The stunted violet in yesterday’s post will never become an attractive plant again. What to do? Toss it and buy another, or attempt to start a new plant from a few of the healthier leaves. Since it is summertime, most of my houseplants are having a vacation on the outdoor porch. I have plenty of room on my indoor plant table so this is a perfect time to root some cuttings inside.

First I will take a cutting with an inch or two of stem. While searching the Internet for good information on taking cuttings I came across a new garden site I hadn’t seen in the past. Take a look at this informative page: The Garden Helper/Cuttings

I’ll let the leaf-cutting dry for a few hours to harden the end of the stem a bit. I’ll prepare a container of sand and loose potting soil, and make a hole with the end of a pencil. After dipping the cutting in honey I will place it in the dirt, firm the soil around the stem, and close the top to keep in the humidity. In about six weeks I should be able to see small leaflets forming at the base of the stem. I’ll update the progress in a month or two.