propagate AFRICAN VIOLETS

Grow more of your favourite African violets by propagating new plants from healthy leaves. Fill a small pot with well-drained potting mix or, even better, a 50:50 blend of potting mix and either perlite or vermiculite. Choose a well-formed leaf that’s not too young or too old. Using a clean, sharp knife, cut through the stem and insert it into the pre-moistened mix with the leaf blade standing up like a flag. Keep in a warm, humid spot and water occasionally. In a couple of months, a tiny plant will appear at the base of the leaf stem and grow into a new violet, identical to its parent.