For anyone who wants to enjoy a large table top full of blooming violets without spending a lot of money try the following: Cut a few leaves from a mature plant, preferably the largest and lowest leaves on the plant. Put the leaf cuttings in a water jar with clear plastic wrap across the top of the jar to keep the violets from falling in and the leaf cuttings getting wet. Make a small hole wherever you will put a leaf stem through the plastic wrap, making sure it is immersed in the water.
After several weeks, small roots will form. Let these roots attain good growth. These leaf cuttings can be placed in small containers with a well-drained commercial potting mix in them. Make sure that the potting soil is moist, but not wet.
After several more weeks, you will notice baby leaves forming above the soil line. After a few more weeks, many leaves will be visible. After substantial growth has occurred, look at the root system of the new plantlets. It should look as if there are several plants that all created from one leaf cutting.
Carefully rinsing the medium from the new plant and root system, you can identify where each new plant is coming from on the original leaf.
The last time I rooted violet leaves and subdivided the new plants from the leaf, I took off thirteen new violets from two vegetative leaves. The plants are now large, healthy, and doing well.
I do not worry so much about the size of the pot I put the plants in as that the plants are not over watered. When separating the new plants from the vegetative leaf, be sure that an adequate root system is left with each new plant that is being cut from the original leaf. Make sure you use a sharp knife and make clean cuts. Repot each new plant immediately.
Nadine Grabow, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
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