If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.
I use a commercial mix that's made up of roughly equal parts of peat, perlite and vermiculite with a little bit of lime and a starter fertilizer. The brand I use is Pro-mix, but Fafard is good, and Jungle Growth will do. Or you can mix your own, as we did back in the "olden days".
We used to keep our favorite Impatiens over the winter by rooting a couple of each of them in water. In late winter, we'd break off some more branches of each, root them in water, and then pot them all up so that they could go in the garden when it was warm enough. It was cheery to see them on the window sill, since they'd usually bloom most of the winter. They're one of the few plants that go from glass to pot pretty easily. Another is Coleus.
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I've heard that New Guineas can be rooted in water, but that they're much more likely to rot unless the water is quite warm .
A better way than water is to take cuttings, dip in rooting hormone (IBA is the standard) and put it into a pastuerized, airy and free draining mix, not a mix heavy on peat. I've used plain perlite with success, and also a ground bark/perlite mix. If the mix stays too wet, they'll rot. I think that you said that you had a very humid room for your birds. If I'm not remembering correctly, you'll probably want to tent them with ventilation. Commercial growers use automatic mist systems.
Another thing to try would be to make a Forsyth pot. A Forsyth pot is a pot within a pot. I used to use them when propagating Streptocarpus and Peperomia, both plants that are touchy about drainage. You take a wide pot, like a bulb pan, and a small, clay pot - about a 2" size. Plug the hole of the 2" pot so that it will hold water. Start filling the large pot with damp sand. When it's about half full, push the small pot into the damp sand, and continue filling around the small pot with damp sand until it's within about an inch of the rim. Water the sand to settle. Fill the center pot with water, and stick the cuttings in the sand, so that they're not quite touching one another. Place it in a warm, bright spot, and watch the soil temp because the evaporation of the water can cool it below room temp. Soil temp should be about 75F.
With a Forsyth pot, the evaporation of the water from the pot and the sand will usually keep the air around the cuttings moist enough. If you have forced air heat or the room is unusually dry, you might have to use a ventilated cover (plastic bag with a few holes in it), but it's not usually necessary.
At this late time of year, since it's been quite cool already and with the low light levels of autumn, the plants have slowed in growth, you may want to dig up a plant or two and overwinter it besides taking cuttings. Cuttings are sometimes hard to root when the plant growth has slowed.
It looks like you might be able to pot up the lower portions and use the upper to make more plants. It looks like you've got quite nice little plantlets down there. They'll probably need some extra humidity, since they're used to being protected down in the glass.
BTW, they form roots and shoots faster when the flowers are removed, especially as winter daylight becomes more dim. It is cheery when you have blooms though.
I guess I have propagated a few plants over the years. My mother was big on saving every living plant and I learned from her more than half a century ago. She was a wiz at growing new plants, and I used to read a lot, so between us, we must have propagated several thousand plants. I remember bringing a couple hundred African Violets to the church rummage sale every spring starting when I was about 9.
Mostly it means that I have made every mistake there is, so ask away. Maybe I can spare you the errors I've made. I've made a bunch.
I usually leave the seed heads on for the birds. I get at least as much pleasure watching them work the plants as I do from the flowers. Besides, I'm lazy. ;-)
I don't have any African Violets at the moment. I lost all of mine to Cyclamen mite that came in when I bought a plant at an AV show. Even though I'd quarantined it for 3 months, the sneaky little things got past me. I kind of lost heart after that. I think I had to throw out close to 100 plants. It about killed me.
Such a tiny mouse!
I am much lazier than I used to be, on doctor's orders. That doesn't mean I don't over-do. :-)
I have about a hundred bulbs I need to plant but I was moving furniture today to make way for my new player piano. It's amazing how much junk accumulates when you live in one place for more than 25 years. When I get off the forum, I'll be listing more things on Craig's List.
Yes, the piano was delivered last week. I'm sure it's much like yours, since it's a Haines Ampico, built in 1924. My Dad bought it in the 70's and had it rebuilt, then sold it when he and my mother had to move into assisted living about 13 years ago. It's nice to have it back in the family, even though it will need some work. Dad enjoyed listening to it on Sunday.
I was able to sell a pond skimmer and a fig tree on Craig's list, but so far nobody wants the gardening books. I'm surprised, since I priced them so low.
There were close to 90 rolls that came back with the player. Unfortunately, about 20 of them were from the other player he sold to the man and won't work on this one. I'm hoping we can make a swap, because I love the classical rolls, and most of the ones for the Ampico are popular. Among them are "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window? " and "3 Little Fishies", "Muskrat Ramble" and several Christmas rolls, including one cut by Liberace. (It's a reproducing player, so plays what the performer did. ) One that I'm especially glad to have is "The Burning of Rome". My Grandmother used to play that one.
They're one of the few plants that go from glass to pot pretty easily. Another is Coleus.
I recently rooted 3 basil stems in water. Hadn't intended to, but, there were roots, so I stuck the stems in some soil. A week later, one of the stems is still doing well. I think I'll try to do that again some time.
I've always enjoyed seeing what came out of my "toss it in" jar of water. Basil was one of those that rooted several times. They didn't always transition well, but when it was a choice of dumping or planting, I always chose planting. Got some good stuff that way.
