Saintpaulia propagation and issues.

It seems that my efforts to encourage my indoor plants to grow and multiply are more difficult than I thought.
I used to be able to get these to grow like grass in the lawn.
Now they shrivel and die before they get their little heads above the soil.
The main leaf dies and shrinks into the soil and I have not joy from them.
I can only grow them in the lounge window which is NE facing and has the best aspect for the plants.
No sunlight just bright enough for them.
The soil is a mix of general compost, sand, and per-lite. So good drainage and holding of moisture for the young ones to get started.
Temperature could be the factor, as it has been unduly hot in the house and the same in the greenhouse.
Any experts or people on here with more knowledge than myself would be of a great help please.
Trying to get them going for a mate who has green fingers.

 

Nope, no greenhouse for saintpaulias. These plants are too tender for it. The best temperature to be around 18-23 degr.C. North-east windowsill is ideal. Plenty of light, but not a direct scortching sunlight. Pots size? Adult plants require pots no more than 10 cm in diameter. Compost - light multi-purposepmulti-purpose based, adding perlite, vermiculite, polyester balls (depending what's available) up to 1/3. No sand, it's too heavy. Propagating by leaves - into the same mixture, the same t. Keep covered - plastic transparent box or bag. Compost to be just slightly damp, no bog. These are lovely plants, not difficult, they just require every 2nd -4th day care. I water mine every second day in summer when hot. I've grown hundreds of them and still keep small collection with new leaves just bought.

 

I look into box with planted leaves just occasionally for airing and watering a bit if needed.
When leaves are planted for propagation, the compost mixture squeezed in a fist shoudn't have water dripping from it, and at the same time should keep the shape.

 

Thanks for these invaluable bits of info, my issue is that I need to grow some more and have poor stock plants to start with. Need to expand them but unsure how as only got one place to grow them. This window is only about 200 mm wide so not but 3 pots at most can be kept here. Oh well times they are a changing.

 

I used to just push leaf stalks into small pot of compost up to the leaf.
And they would root, not fast but it used to form a small cluster of plantlets at the base.

 

Get some ready plug plants from Dibleys. www.dibleys.com.
While rooting, leaves can be on the table right next to the window.
They can do with a bit less light at that point.