Don't water if the soil is damp! Give them some time. I cut the leaf stem at a 45 degree angle about an inch below the leaf edge.

Do you keep the leaves above the soil or can they touch the soil?

I keep mine slightly above the soil.

I always put mine in a plastic bag after putting the leaf down in the potting mix. First water so the leaf is evenly moist but not soaking, bag it and in a month there should be babies.

i've had much better success since i started bagging or doming my leaf starts. as for watering, too dry is usually better than too wet....

Karin

THank you for sharing your techniques for rooting the leaves. I am using plastic food containers for these leaves, one with holes and the other without holes. Do you think the one with holes maybe too dry? Next time I would like to try starting the leaves in plastic bags.

Depending on the number of leaves you're putting down, I prefer to use individual pots. I like to use a light potting mix and wick water them, and place them in a bag. I get nearly 100% success this way. The leaves retain enough moisture to not wilt because of the bag, and the mix is always optimally moist because it's wick watered.

Snappyguy, you might be adding an extra step by wick watering that you really don't need. I put leaves down in those small containers that tomatoes come in or any low plastic container from the grocery store. I also cut down Styrofoam cups to about 1.5 inches tall, poke a hole in the bottom with a pencil, and use those. Once you've watered and bagged, they will stay moist for a month easy without wicking or extra watering. Like you, I've had 100% success.

Thanks, Marianne. I just did that, put the plastic container with holes into a grocery bag and tied securely. Hopefully this will keep the medium moist.

For those of us who like to pot each leaf separately, use Kcups! Clean them out, put the coffee grounds in your compost (or mix them in with your potting soil just not too much, they are acidic) enlarge the hole just a little and cover it with a little piece of paper towel or napkin. Fill with your favorite rooting medium and you are on your way. By the time your little babies need potting up, the napkin will have dissolved.

It works real well, I have tried it myself and I love it. I also write the name of the leaf on a strip of paper and put clear tape over it and tape it right on the outside of the Kcup!

After you are done with the cup and the babies are all repotted they are reusable. Just take off the name of the plant and start all over again! Rosie

Just want to update on my leaves. After doing as advised by Marianne, the leaves have stopped wilting and they look firm. I also see white roots going off in all directions on the surface of the rooting medium. However, I don't see any babies sprouting. Do they need more time?

Hi Karen,

I've actually had a set of leaves that took 8 months to sprout babies, though there were clearly roots. What I've found (at least for me) is that 1. The larger leaves appear to take significantly longer 2. If I bury them a little too deep (leaving the stem too long I suppose), it takes forever (it seems! :-) ) 3. I need to lighten my baby mix up a bit (which I will do next time, as I've got about 30 planted already with babies coming up). Hope that helps...

And then as Marianne and Karin say-humidity is a great friend in this case.

As long as the leaf is turgid, not rotting, and particularly that you've seen roots then you will eventually get babies! :-) As Linda always said.. patience, patience! :-)

Best,

Judy

Sometimes if you don't see any action, you can cut the outer 1/3 of the leaf off with a clean razor blade or knife. The container with leaf needs to have light also, the plastic bag should be clear like a Ziplock bag. I've found the average time is about 6 weeks before you see a baby plant. Although I ordered Millenia leaves from selective gardener and all three leaves sprouted babies in a little less than a month! I'm thinking of using the same leaves again to see if they'll sprout more babies as the stems were so long when they came. Glad to hear your leaves have improved!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and advice! You have helped saved 70% of my leaves! Should I continue to keep them in plastic bags?

I keep mine in the bags until the baby leaves are about the size of a quarter or so. Then open the bag and gradually acclimate them to life bagless! I don't have grow light (yet) so mine are on bright windowsills and I turn them daily so everything stays healthy, bagged or not bagged.

karen

remember, when you start leaves, there are no roots to absorb water, so it is not nec.. to have the medium overly wet. i find the zip bag method works well.

i had a baggie fall behind a piece of furniture, and when i found it … months later … there were some nice babies and a crown. i would NOT recommend 'losing' your baggie, though ...