contact, but do not immerse it in the ground. If necessary, make supports for the sheet to fix it in the right position. Best results are obtained using the upper third of the sheet. With this method of reproduction, each vein forms a daughter outlet, so their total number is greater.

When using for breeding part of the leaf plate of Saintpaulia, the best result is given by planting not in the ground, but in sphagnum moistened moss.

The risk of rotting the plate in this case is much less due to the bactericidal properties of this material.

For proper breeding and rooting of the senpolia, a well-selected soil is very important. At home, violet grows on soils with a sufficient content of humus, friable, moisture-intensive and well aerated. Prolonged hybridization greatly changed the appearance of the plant, but not its habits. The soil for indoor uzambara violets should not differ much from that in which wild species grow.

The composition of the soil for violets and its preparation

The basis of the soil should be sheet land, turf land with the addition of peat and sand. Sphagnum moss, coniferous earth, charcoal are added to the mixture. The friability is provided by coconut fiber, vermicult, perlite. The proportions of the components strongly depend not only on the age of the plant, but also on its variety and even the method of irrigation. An important indicator is the acidity of the soil. Its pH should be in the range of 6.4 - 6.9. Purchased mixtures do not always meet the necessary requirements, so it is better to make the soil yourself.

This can be done as follows.

  • We mix purchased universal soil, peat, perlite (vermicult or sphagnum moss), charcoal in a proportion, respectively: 1: 2: 1: 0.5.
  • The basis of this mixture is nutrient soil - it will need 6 parts. We take charcoal, moss and perlite in 1 part.
  • You can prepare a mixture of 4 parts of soil on the basis of peat, 1 part of moss and 0.5 parts of coconut fiber and vermicult (replacement - perlite). If you add a little charcoal - the mixture will only get better.
  • Another option: 2 parts of chopped moss and peat, 1 part of leaf, coniferous and garden soil, 1 part of sand.

It must be remembered that when preparing a mixture for young plants and rooted cuttings, emphasis should be placed on loosening components that improve aeration and prevent decay of cuttings and young roots.

But even in perfect soil, the flower must be planted correctly, otherwise it may die.

The right landing technology

This flower does not like much space for roots, therefore a voluminous pot is an excessive luxury, especially for young plants. It should not be deep, since the root system of these plants is superficial.

For kids who have just grown up and are ready for transplantation, they usually take a pot with a height and a diameter of no more than 5 cm. Check if there is a drainage hole in it, into which excess water will drain. If it is not there, be sure to do it. At the bottom of the pot is placed a foam or expanded clay drain, about 1 tbsp. a spoon. Prepared soil is poured, a hole is made, to which a small outlet is planted. The plant should not be buried, but the roots are completely covered with soil. Caring for a room violet that has recently been transplanted has its own characteristics. At first it is better to cover the planted violet with a package, not forgetting to air it. It is necessary to accustom it to open air gradually. Watering is carried out with warm water as necessary. Avoid contact with bright sunlight.

The main difficulty in planting rooted plants is the proper separation of outlets.

Separation of new outlets when transplanted by leaf

When transplanting, carefully separate the young outlets. In order for them to take root well, each must have at least a pair of leaves with a visible growth point and a few roots.

If the root system is poorly developed, you will have to put the kids to grow in the substrate from the soil and perlite and put in a greenhouse for a couple of weeks. It will be easier to separate the sockets if the soil is well pre-watered, immediately remove the entire plant with a lump of earth from the pot and separate the sockets, gradually clearing the roots from the ground.

You can separate the sockets in stages, starting with the strongest, letting the rest grow next to the rooted cuttings.

Get an uzambara violet at your place! In suitable conditions, she will decorate the room with her flowering almost all year round. You will not be disappointed in this flower, and you will definitely want to propagate it.

Related:More from the author: