Growing a AV trailer the japanese way

Not gonna stop ya! LOL!

Lin, I am repeating myself but our club president told me that the Japanese method is no longer used but was very popular in the 90's...............Jan found this article in a 1992 AVSA magazine and we thought it sounded like fun!!

Whew! I just read through this entire thread (except for my long winded posts, LOL.)

Have y'all started on your experimental project yet? It really sounds very interesting and fun and even if I don't join in, I am going to be watching and hopefully learning about trailing African Violets! I just can't decide if I want to hook up a light stand again. It seems like I just don't find the time for paying a lot of attention to plants anymore. I have tons of plants outside on the pool deck, the covered deck, back porch, front porch and in the yard. But, all I have to do with them is turn the garden hose on and drag it around spraying a few times a week! I have a few generic plants inside the house but none that require much light, and I walk around with a little pitcher to water them every couple of weeks. The older I get the more lax my attention span gets it seems!

I printed out the article Jan supplied about the Japanese way of training and growing the trailers and I printed out the article Critterologist wrote back in January, so I'm going to be reading up tonight ... as well as googling and looking at pictures of AV's! ^_^

I'm going to be watching this thread for updates, I see it's over 100 posts already ... so I will watch for the continuation thread too!

Lin

Ok, just caught up with the whole thread!

I have a few grown trailers I will try this with, as well as a few small trailer babies from Jim that I can use to go along with the group!

Nichole, how do you print up Jan's articles from here???????? Does anyone know?

Hey, Gail! I just saved the photo on my computer, and then opened it and printed the photo (on a regular paper). Hope it helps?

I was waiting for a flag-waving for the official start? Is everybody ready? Are we starting this? Just say when for me, please! Jan, are you feeling better?

Best wishes to all!

Edited to add, there were 4 photos total, so 4 pages printed...

This message was edited Aug 19, 2009 8:28 PM

Thanks, Goofy!!! (LOL)

I printed out the four pages too. Great information, even if I don't try growing a trailer right now.

I think Jan is still under bed/chair arrest!

Then, I think, we should wait for her

Gail you're welcome. I never printed a "photo" before, but it worked just as well. Looks like a regular copy of an article. (I have to confess that the 3rd page I printed as a smaller size, just because our printer was almost out of toner... and it has a big photo in it.

I really hope that you are doing well Jan!! You just take your time and get better, we will all be here whenever you are ready!!

Hi everybody! I'm much better Thanks!

Let's get started on this project, if everyone has there trailer?? It's going to take some time and we won't have much to post about for awhile anyway,as the article says it will take months,nice winter project.

Nichole,glad your going to be joining us with this project.

Miss Lin,I hope you get a trailer to do this with us.You won't need to set up your lights,maybe at the begining you could put the trailer under a table light till it starts getting going.Trailers grow well in natural light too.We can hold up on starting till you get one?

Time to do soon surgery on your plants.LOL.If you look at the first page of the article,figure one.you need to take off all the leaves except the four leaves and repot into another pot. and put the plant under stong light.The instructions are for a standard trailer so if your growing a mini or semi mini I would think you would cut down on the size of the pot.

Have fun,Jan

Jannich, so glad you are back!! Glad to hear you are better!!!

Ok, I'm ready, so when you say go -I'll go! LOL

Thanks so much for this group project!!

Laura H

I have the instructions printed out now......just have to find them and do what it says............what fun we are going to have throughout the winter months........comparing notes!

I guess we should do a "roll-call"? By no means I want to take a lead (I'll be lucky if I manage to stay in the game until finish!), just trying to help out Jan, the starter of the experiment and of the thread.

I went up the thread and made this list, if you want to try but didn't speak up yet, do it now! I marked "ready" the people that (clearly) said they have a plant to start with. Please forgive me and correct me if I did any mistake on the list or if I missed anyone. Also, if you've got a trailer plant and you're ready, give a shout!

jannich - ready
RainGazer - ready
gessiegail - ready
aspenjocop - ready
meag848
Sallysblooms
lhettenhausen - ready
mrsbonnie - ready
phoebesviolets
jmp24 - ready
avpat
goofybulb - ready (Thanks, Jan!)
plantladylin
Syrumani - ready

I'm looking forward for the start, it would be great if it happens this weekend! Jan, wave the checkered flag for us!

Let's all have a beautiful weekend!
Alexandra

OOPS, I thought Jan said "go". So I went:
Here is Cirelda, MiriWinni, and Shiawasse Trail (sp?)

Tell me it didn't just break my heart to remove all of those leaves. I will dome then for a few days then take them out, to get over the shock.

Well, I think if we all begin within a week to 10 days interval, it should be OK! Good start, Melanie! I didn't yet, I'm mostly a follower and I was waiting for the more experienced to post their starting pic.

I have plants but will not be back home to start mine until Sept. 1st. I'll just catch up if you need to get started. Good luck everyone!

