African Violets and Gesneriads: Official Leaf Trade Reports HERE!!!, 1 by 1gardengram

1gardengram wrote:
I don't have a way to put in lights so mine are in two of those small greenhouses. I put them on old coffee tables from the thrift stores to get all three of their shelves up high enough for the light through the windows. I have miniblinds on those windows but don't ever close them. The AVs and other plants in there have bright light all day and then very late afternoon sun that filters around among them year-round. I bought some heat mats that are really meant for lizards (or something). I just put three mats in each greenhouse down below the bottom shelf and let the heat rise. The mats don't have thermostats so I just open the greenhouses for a while if they start to get too warm. I keep that room cool year-round and my plants did horribly until I put them in the first greenhouse. That went so well that I purchased the second one and expanded. See picture attached.

Edited to say that I usually have the blinds down, just open. Don't know why they were all the way up this particular day.

I also have several AVs in terrariums, both in an old aquarium and in large glass jars (like cookie jar size) that I got from the thrift shops. The aquarium is just lit by the regular tubular light. The terrariums all sit inside windows that get bright light all day. I have to say that all the AVs in terrariums are so pretty and healthy looking that I wish I could put all of mine into that kind of set-up.

This message was edited May 7, 2007 1:35 PM