Announcements: Upcoming Meetings:Mark your calendars! Reminders of these meetings will be sent out via fantasyvioleteers list groups 1 week and 2 days before the meeting date. These dates will also be listed on the Fantasy Violeteers website under Meetings.
Minutes of July Meeting:
The meeting was called to order by President Briony Gniechwitz at 4:15 P. M. at the home of Marie Rilea in Chico, California.
Members attending were Briony Gniechwitz, Marilyn Larrance, Marie Rilea, Marlys Moak, Tina Sorenson and Betty Garcia. Visitors present were Cynthia Cox and Marilyn Greer.
OLD BUSINESS
The Members' Directories are finished and were passed out to the members present.
NEW BUSINESS
Briony reported that the African Violet Society of America has requested that members make a list of their 25 favorite plants. If anyone wants to make a list, please send to Briony.
Marilyn will be going to Medford, Oregon and she will bring pack big or little plants for a planting project.
It was suggested by Briony that we have a member each month write a short article on how she got interested in African Violets. Marilyn was appointed as the first victim.
It was suggested that we do demonstrations at the meetings. Marlys volunteered to do a replanting demo at the next meeting.
The need for by-laws was discussed. One of the items proposed was to prorate the dues for people joining in midyear. It was decided that anyone joining after December would be charged only $5.00 instead $10.00.
MISCELLANEOUS
A raffle was held. Leaves, plants and pots were contributed by members for the raffle.
Marilyn said we need to get a plant to the Library. Marlys offered to donate a pot for this project.
Marilyn Greed applied for membership and was accepted.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 P.M.
Respectfully submitted by Betty L. Garcia, Secretary
Members: Recipes/ Hints Propagation By Leaves, Part 2by Briony Gniechwitz
Containers. The containers used to put leaves down run the gamut of your average 2 ½" pot, to 3 oz plastic solo cups, to Styrofoam cups to flats of soil with leaves in rows, or even those baggies mentioned earlier. There have been several people on the online lists and forums who swear that the smaller the container the leaves are rooted in, the faster babies come up, the idea being that as soon as the leaf puts out enough roots to fill or partially fill the container, it starts putting up babies. Thus "medicine dosage cups" are often used. I like 2 oz solo cups that I was able to purchase at Costco - 1200 of them in a box (wow) so I think I'm supplied for life J Especially since I re-use containers (more on that in another article). Some even put two leaves (of one cultivar to reduce confusion) in one cup. I don't really like this so much as it seems more difficult for me to separate babies - but that's just me. The 3 oz solo cups I like as well, although I prefer them now for potting up standard babies (I put the minis and semis into 2 oz cups). These plastic solo cups are usually cheapest at your local Wal-mart - 150 for a buck or two. I have also heard of people using film canisters; so keep your eyes open for any likely looking pot. To use the Styrofoam cups, cut out a panel about 2 inches (5 cm) from the bottom, and about half the circumference of the cup. This should leave you with a bottom part to fill in with soil and a back part for your leaf to lean against. As with all containers not already equipped with drainage holes, punch out a hole or holes for drainage. For plastic containers try poking out holes with pointy objects like scissors or X-acto knifes (poke and then twirl, be careful - don't impale yourself). Small drills can also be used, as can soldering irons or any hot metal (if using heat to melt the plastic do so in a very well ventilated area! . Preferably outside. Often the cup/cups are placed so that the bottom is flush on a surface and the pressure is applied from the inside out. If burning/melting a hole, the opposite is done - the mouth of the cup is flat on the surface with the bottom pointing up into the air. I've used a soldering iron (outside), scissors and an X-acto knife to make holes in my plastic containers. They all work, and now I want to try a drill. I'll need to get one though because the only drill around my house is my father's rather hefty one which is meant for more serious business than drilling through a thin plastic solo cup. Another container which I have recently used is a 1 oz solo cup - I found them at Oroville's Burger King - they use them for ketchup, and I snagged the ones we used, washed them at home, and put a hole in the bottom with my X-acto knife and put down two very small leaves in them (one leaf per cup). I'm interested to see how it works out. Many seem to have luck going to restaurants and asking for their condiment cups or requesting to buy/order condiment cups. I admit to never doing this - but then I have 1200 2 oz ones to go through first. I have never put a whole bunch of leaves down in one container - like a tray or one of those plastic containers (with holes) that you can buy strawberries in (not the green basket things - I mean the clear plastic containers with occasional hole-punch size holes in them). I have heard of people marking leaves with tape (on the leaf), plastic markers next to the leaves, or keeping track by writing down the names in the order they are in the tray in a notebook. One possible problem is that larger containers like this seem to spill/fall over easily somehow and everything gets mixed up. So, if you like the sound of this - be careful lifting the thing! I'm a klutz so this is a method I don't think I'll attempt.
