Yes - the heat mat will help. Domes above your leaves will help too. The third thing that would help =is if it would be spring now and not fall 8-((.
Patience is a very good quality. I would say - since your conditions are not perfect - probably in a month or 2.

Thank You!!
I'm thankful for gardening for that reason, in a world full of rush rush rush and I'm manager at a fast food place, patience is rare so it's helping me to be more patient too!! I just cant wait to have babies! Also if you don't mind me asking this in the same post, where would you guys recommend looking for purchasing good African violet plants or leaves? :) looking for something better then Ebay! lol even tho, I myself sell seeds and plants on there, I hesitate at buying anything like that on ebay just because you never know if its what you bought!
~michael

My leaves are taking a while to root right now too. They have been down since end of September and no signs of baby plants yet, although the leaves are still healthy. So hang in there!! They will produce when they are good and ready. :) If there's one thing these plants are teaching me, it is patience.

Mine usually grow babies after I forget about them, or give up on them. Same with seeds. Maybe I just have a short attention span ;-p

I have some that have been down since the last week of July. Nothing yet.

Others that I put down a month ago are starting to show.

Variegated leaves seem to take longer.

Hurry up and wait seems to be the axiom. Can hardly wait for spring!

dave

It depends on the variety. Some are faster, some slower, but a couple of months is normal. I have some giving me mouse ears now that I put down a couple of months ago. Cooler weather does make them slower. I dome mine so I can forget about them for several days before checking again, or put them in plastic sandwich bags, they do really well that way.
When I first started, I was checking two or three times a day with a magnifying glass, lol.

Hi Michael, You can look up some short videos on: reeds greenhouse.com made by Steve Reed. He shows how
he starts a leaf, and his leaves under domes. Also, how
to start suckers on a chimera to get new plants. There are
about five short videos.
I have had some leaves take months to reproduce. As long as they are healthy, I leave them alone. (Most take a few
weeks to a month or so, if domed. Longer if not.)
Joanne

Michael,

Leaves take an average of two months to root and send up babies. But that is a very loose average. As everyone else states, variety, time of year, and other variables all affect growth. A heat mat, dome and good light are your best bets now.
As long as a leaf is healthy, it is capable of rooting. My shortest time: 10 days. Longest: One year. I noticed today that leaves I put down September 13th are just beginning to show a few leaves.

Do not snub E Bay for new plants. There are some amazing growers who sell there. You approach this as you would any other new store. You buy a few and see how you like them. If you are happy, you continue buying. If not, there are plenty others from which to choose.
I have been buying there for years and have only run into two sellers that I avoid and I have several that I love. Mr. Dave (Bragu) here and I both buy from a woman in Poland and are very happy with her leaves/plants.

Let me know if you would like the names of the sellers I like. For many people who cannot get to shows, this is the only way to get new plants.

Linda

Thanks for all the responses and experiences everyone! :) I'm just gonna keep being patient!!! lol It's hard.

whitelacey, yes i'd love that!! I just get really hesistant when I'm on Ebay. I just worry because I know not everyone is as honest about their seeds or plants as me and I could be getting a wrong color/another type of plant/seed entirely! lol but I would love if you could give me some references of good sellers!!
Thank you
~michael

Heavenlyfarm, I'm fairly new to africian violets myself. I first bought a NOID plant from my local Lowes and then I began to look for other plants online, thinking I could find other plants that were much more unique in there ways. Now, I'm a very active eBay user and buy and sell all the time. So back in July I bought 4 leaves from a seller and I didn't have any problems what so ever. I received the leaves in 3 days and within three months I finally got babies and there gradually getting bigger. Like I said, violets are new to me but I've been raising orchids for eights years. Now if you want to learn to be patient, go after orchids and they teach you that. But to each our own. The whole orchids began when I bought my wife one for Valentines Day and then she began to want more, and now it's an obsession. We presently have a dozen different orchids, which is actually down from 18 which were given as gifts to others within the family looking to try there hands at orchids. Anyways that's more for the orchid forum, I will continue to learn new info from these forums and because it's a joy to read about other peoples experiences.

Dan

dlsorchids,
I am not sure if I'd want to try orchids lol I'm trying to be patient when it comes to these things but its so hard but its definitely rewarding when it finally happens to grab a hold and become a new plant or when something sprouts up from all the seed sowing! Really hoping with all the seeds I am getting from lovely traders on here, I will get lots of rewards for the wait and effort!! This year, I'm probably going to attempt wintersowing and buy a patio greenhouse thing for more sowing. And I agree, I love to read experiences, ideas and just generally talk about gardening! I would love to become more of an "expert" and be able to grow a wider variety!
~Michael

Michael,

Know that if you are sowing AV seeds, you will most likely get a variety of plain-leaved, purple single plants. AV's are hybrids, (except for the species), and varieties cannot be reproduced by seeds. If you have a specific variety you want, it must be a clone. Leaf cuttings and suckers are the only way to get a clone.

I also grow orchids. Seven years from seed-sowing to bloom. If you're lucky. Patience.

Linda

Thought I'd update you guys :) My one leaf sent up a little baby, about a week ago!! :) it was two days after I started using a heat mat for the leaf cuttings lol So happy right now :) Can't wait to watch it grow up into a nice big plant!
~Michael

neat. it is going to be awhile before you can x-plant.

i still have a batch from july that nothing has happened, but i have a bag from sept and another from first wk of october that are showing pups. july batch was domed, other two were zip bagged. my november batch is zip bagged and just sitting on the counter.

yes, and i talk to them every once in awhile telling them I can hardly wait for them to grow up and take over the world.

dave

This post was edited by bragu on Mon, Dec 2, 13 at 0:20

On that note, once it's time to transplant the little sprouts, how long can or should you wait before separating them?

I ask because I have a few that are close to the point where I would normally separate them, but I'm moving in 3 weeks. So I was thinking either:

a. separate them now so they have 3 weeks to adjust to being on their own before going to the new apartment.

-or-

b. wait till after the move before separating, on the rationale that they are stronger as they are right now, with more roots in tact and all.

The leaves were put down about 12 weeks ago, and the leaves started cropping up 8 weeks ago. I'm concerned that now is too early, but that waiting till a few weeks after moving will be too long.

What are the consequences of leaving the babies attached for an extended period?

SW,

There really aren't any consequences of waiting except crowding and maybe stretchy petioles. I would definitely wait until you are settled. I'm sure you have a lot of things to do now and trying to move newly transplanted babies which need a bit of pampering should not be one of those things. There is no harm in waiting until it is more convenient.

Linda

That's what I was hoping to hear. :). As long as there's no major damage to be done, I'd like to hold off.

Congrats Michael!