Trimming Ping Leaves?

[jimscott]

I was wondering if anyone trims their "summer leaves" so that they can fit more leaves into a pot. I've got these long leafed varieties, like P. gigantea x moctezumae

that I'd like to propagate, but their leaves are way to big. Can I cut a few inches off, leaving the basal part for the media?

 

[Not a Number]

I never bother trimming Pinguicla leaves, they tend to shrivel up to next to nothing.

Only one way to find out if you an cut up the pullings - experiment! Make Charles Darwin proud.

 

[jimscott]

There are some accidental pullings, where 2/3 of the leaf comes off, leaving the basal part on the plant. Ley's see what they do.

 

[Baylorguy]

I'm like NAN. I just let the plants be.

 

[jimscott]

See the one leaf where the bloodworm is? I'd like to cut everything from that point to end the outer edge off. They take up too much room and fall over. This is what I am dealing with:

 

[alec]

jimscott,
what media are you propagating in? it looks like dry peat
I have had the same "problem", I'll try cutting a few and let you know how they did...

 

[Plantae777]

Jim,

I have had little problem rooting leaves that i have broken midway; the basal portion stil produced plantlets. I propagate my pings in flats with ~ 1.5" of vermiculite covering the bottom thoroughly wetting the vermiculite prior to placing the leaves. I then gradually let the vermiculite dry out, this seems to help the leaves adjust to life off the plant and has increased my yield of plants per leaf. In fact, I have had 8 plantlets develop on the end portion of a P gigantea leaf, 6 of which now have roots.

I would suggest that you feel free to trim the leaves and to also try to propagate the trimmed ends.

-Paul

 

[jimscott]

Paul: Thanks for the guidance.

Alec: The media surface is sand. below it is a mix of perlite, crushed coral, and egg shells.