I just received my leaves from eBay for ten varieties of miniature AVs. I went to the store(s) to find small plastic pots-- or even small cups-- and NOBODY carries them! I have small terra cotta pots, but I know they dry out quickly. (We're preparing to be out of town for two and a half weeks, but we will have a house sitter staying here.) Or I could try planting more than one in larger pots. So far I've had great luck with propagating AVs from leaves, but now I'm going to have to try something different or wait until I can find more pots. What do you suggest?? I only have one shot with these, so I don't want to fail.
Need Help with New Leaves!!
Okay, I just went back and read an older thread, where I found I can try planting three to a solo cup. What size is a solo cup? Would that be equivalent to a four inch pot? At least I have back-up leaves for all buy my very favorite, a Chantaspring. I really hope that one works...
Did you try looking for the small 3oz Solo refill drinking cups?
I get mine at the grocery store and sometimes at Wal Mart.
If you are leaving for 2 weeks and can't find the cups try putting them all down in a large plastic storage box that has a lid and it will probable keep them moist enough until you return. Just stick your lable behind each leaf to mark it...you can cut up a styrofoam plate in strips and mark it with a laundry marker.
or
You can use a deep disposable roasting pan with saran wrap over the top of it taped all around ...
Good luck,
MsC
So far I can only find paper 3oz cups. I tried them, thinking they might work since they're waxed, but they got moldy on the outside. Maybe tomorrow I'll try calling around to see if I can find plastic ones. Who'd have thought it would be so hard?
Thanks for the roasting pan idea. That sounds like a space saver, too (my house is getting pretty full of plants!). We have a week until we're leaving, so I will have time to figure something out.
Would you advise against using terra cotta? (Michael's is having a big sale, by the way!) We water the plants in terra cotta pots more often than the others, but I've never tried propagating AVs in them.
Thanks! --DanaK
thanks for the tip on michaels. I hope I can get there in time to pick up a few more.
if you can't find the 3 oz plastic cups, why not use yoghurt cups? I do that often - make holes in the bottom, and if they are the regular height, cut them down by about a half. Sometimes you can find yoghurt sold in short cups - forget the brand, though.
I don't like using terra cotta for leaves because I like to leave the leaves in a terrarium (fancy name for my plastic-lined cardbox contraption) while the leaves are propagating, and I find the terra cotta helps mold. But then I live in a very old building.
AHHH! I am SO frusterated! Today I decided that rather than driving everywhere looking for cups, I'd call first. I called Albertson's and sure enough, they had the cups-- plastic ones! So I just went there and it turns out that the cups were all paper, even though I pointed out three times-- to the point that I was being obnoxious-- that I needed plastic. Needless to say that once Albertson's said they had the cups, I stopped calling, so since I didn't want to try more shots in the dark, I just came back home.
I would try yogurt cups, but we buy yogurt in the big containers. I guess I'll just do terra cotta for now and then transplant them later if I think I should. At this point it's probably better to get them into some dirt. Maybe on some I'll try three to a larger pot. Sound like a plan? Then tomorrow I'll do some more calling, including one to the manager at Albertson's!
Sounds like a plan...but you can always root them in a shallow dish of water until you find the cups. Use a cake pan or whatever and cover it with aluminnum foil...use a pencil or smaller object poke a hole in it and then stick the leaves down to the top of the water...that will keep them until you can decide exactly how you want to proceed.
Try Krogers and Walmart for the cups or even a restaurant supply house like Sam's...they might have something similar.
How about baby food jars??? I have had some rooting in water in those.
Like Keyring said clay isn't the best option- but it will work in a pinch.
Good luck
MsC
Oh, that's a good idea... but I just spent the last half hour planting them in clay pots! I'll try WalMart tomorrow for some cups-- there's one on the way home. Then I can get this squared away. I guess next time I'll be prepared before I get my shipment! I just didn't think it would be this hard to find plastic cups! :o]