Botany conference in Portland changed my whole propagation setup

I went to the Pacific Northwest Botany Conference last spring and saw this guy from the Oregon Garden demonstrate a simple leaf cutting method using just damp perlite in a ziplock bag. After 6 years of using rooting hormone and fancy mist setups, I tried his approach on my African violets and got roots in 3 weeks flat. Has anyone else found a crazy simple trick that made your old way look silly?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmaking3d ago

Wait, DAMP PERLITE in a ZIPLOCK BAG? That's it?! I've been using those little plastic dome things with heat mats and this whole ritual. My African violets are sitting there with their fancy setup looking at me like I'm an idiot right now. Three weeks flat is UNREAL, I've waited months sometimes. I'm actually kind of angry that I spent money on rooting hormone powders when a bag and some perlite does the trick. You just blew my whole mind with that one.

lee6893d ago

Nah, it's not that serious, @emmaking. You bought fancy stuff, it works. No shame in that. Perlite and a bag is just the bare bones method. Works fine for simple cuttings though. Three weeks is fast, sure, but I've had it take a month too. Depends on the plant. Your violets are probably fine with what they have. Don't ditch your heat mats yet unless you're broke.

lucasw843d ago

Three weeks flat" is insane, I’ve had cuttings take that long just to grow a nub.