African Violets and Gesneriads: Feel free to upload your new blooms - Part III, 1 by cflowr

cflowr wrote:
epi's are pretty easy togrow, for me. I grow them in the basement Fall, winter, & spring at south glass doors. The window is shaded by a deck, sothey don't get sun. They just stop growing during that time. It's always cool, & down to 40 degrees in winter. They need that to bloom well in the spring (I've read). Take them outdoors under the deck stairway in June thru August where they get humidity, & a little filtered sunlight, not much. Feed them with every watering (they grow much better this way), summer thru Fall, until they stop growing with MSU fertilizer (just started using this kind this summer) They need a low nitrogen fert.

during growth period,Don't let them dry out, but do let them dry to the touch. In winer, when cool, they will take longer to dry, let them dry to the touch (same princple as in summer).

Patience is important with these plants, as it takes 2 or 3 years, more for some varieties, to bloom the first time. Then they will be regular, & just keep getting bigger & better. They like to fill there pots well or they will rot easily. I put several cuttings in a 6" pot, if I have them. They can grow for 2 years in that size pot. I like to grow them in shallow hanging baskets. Mist them with water in the winter, & occasionally with safer soap in the water to keep the fungus nats & mites away. Really works.

If you're looking for a hybrid to buy, venetian is one of the best (large flower & very double). I'm definitly not an expert, but have been told about venetian by the experts.
I have:
gladys jones (violet)
meda (yellow & white)
deutsche kaiserin (pink with some white)
cyrptocereus anthonyanus (ric rac, zig zag) (pink & cream)
hylocereus undatus (strawberry pear, dragon fruit, etc.) (extra large flower, white & green, upright, trianular growth-& picky, edible fruit)

By summer I should have some cuttings of Deutsce kaiserin (just starting to get side branches - you can prune these to keep your plant attractive, if desired) I let them grow anyway they want, sofar, even the giant pink one pictured above.

Here's my deck I grow them under.

Cindy