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violetta1976

can someone give me a propagation tutorial?

violetta1976
16 years ago

I think I need an "AV propagation for dummies" step-by-step guide, because every time I try to make babies, whether from leaves or from suckers, they always die on me. Sometimes I'll get to the point where there is new growth and everything looks wonderful, but more often than not the leaf or sucker just wilts and dies. When I do get new growth and think I have a happy, healthy plant that I've made all by my lonesome, it never lasts. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

Comments (5)

  • bubbledragon
    16 years ago

    I think the most touch and go time is when you've got a baby or sucker with a few leaves and it's potted up on its own. And then you either under or over water it and it wilts or dries up. That's what I usually end up doing. I try to circumvent this by doming them for a few weeks, it keeps the moisture more stable, and it keeps me from being tempted to add a few more drops of water. I've found that if I get the soil just moist, and then dome it, I can safely ignore the leaves for at least a week, if not longer.

    Same seems to have gone for the babies I just separated. Once I separated them I moistened the soil and domed them. And now that I feel that roots seemed to have grown, I put them on the wicking trays like all the others.

    In general, I think my biggest lesson has been that they can tolerate less water better than too much water.

    First off, tell us what you're doing? Large mass trays with lots of leaves? Cups? Just water? Just vermiculite? a 1-1-1 mix? Then maybe we can help a little more.

  • violetta1976
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I think the most touch and go time is when you've got a baby or sucker with a few leaves and it's potted up on its own. And then you either under or over water it and it wilts or dries up.

    Yep, you nailed it. It's been a long time since I bothered trying, but I recall that time right after the plastic baggy came off as when my babies always died on me.

    First off, tell us what you're doing? Large mass trays with lots of leaves? Cups? Just water? Just vermiculite? a 1-1-1 mix? Then maybe we can help a little more.

    I'm just getting brave enough to try this again, and I'm doing it completely differently than I have in the past. I have a few different things going on (I'm willing to try anything at this point).

    First, I have a leaf in an oyama pot with a 50/50 mix of perlite and a soilless wicking mix (56% Canadian Sphagnum Peat, 22% perlite, 22% vermiculite). I'm seeing baby leaves on that one. I think it was the first one I put down.

    I had a few leaves in solo cups using the same mix as above, but they rotted. Now that I think about it, I may have forgotten to add the extra perlite.

    Then I also have a little hydroculture experiment going on. I have 3 suckers and a bunch of leaves in various types of clear pots (plastic and glass, some with drainage holes and some without), using hydroton as the growing medium. One of the suckers, the first one I put down and the only one to have had roots in soil before converting to hydro, looks pretty sad right now. It may or may not perk back up... we'll have to see. The others were put down far more recently, and so far are still looking fine. All of them are still under plastic bags.

    {{gwi:372663}}
    {{gwi:372664}}

    I think you're right, that my problem is knowing when to remove the plastic bag and possibly overwatering once I do. Hmm. I think I have a better handle on the watering thing than I used to, but how does one know when a baby plant is strong enough to come out from under wraps?

  • krystyna1937
    16 years ago

    {{gwi:372665}}

    May I join this conversation, please?
    Here's my set-up and I'd like to know if it's ok. I molded a double thickness of al foil around a shot glass and planted my two leaves in these (no holes in the bottom) with vermiculite dampened with diluted liquid rooting medium. Then I nestled them in tall styro cups with damp gravel in the bottom (actually, crushed granite chicken grit). The cups are inside a baggie and I've pinched it partly shut to let air in.
    I want to post another picture showing a different angle next.
    Any comments?
    Krys

  • krystyna1937
    16 years ago

    {{gwi:372666}}

    Here's another view: They're on a north windowsill. Are they getting too much light? Not enough? Should they be in transparent cups? The leaves are below the rims. How soon before I can expect roots?
    Krys

  • krystyna1937
    16 years ago

    Ooops,
    Sorry about the double entry. I thought the first one had been rejected by the system.
    Thanks for your patience.
    Krys