The easiest - to take a side shoot off the plant. The sucker. They root well.

From a leaf - more or less the same way as you treat an AV - cut across to several pieces - 3-4 inch, stick the in a soil bottom side in. I usually trim the bottom to triangle with center vein working as a "stem". Each cutting will give you 1-2 strong babies.

From a leaf - cut the center vein out stick the leaf cut side in a soil you will get tons of babies from each major vein - smaller babies.

Soil - barely moist. You can put these pots in a sealed plastic box or under the dome - as long as it is humid and the soil is maintained in a barely moist stage they root fast and show babies in a month.

Light - you need to give them good light but not direct sunlight - I keep mine under 2 t12 fluorescents.

Best leaves - the good size leaves that didn't bloom yet. The old leaves will give you babies too - but it will take much longer.

At the base of a strep leaf where the bloom comes from, if you take that leaf for propagation, should you cut it ABOVE the spot where the flower came from? Or go down farther and remove everything?

Also I read yesterday in Gesneriads The Journal for Gesneriad Growers

Volume 63 Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2013, article was written by Dale Martens:

Propagation: A long time ago I used to remove the mid-rib and plant leaf halves in a light mix. That generally works, but for variegated streps it does not. The white areas rot. So I have gone back to cutting 2- 1/2 inch sections from base to tip while keeping the leaf and cuttings under water. I leave them in the water for about five minutes. I then bury each leaf section about 3/4 of an inch deep in a soil less mix lightened with extra perlite and vermiculite.

My thoughts?: Well, this could explain why I don't have success propagating Dale's Polar Lava leaves when I remove the rib and lay the leaf on the cut rib side.

I am more than a little interested in her statement about cutting leaves under water and then soaking them for 5 minutes.

I don't use vermiculite in my rooting mix. Kind of afraid to because it does hold water and I think after soaking for 5 minutes I am planting a pretty wet leaf and in my baggie I might end up with a handful of rotted mush in about 3 days.

She also wrote:

I grow under cheap T-8 and T-12 cool white fluorescent tube lights that are on for 10 hours a day. The streps appear to bloom better under two sets (4 tubes per shelf ) of T-8 lights.

My thoughts?: I have read many posts in this and the African Violet forum that people think they need expensive tubes for good growth. I have always used just the cheapies as she does. Or window light, but I realize they don't get all day light that way. But I rotate plants in and out of lights so eventually everyone gets some flourescent light at some time.

The article was longer and very interesting and all about propagation.

Ok,,,anyone have any thoughts about these two excerpts from Dale's article? Especially about the "cutting under water" ? Rosie

Rosie -

Dale knows what she is doing. If she recommends it - it will give you an edge.

I do not soak the leaves unless they are wilted but I am sure they will sprout several days earlier if you do it and several more days earlier if you cut them under the water.

If you keep your soil barely moist - it will work even if it is pure vermiculite. Fluffed up to let them breathe.

Yes - 4 tubes are better than 2. Streps have higher light requirement than AVs . Variegated streps need extra help = they are working on half *ss anyway - with all the white on their leaves.

Hmmm... after I looked at the photos of your shelves filled with leaves and cuttings,,,, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL THEM DARN PLANTS??? They will push you out of the house... And if you use Dale's advice - they will push you out of the house several weeks earlier...

Hi Irina! I like the idea of cutting under water and soaking. Will try that with the next leaf I obtain.

May even try a little vermiculite. Straight up or mixed with a little perlite?

My light is only a 2 tube one. Maybe someday a 4 tube.

I KNEW you would comment on my babies!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I will find room, somewhere,,,,somehow!!! roflmbo!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe,,,just maybe someone will have to move out!!!!!

Irina you are so funny! Rosie