I was looking at my little sinningias again. I was surprised that the little leaves perked up since Saturday. I really thought they were going to die. Today, they look just fine.

I still thought the soil was far too wet so here is what I did. I cut off the top of an african violet optimara brown pot. I was left with about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom up. I covered the holes with 1 layer of paper napkin, filled with barely damp mix of 1/2 perlite and 1/2 MiracleGro. Since I had 5 tubers with leaves I spaced them out on top of the soil.

A few leaves had broken off also so I carefully fresh cut them and laid them on top of the soil also. Then I put the clear plastic cup over the top again to keep in the humidity. It is in a west window behind a lace sheer. I will watch it and hope like heck I don't lose any of them. Rosie

Hi Rosie,

My strictly amateur opinion is that all sounds good with your setup, however I'd make sure it doesn't get too much light for the week or so that it's recuperating. Humidity in the little enclosure is good, and a friable potting mix that provides moisture without getting soggy is good. After a week or so, I suspect you'll see that the tubers have stabilized quite a bit as new roots grow. What's the brightest % shade your plant typically gets? I'm nervous about possibly overheating plants in any direct sunlight, especially in a closed container.

I never see these plants for sale in stores. The only mini-sinn plant I ever bought on line was s.concinna.

Do you have a picture of it? My understanding is that these leaves won't root unless there's a bit of the tuber attached. Except for s.concinna, they're pretty easy to pollinate and can produce a lot of seed, and I've counted over 150 seeds in a single pod before. My favorite pollinating tool is a cat whisker, which my cats shed periodically, but a sharpened toothpick should be fine.

--Rick

Hi Rick! This is getting to sound like rocket science! Well,,,,as far as light, it is at least 4 feet away from an unobstructed east window, no curtain, bright light when the sun comes up until it passes over then just the normal light. No overheating and no direct sunlight.

I will try to take a pix although for some reason I have kinda lost my pix taking ability. But I will try within the next couple days.

As far as the leaves, I don't have any tuber attached to the ones that broke off. I just carefully gave them a fresh cut and gently set them upright in the soil. 1/2 perlite and 1/2 MiracleGro. It is what I use for starting AV leaves and in my wicked violets. I didn't know sinningias didn't propagate by leaf.

The little tuber plants are looking a little better than they did after they were ripped out of the pot. I know it was an accident but geeze they are soooo tiny that I worry.

I saw the babies you have grown and I wonder,,,did the plant pollinate itself or did you do it for them????? I would use a sharpened toothpick as there are no cats, just dogs around here! And I never see any shed whiskers! lol Rosie

Oh Rick good information but at this time I am not pollinating anything. I will be happy just to have them recover and grow. They were full of little flowers when I bought them (before they got pulled out of the pot) and now I feel like someone in a surgical waiting room wanting good news! I only have the pusilla so I will let you know what happens! The little leaves are still there. Rosie

Rosie - pusilla is probably one of the toughest. Plus it self pollinates, and reseeds itself. You are going to grow a colony of them.

Thanks Irina! Well,,,,,they still look good and I would really like to let them fill the little container they are growing in! So far, no new flowers. I had taken off all of the original flowers when the tubers got pulled out of the pot. Figured the babies didn't need the stress of flowering on top of recuperating! Rosie

Update on my little sinningia pusilla! They are lookin' good! No flowers, none expected at this time. BUT none of them died!

Irina you may be right about tough. There were really ripped out of that pot and I was so worried. And I will welcome a little colony! I know,,,,,you are just shaking your head! hahahaha Rosie

Another update! Sinningias are growing well, still in the same shallow pot, and 2 of them have flower buds!!!!!! Can't wait for them to open!!!!!

Ok Irina,,,,now because it is grown "under" a cup,,,,,how do I make sure the flowers get pollinated????? I want that colony of flowers you promised !!!!!!! Rosie

They are self pollinating. Plus you can shake a container a bit every so often. Just give it a knock - and say nicely - Get Busy! I want seeds!

YAY!!!!! I am gonna shake the %#@&$ out of it!!!! And then I will nicely say "Bet Busy! I want seeds!!!!!" As you know Irina,,,,I want a bunch! Rosie

There is more than pusilla over there - S.concinna, Bright Eyes, Razzmataz, White Sprite, Snowflake.... a little bit bigger is S.muscicola - another unkillable. So ... before long... you will have all your place in terrariums...

OMGosh!!!! No one noticed my typo???? "Bet Busy?" haha should have been "Get Busy"......guess I was too excited!!!!

Anyway I know there are more. I still (Memory Lane again) wish to obtain White Sprite and Dollbaby for sure. Then Snowflake and what the heck, S. muscicola may as well be added to my Wish List!!!!! OH OH and S. Concinna!!!! Rosie

PS. Flowers have not opened yet <:(

Cute aren't they? I had pusilla for some years, but lost it. I have half dozen larger mini-sinns though of various colors.

Two little S. pusilla are blooming! Not one,,,but TWO!!!

And yes Irina, I am shaking the living #%$&@($%# out of the little container. Every time I go past it. I want a colony of babies!!!!!!

BTW how long does it take to make babies??? Rosie

I love S. pusilla because they are sooo tiny. I love tiny things! Rosie

Pusilla is almost ephemeral, it's so tiny...Yes, you definitely need an expanse of them.

Oh I know and I am looking for S. White Sprite also!!! I think it is even tinier if memory serves me right! Rosie

UPDATE: My little S. pusilla bloomed a lot and now there are little itty bitty teeny tiny babies coming up in the pot!!!! Not many yet,,,,but hopefully they will survive! Wish me luck!!!!! Rosie

PS. Did just like you said Irina and shook the living &%$#(#@ out of it!!!!! YAY!

Congratulations Rosie, if you have like 20, you might have a 2.5 inch pot full. I would like to report you for Gesneriad Abuse however ;)

Well, I left no visible bruises. Now I guess I better confess,,,,,,when I went to my club meeting I took it with me and oops! I accidentally dropped it upside down. Luckily they were none the worse for wear. But THEN,,,,,someone else was looking at them and THEY did the same thing!!!!! Twice in one night!!!!! But guess what???? No visible bruises not even a broken leaf and all I had to do both times was turn it right side up again!!!!!

Oh no! I hear sirens! They are coming to arrest me for Gesneriad Abuse!!!! Anyone post my bail??? They are asking for bail of 3 Gesneriads! lol Rosie