Watering. Well, you don't want your leaves to dry out. That'll slow the whole process down. A lot. I know - I've done it during busy times (i.e. during my semesters when I'm taking my college classes). Indeed, many experienced growers claim it is imperative to never allow rooting leaves to dry out. So, however you decide to put your leaves down, you need to make sure you can keep an eye on them from time to time. In the summer I find I need to water leaves at least every other day in their 2 oz cups, even if they are in the aquarium. Another problem is getting the leaves too wet - they rot just like the mature plants, if they are too moist. Some solve this by watering once, and covering the container with something so humidity is kept high. If condensation forms, you need to let more air into the container, though. Some treat their leaves like their plants and water them the same way, i.e. if you mat-water, so are your leaves, if you wick-water, so are your leaves etc. Variations can include waiting until the leaves are rooted to begin any constant watering system, or until babies show. Then the question of fertilizing comes in. Some only use plain water, some a special one only made up for leaves or babies, and some with whatever they use on all their other plants. Some only fertilize after babies pop up or after leaves have rooted. SuperTHRIVE™ is another variable. This mysterious substance is often used and sworn by some growers. Beware though - this stuff is highly concentrated and you may need to leach more often (especially once the babies are potted up on their own). Anyway, some use it 1 drop to the gallon, as they do on mature plants. Others, 7-10 drops per gallon - but only on leaves or leaves with babies. If you decide to experiment, do so only on a few leaves at a time. This way, if a new method is disastrous for your growing conditions, you won't lose all your leaves.
Variegated Babies. If you are propagating variegated cultivars, sometimes the babies will come up white or pink (depending on the parent's variegation). These need more green in them to survive. What can be done to increase the green is to move the babies (still attached to the mother leaf) closer to the lights, keep them warmer, and to water them with some kind of Epsom salt recipe. See Recipe in Newsletter #1 for June, 2001 for the measurements.
Using parts of leaves. There was an article in the April/June 2001 African Violet Magazine about rooting the top third or half of a leaf. This was a pretty good article and it showed that you can use parts of leaves to propagate. Also, sometimes you will receive a leaf that has been damaged - the petiole has been broken off or parts of the leaf are beginning to turn brown and mushy - rot. Don't give up all hope yet! Cut off all brown "yucky" bits. Be ruthless - what rot you leave on won't get better - it will spread. When you have only healthy leaf remaining, sprinkle it lightly with cinnamon, if you want. The cinnamon is a natural anti-fungicide - it should deter rot a bit. Anyway, in your normal rooting medium, make an indentation for the "wedge" you have created. It can be helpful to use something plastic (not wood - it will rot in the soil) to hold the wedge upright.
Want even more babies? Tina Sorenson mentioned at the July 2001 Meeting how to get even more babies from a leaf. She explained that you make a diagonal slice on the stem of the leaf. Then, make a cut perpendicular to the blade of the leaf on the stem. Thus you have a stem that now has two small ends to it. This increases the surface area from which babies can grow.
Bloom stalks. Ok, they're not leaves. I admit it, but it is another way of propagation that may be less scary that lopping off the crown of a plant to allow the bottom bit to produce suckers. Some people actually have better success at propagating from bloom stalks than they do with leaves. Well, it takes all kinds, doesn't it? The advantages of bloom stalks is that it is another viable way to propagate chimeras which are plants that have two sets of genetic material (often, but not always, characterized by pinwheel blooms, and usually rather pricey to buy because they take so much effort to propagate). Now, how to go about the deed: wait until the blooms have opened because that gives those tiny little "leaves" (the bracts) time to mature. Cut off the bloom - leaving about ¼ inch (0.63 cm). It's ok; there'll be more blooms. Leave the bloom stalk on the plant if the bracts are still quite small. When they are about half the size of a dime or larger (say larger than pinky nail sized), cut off the bloom stalk. Leave about one inch (2.54 cm) of stalk beneath the bracts. Put the stalk down just like you would a leaf. Babies will appear between the bracts, those tiny "leaves". When they get big enough for you to feel comfortable about them, carefully pinch or cut them off of the bracts and put down like small babies. I really recommend trying this. Some people will say it's very difficult. Don't believe them. Try it! Our own member Marilyn Larrance put a bloom stalk in water - to enjoy the bloom. She then forgot about it. (This can be a great technique in propagation - you forget and don't "love them to death".) When she remembered, roots had formed from the bloom stalk!
In next month's Newsletter, our own Marilyn Larrance will share how she got interested in African Violets!
Visitors since July, 24 2001
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