Pat

meag.....you have to let them grow awhile before you start taking off leaves. We will all be in different places as we go along. Your babies need to grow a long time. This will be a long process going into the winter and spring.........so don't panic and ruin your baby plants!

My Shiawasse Trail is looking very healthy now and I thought it would be strong enough to start this. I just cut the leaves off of mine. So you think it was too soon to try this?

Connie

Oops again. Good thing that I didn't put all my eggs in one basket. I do have extras. So we will see what happens.

I just read over the instructions again, and it says, "First of all, remove the lower foliage of the young plantlet..." so I think going ahead and removing the leaves right when we begin with the small plants is correct. That's the first instruction given.

I haven't started mine yet, but I can at anytime. Was kinda waiting on Jan to drop the green flag and scream, "GO!!!" LOL Jan when you're ready to start, why don't you start us a new thread with the official go-ahead to start?

Otherwise, for those who have already begun, I agree with goofybulb that a few days either way aren't going to make a huge difference. Everyone's plants are probably at a little bit different stage, anyway. ^_^

That makes me feel better, RainGazer! Also, I don't have a place right now for grow lights because we have been remodeling. I did go purchase an Ott-Lite which is a desk top light for plants. How long are they supposed to be under the lighting each day? I have never used lighting before for plants just windows.

Connie

Hmm, I don't know. I'd probably put them pretty close under the light and aim for about 14 hours a day. You should probably start out with a shorter amount of time, and work up to 14 hours so they don't burn.

But then, you have to understand, I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal. I turn my lights on when I get up and turn them off when I go to bed. So, they get somewhere between 14 and 20 hours of light a day. LOL I do nothing by the books, so this experiment will actually be an experiment and lesson in following the rules for me, too! LOL I've never used an Ott-Lite either, so I don't know how intense that light will be.

Anyone else want to suggest how long her plants should be under the Ott-Lite?

That's okay. I appreciate you answering. I will start it out for about 10 hours and move up.

Thanks RainGazer!

Connie

Rain..........I certainly don't know what I am doing so glad you stepped in so Melanie wouldn't think she had done the wrong thing............sorry melanie and aspenjocop!!!
gail

I think I will just wait and follow what they say...........and nothing else (smiling)......since I have only grown trailers the new way.

****edited to say that I have read and reread the instructions and there is nothing about light except using the center of the light for strong lighting.......nothing about 14 hours a day. I have never used 14 hours a day unless it is the three weeks before a show having worked up to that point one hour more a week.

This message was edited Aug 21, 2009 4:43 PM

That is a long day of light. I have never used that much light before.

I needed some advice on the amount of light for the experiment and also in gereral. I have never used grow lights and when I called the company to ask they said it was up to me. The bulb is 13 watts and the co. said that it will not dry out the plants and it won't burn them. Just thought someone else who uses grow lights would have an imput on how long an average daily usage would be.

Connie

Sally,

Do you give your Ember Lace more or less light than your other episcias?

Hi Connie,

I recently installed some plant lights on bookcase shelves. They are 17 watt blubs that give off the light of 40 watt bulbs. I found them at Walmart for about $10.00 per light. I have them on timers set for about 14 hours of light. I also lined the shelves with reflective mylar sheeting to get the most light possible on the plants. Now these lights are certainly not as bright as the shop lights I have over my other violets, but they seem to be doing a good job. Using the mylar allows me to use just 1 bulb per shelf instead of 2. It's been a couple of weeks now and my miniature AVs look just fine. Over time, I'm sure I'll have to experiment some with different types of violets to see what works best. Even my variegated plants seem to be fine under these lights. Hope this helps.

Pat

Yes it does. Thanks, Pat! The bulb on this is short so I might be able to get two small plants under it. Right now it is just the one for the experiment. There is about 7-7 1/2 inches from the light to the plant. I am not sure what the spacing should be, but the light extends out from the top of the frame.

Connie

My bulbs are 24" long but need a shelf about 30" long to allow for the overall length of the entire unit. I was surprised at the difference the mylar made in how the light was distributed more evenly to all the plants. It seems to do a really good job. You just can't always use shop lights. I think it's worth experimenting to find what works in different situations.

Pat

Where did you get the mylar, Pat?

I bought it on Ebay from Sunset Hydroponics. It's easy to use. It comes rolled like wrapping paper. Just measure and cut to fit the space you need to cover. I used double stick tape to hold it in place. It only took minutes to line a shelf with it. One piece about 12" high covered the back and both sides of a bookcase shelf. The rolls are about 48" wide and come in different lengths starting at 25'. I'm going to get some of the chrome shelves and shop lights. When I do, I plan to use the mylar on them too. It really seems to make a difference.

Pat

Aspen, my Ember Lace's like as much light as the other violets. About 8-9 hours a day. Same as the Cleopatra's. My other Episcia's are in my bay window. VERY happy that I brought them inside with this odd heat.

I have heard that, Pat...............and now listening to you say it again, I am going to order some. Thanks again
gail

Thanks, Sally.