Making cuttings from P. Viridis leaves

[3lliot]

I want to start some cuttings, but I only have a 3 smallish plants (4 or 5 leaves each, about 8 - 10cm long) so I want to use leaves rather than stem / nodes / whatever, to minimise trauma to the plant.

Can someone please 'Explain Like I'm 5' - ideally with photos - how to make cuttings from leaves?

i.e. should I split the leaf lenghthwise? or laterally? how much of the stem should I take? etc.

cheers peeps

-E

[Anodyne]

Have you seen this page?

[planthelper]

you can put the terms:

psychotria leaf cutting

into the search window on the top right of your ethno page, and you will get many good results, regarding the subject.

[3lliot]

Thanks Anodyne, that's useful.

Planthelper, I did search the forums & there is a lot of discussion, but I couldn't find anything with pictures. I'm not very good without pictures.

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

Simply cut them in half and place in 1-1 seedraising mix and small grain perlite. Keep 100% humid and warm under a CFL. They'll root in 4 weeks and sprout in 6-8 weeks. Use water saving squat seedling pots for best results. It's really THAT simple.

Edit; you'll get 2-10 sprouts depending on the environment, per half leaf.

Edited August 21, 2013 by thed00dabides

[3lliot]

Cut them in half lengthwise? or laterally? could I get 4 cuttings from 1 leaf, if I cut them both ways?

this is why I need pictures, you see

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

Did you see the link anodyne posted? Cut them like that. It's simple. From what I posted and the link you know as much as us!!

[Scrubby]

Maybe grow your plants out a bit before you start trying to propagate leaves. Grow yourself a nice mother plant and learn to respect her...

[cactuscarl]

What I did was pull the leaf off and stick it in dirt and put it in a humidity box done. I done them in the middle of winter with a shity cracked humidity box and it still worked. I really don't think it matters how you do it as long as the leaf doesn't dry out before pushing roots.

[thistime]

Have you seen this page?

THAT is an excellent link. now if only mumble mumble mumble

[3lliot]

That's what I've done. Fingers crossed.

There's also a bit of related info here, with a couple of variations on the technique.

[shonman]

What I do, is break the leaf three times, where the main vein is,

Then add IBA based rooting powder to each break, and the petiole....

Then bury sideways, with some still sticking out.

Keep in indirect light maybe, and keep moist.

Eventually, lots of little plants will grow

[shonman]

My favorite way to propagate this plant, is now to sterilize a jar with water and perlite in it,

Using a pressure cooker.

Then, using sterile tech, place a leaf broken in three or four places, then dipped in IBA rooting powder or liquid, inside the jar.

Close.

This holds the humidity,many the leaf roots from several places, then producing plants.

[3lliot]

that sounds good, I'm gonna try that next time. how much water do you add? and do you leave the jar closed all the time or let more air in?

do you have any photos?

[shonman]

I add just enough water to go to pool a bit in the perlite.

I think it would work with either a hole in the lid with a filter tape on it,

Or just closed.

Place is indirect light, do not let it fry.

Under fluorescents would work too.

This is a nice method, the leaf doesn't dry out, etc

No photos yet, of this method

Edited September 14, 2013 by shonman

[planthelper]

perlite is hard to obtain at some places, believe it or not, so I say, you can use sphagnum moss as well (I prefer over perlite).

just soak the sphagnum moss in boiling hot water for a while, and clean the softdrink bottle (top cut off and put back together) very well.