Hi Barb, I don't know what propagation gel is. I have never heard of it. Is this a gel you make up to insert cuttings into? I know that gels are used in tissue culture in sterile conditions but that is as far as I know.

What I do, for the best results is to root wedge cuttings of strep leaves, each about two to three inches long in a mix of perlite and vermiculite, enclosed and under lights. I formerly used only ziplock bags to enclose cuttings but now I prefer to use the high domes that fit on the 10/20 trays. I think they provide high humidity but with more evenness, so the cuttings are less apt to rot. I pot up the cuttings in small pots such as 2 to 3 1/2" squares. Healthy leaves generally are fool proof. Its when I try to root leaves of rotting plants that I often lose the cuttings. Even though the leaves appear to be clean, they will often have the fungus already established so rot under the high humidity. Now, if I were doing things in a professional manner, I would treat my cuttings to a fungicide bath. But, I avoid such complications.

A wedge cutting is just a cutting made across the leaf. Thus a nine inch long leaf can make three or four cuttings. But, I shape the cuttings in an arrow shape so that they are easier to insert in the media, and I also think it reduces the chance that the end of the cut will rot. A whole leaf will root to make a faster growing plant, but wedges make good starter plants and more of them.

The sideways cutting with the midrib removed is known to make the highest number of plants but I don't have good luck with this method, and I really don't need so many little starter plants. I would be happy with just the wedge cutting plants. Propagate your streps often to get the best plants, and to keep them going for a long time. I always loose varieties by failing to propagate them, Young plants grow into the best specimens.

Jon

I think not many people use prop gel for Streps b/c it is so easy to root them without it. I am now trying mine in straight perlite, bagged, because the vermiculite and peat mix tended to make them rot more.

-Mo (WV)

Prop gel is just a gel form of rooting hormone. I'm trying some leaves with, some without. I'm using the 10/20 trays with inserts filling them, then the dome on top of it all. So far it seems to be doing great - very little loss from rot. Strep leaves are often very long - not practical for whole leaf propagation. so i'm doing the cross sections. The dome keeps up the humidity well (our air here is ARID). Jon's wedge-cutting sounds sensible - i'll try it. Sandy