Propagation of African violets in sphagnum using the wick watering method

For the propagation of African violets in sphagnum, applying the wick watering method we need:
– freshly picked and washed sphagnum moss;
– disposable cups (180-200 ml);
– a wick made of synthetic material that absorbs water very well;
– fertiliser, ideal are those from Kemira.

A mini greenhouse can also be useful, in which the leaves and young violets will develop in comfortable conditions. If there is no possibility to make such a greenhouse, Its lack will be compensated by evaporation of water from tanks and optimal humidity of substrate in the glass.

On the bottom of the glass a hole is made through which the wick will pass.
The sfagnum moss is cut into small pieces of 2-5 cm. Once grown, The roots of the violet chicks will more easily separate from the pieces of sfagnum.

After a period of time, The cut spharnum will begin to grow and give new branches. We don't have to worry, Live moss is endowed with antibacterial properties that prevent rotting of leaf stems. If spharnum grows in abundance, excess muscle is removed.
Prepare a nutrient solution from 0.05% Kemira fertilizer, which will be a source of food for the leaf and of course for the chicks.

The leaves can also take root in ordinary water until the appearance of offspring.
The moistened wick is passed through the hole at the bottom of the glass. The end of the wick in the glass is placed on the bottom of the glass in the shape of a semicircle, The other end stays out.
Above the wick in the glass place the spharnum cut into pieces, about 3-4 cm. The muscle may thicken a bit.
An oblique cut is made on the stem of the leaf, leaving 2-3 cm of the leaf stem. The strain can be even longer, in case it rots to be able to cut the affected portion.
The stem of the leaf settles in the sfagnum without touching the bottom of the glass, and the cut on the stem of the leaf must be covered with sfagnum.

So that the leaf does not fall (whether it is large or too small), it will be supported with a special wand (plastic chopsticks with which we mix coffee broken or cut in half). It is important not to use wooden baguettes, They rot over time and infect the leaf.
In the glass you can also plant 2 leaves. Ideally, each leaf should be planted in its own glass (if one of the two leaves rots, The second leaf is also at risk of becoming infected), Her chicks will have more room to develop.

If the leaf is too large and does not fit in the glass, the edges of the leaf will be cut obliquely (parallel to the walls of the glass). For safety, On the cuts on the leaf sprinkle a little chopped barbecue charcoal.
Water the sfagnum moss on top with warm water until the water trickles down the wick, after which the glass with wick is placed on the tank.
After 10-14 days, The leaves will settle into the glass and if pulled out a bit you will feel resistance. That's a good sign, It means that the leaf has taken root.

The appearance of offspring depends on the variety and conditions, But usually they appear after 1-3 months. If violet chicks do not appear after this period, the leaf must be stimulated somehow – Cut 1/3 of the top of the leaf or 1/2 if the leaf is large.
The leaves will stay away from drafts, and the optimum temperature of their development is above 22 degrees.

The violet chicks will remain in the glass until they reach the age when they can be planted separately (when their height is 1/3 or 1/4 of the height of the mother leaf, or have accumulated enough green pigment in the case of spotted varieties).

After separating the chicks from the mother leaf, the leaf can be planted one more time. This will give birth to a new generation of puppies.
Violet chicks can be planted habitually in the ground or planted in earth mixture (perlite, vermiculite and peat in equal quantities), applying the method of watering by wick.

For wick watering, Coconut peat substrate is also recommended, perlite or coconut fiber. Coconut fiber remains porous even after saturation with water. This allows for better development of the roots and the plant. The only condition remains that the coconut fiber must be washed before it is used, because it contains a lot of salts.

The substrate from coconut peat and perlite is loosened, moisture and air circulate easily through it, allowing the root system of the plant to develop well and evenly.