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Runa's Method:
Growing African Violets

This article was provided by Deborah Matherne

Have you every found that when watering your African Violets, a few of the leaves break off? Don't throw them away! There is no reason why just about every single one of these broken leaves can not parent a new plant.

A new plant, started from a single leaf, will generally be blooming within a year.

PS - This method was passed down to me by my grandmother Runa. If you like her method, feel free to email this page to a friend. Your messages and my responses will help build a guide for others.

Runa’s Method

Step 1:

Cut the stem of your leaf where it “crunches” In other words, make the cut where the leaf has healthy, open “veins” to draw water.

Step 2:

Cover the opening of a small glass (jar) with foil. Fill the glass with plain, clear water.

Step 3:

Poke a hole in the foil and stick your mama leaf through the hole. The stem should always be completly submerged; the leaf should always be completly dry.

Step 4:

Comes when baby leaves start forming in the glass, under water. This is your new plant. This shoud take at least 4 months. You know it’s working when the moma leaf grows long, good roots. The babies form on the cut edge of the moma stem.

If you get this far, you have the nerve to grow beautiful AVs. Stay in touch.

Deborah