Streptocarpus: reproduction by a fragment of a leaf

Long, velvety, slightly corrugated leaves, thrivingly spread around the edges of the pots, in combination with a whole bunch of large, and sometimes even huge flowers - this is a typical portrait of a handsome streptocarpus. Considering that now many different varieties of this unpretentious plant have been bred (one more beautiful than the other), it is possible that soon streptocarpus will oust the collection of Saintpaulias from the windowsills! But this is in the event that the grower has free "seating" places, since streptocarpus are not babies at all, a lot of space is needed for them to freely spread the leaves.

Reproduction of streptocarpus

Today we will talk about how to propagate your favorite variety with a fragment of a leaf. It is advisable to do this in the spring, during the period of active growth.

Reproduction of streptocarpus by leaf cuttings... In general, if you can select a sufficient number of leaves for reproduction, then you can grow new plants from a leaf cutting - cut off the leaf obliquely with a clean knife, cut off the upper part so that a cutting 10 centimeters long remains in your hands, dry the cutting a little, process the sections with charcoal powder and root.

Reproduction of streptocarpus by a fragment of a leaf... And if you were sent by mail the long-awaited and only leaf of the variety you like, you can cut it with a sharp knife or scissors into several fragments 3-5 cm long.Fragments must be taken from the middle of the sheet, the top must be removed in any case, since it will wither and all the children will not give anyway. By the way, the leaves of streptocarpus tolerate shipping quite well if the lower cut of the leaf is placed in a cotton swab dipped in water and wrapped in foil. And all this is additionally packed in a plastic bag.

If the leaf is very wide, the lower part of the fragment can be cut into a cone, so that it is more convenient to immerse it in the soil, and the extreme sides of the leaf blade, in contact with the soil, do not rot ahead of time.

The rooting mix should be as light as possible. For example, mix Saintpaulia soil and vermiculite in a 1: 1 ratio. You can even "overdo it" a little with vermiculite, it will be even better.

The lower cut of the fragment (powdered with charcoal) needs to be placed only 0.5 cm into the ground. This way children are formed faster, and it will be easier for them to "come out" to the surface. And, again, there is less risk of leaf plate rotting. After planting, only lightly water the fragments so that they can gain a foothold in the ground. And then, placed in a greenhouse, it is better to simply spray the cuttings from a spray bottle rather than water them. Do not be afraid to dry your "kindergarten" slightly, nothing will happen to it!

But from the overflow, the fragments will quickly rot. The greenhouse should not be closed tightly, there should be a hole for constant light ventilation. For this purpose, it is good to use mini-greenhouses for growing seedlings, because their lid does not fit tightly. My favorite was the use of disposable rectangular containers with hinged lids. There is initially a small ventilation hole.

The greenhouse should be placed in a warm, well-lit place (but not in the sun itself) and periodically check the condition of the fragments - ventilated and sprayed with a spray bottle. And so for 1.5-2 months. The small children that have appeared, which will grow at the base of a leaf or segment, are already independent plants. But they should be transplanted into small hotel cups when they still grow a little and acquire two or three leaves of their own. And after the transplant, it is worth keeping the children in the greenhouse for a couple of weeks, but with more active ventilation.