Leaf Cutting

[Jamie]

Hi everybody I am new to the forum, and kinda new to the Vft scene. I was wondering if you can use a root dip gel or solution to help get the leaf cutting started in the rooting process.
Thanks for your help.
Jamie

 

[IceDragon]

I pretty sure you could, but you really don't need to since they root pretty easily.

 

[elgecko]

Never needed any rooting hormone.

I have made successful leaf cuttings from VFT's. I gently peel the leaves from the bulb of the plant, getting some of the white base. This is were the new plants will form. I place the leaf into a pot with a mix of peat moss, long fiber sphagnum , and perlite covering the white part of the leaf with the soil. I then cover the pot with a clear dome to keep the humidity as high as possible. I keep the pots in a bright lit area. The uncovered end of the leaf will start to die and blacken. Then when I think it has not worked, I notice the little VFT plants starting to grow. Does not work 100% of the time, but success rate extremely high.

 

[jimscott]

Does one leaf produce several plants or was that several leaves produce several plants? Does Super thrive help in leaf cuttings?

 

[Darcie]

One leaf can make multipull plantlet crowns. I don't know if superthrive helps or not, I've had nearly 100% success rate by just ripping off a leaf and shoving the end in the dirt next to the parent plant, lol! You can usually tell if a cutting will take because it isn't totally brown by about a week. One week later it looks totally dead and by the third, at the latest, you have little plants sticking up above the soil.

 

[jimscott]

Thanx Darcie! Good to know what to expect.

 

[fre8train]

Is it best to do these leaf cutting  propigation in the winter or in the spring which is coming up? or in the summer or what?

 

[elgecko]

You can do them anytime while there are growing.
I usually do mine in the fall. When it starts to get cold I put them in my terrarium. Next spring back outside. Then that year I will let them go into dormancy.

 

[Darcie]

Um, yes? I don't think it makes a real big difference with VFTs.