I was recently looking in the want/have list section of this forum and noticed that ther are quite a few people who are wanting and/or have AVs or other Gesneriads. Seeing this gave me an idea. I don't know how practical this would be or if it would even be worth trying but I would love to see something like the Seed Trade started for us AV/Gesneriads growers. Something that can be started where a list or actual leaves, stolons and/or plantlets are sent and is willing to trade. That list will then be kept and then a Thread would be opened in the trading area where an equal number of people who are interested in the exchange can sign up for the mailing route. However, I would like to have it open to anyone not just a specific group of people, but of course those people who want to participate must be able to replace their picks with new items to be sent to the next person on the exchange list.
I'm not sure if this would be something others might be interested in or if it would even be possible without being overly expensive, but figured I would ask to see if anyone is interested in trying to develop a mailing list exchange. We could even call it the "Great Blue Turaco African Violet Exchange" so as not to have it mixed up with the "round robin seed trade"
Anyone have any ideas or comments ?
Anyone Interested or is there already something like this in place ?
btw, here is a link if anyone is interested in what a Great Blue Turaco is - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blue_Turaco
Would There Be Any Interest In....
Hey, Silver and welcome to our forum :)
Are you talking about something like a "round robin"?...we have them here. Nothing has started up yet and I am sure it has to do with the weather because it is still too cold in some places. Someone starts with a box of mixed gessies and sends it to one of the members signed up for this. That person takes out what they want and replaces what they take and so on. There will be a thread posted for sign up when one starts. I did not participate last year because I was new to this thread and had nothing to put back into the box.
We all have spring fever so I am sure one will start up shortly as soon as the weather cooperates :) Can't wait!!!
Connie
Connie,
lol... yes that is exactly what I'm talking about. I guess I just haven't been around long enough to notice or see the Gessies/AV exchange thread. Granted I don't have hardly anything yet in the way Of a Gessie/AV collection but am working toward having a small collection I can work with and propagate for trades. Who knows I may even try to crossbreed, but I think I'll have to wait a bit before I get into the crossbreeding as I really do not know how to go about crossbreeding properly.
And yes as you can tell I too am catching the spring fever and hope to be able to participate, but first I think I need to add more plants to my collection before I'll be able to participate.
Thank you for the information as it is a great help :)
Katie
Katie there are some REALLY awesome trading and round robins that take place here and this has to be one of the most generous group of ladies you have ever met in your life.
I won't be partaking this year due to the fact that I am just starting over but I do love to hybridize (cross breed) and as soon as my plants are large enough I will certainly be hybridizing and sharing lots of seed.
I also plan to put leaves down this spring so that I have nice size plants to share with folks next year.
So unfortunately for this season my goal is to put together a nice collection of plants and next year to have LOTS of things to offer.
But I love to watch everyone trade and see what everyone receives. It's so much fun and exciting.
Kim
I agree, Kim! Even though I had a few NOIDS...I knew no one wanted them and just set out BUT I also loved to read the posts to see what everyone got and how excited they were to find all of those little treasures. I have put some more leaves down so I can be ready this time and share my little finds :) FUN FUN FUN!!!
I can't wait to see more of your crosses, Kim!!! It is so exciting when Jan posts those pics. You do GOOD, Girl!!!
Connie
Connie thank you SO much, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your words of encouragement.
I REALLY enjoyed hybridizing streps. But out there "in the gessie world" there are alot of people that are focusing on streps.
Chirita seem to be overlooked and for some reason it's the chirita that have always called my name.
So my main focus right now is acquiring as many chirita that I can to use in hybridizing. I have a set goal in mind and am speaking with a renowned hybridizer regarding my goal and it seems there isn't really anyone focusing on it. So I have some big plans in place but it's going to take a bit (did you see the size of my chirita that arrived?..........they are TINY! It is going to take me at least a year before I can start crossing those ones!) but I'm hoping in a year or two to have some nice crosses to offer others.
If there is a plant that "speaks" to you...........that's the plant you are going to have the most drive to reproduce. For me, it's always been chirita (with a small emphasis on Nematanthus & larger Sinningia too).
This time around I'm hoping not to do as much propagating but more hybridizing. I want to get seed out there for others to start and see the outcomes. I can't tell you how much it brings joy to my heart to see that Jan has taken the time to start some of my seed and to see the beautiful blooms they are producing (even though I don't even have the plants anymore). I just LOVE seeing "what could be".
Okay; probably bored you to death by now................by the way..........just ordered 4 more chirita to use for hybridizing :) Woo Hoo!
Kim
No, I really enjoy hearing of others experiences hybridizing and participating in the trades, and of course since I only have 3 plants right now I just do not have the variety needed to do much in the way of participating or hybridizing right now. I am trying to cross my "Margit" with my "Rita" look a like to see what type of bloom I might get from them but honestly if it works I'll be more surprised than anyone else..lol The only thing I've done is taken the bloom sand rubbed the stigma on the anthers in the hopes of pollenating the 2 to produce seeds to plant in order to see what color blooms I get. I'm not concerned about the foliage since they both have the same leaf type in shape and color. But I'm just curious as to what the bloom will look like. One is a solid Dark Blue/Purple star bloom while the other is a ruffled White semi-double/double Star with Dark Rose/Pink colored thumbprints on the bottom 3 petals only. The cross, if it works, should be very interesting to say the least..lol
I appreciate all the help and I knew about the Round Robin but didn't know if there was a seperate "Round Robin" that was strictly for AVs and other Gesneriads :)
Well, when you are in the AV And Gesneriad forum; if there are any Round Robins (we do mostly alot of trades) going on, they will be posted here first.
I wish you the best of luck on your very first cross! I hope you get a big fat bud. If you do, be sure to let it dry on the plant until it turns brown and is almost ready to split OK?
I can't wait to start crossing!
Kim
You are on your way, Kim! I also love the florist sinns. (big ones). I have 4 of D.T.'s and love them. I have always loved Episcias as they remind me of my Grandmother. I had NO clue how many were out there until I FINALLY figured out what the name of the plant was LOL!!! Of course, I was always around A.V.s and thanks to some members on here, I have learned what streps and chiritas were and a few other gessies that I didn't know existed.
Katie, I wish you luck also on your crosses. Pat Hancock was a guest speaker on another forum and I learned quite a bit from her. She is very interesting and talented I might add.
Kim, you are rubbing elbows with some very interesting and talented hybridizers yourself (and others here). I am a member and I keep telling Jan and Lynn if I ever get caught up I will post more. I get in on the tail end of things and then something else comes up LOL!!! I see Shanika won!!! Whoo Hoo!!! WTG!!!!
Connie
Is this a ladies only thing or can a male Sinningia grower get in the act? I would be delighted to swap mini-sinns for other genera, and the idea of a mixed box is appealing.
Welcome, Vadis!
Oh my gracious...the more the merrier and I don't think anyone cares what sex you are. Whoo hoo! Another Sinn. grower. The swaps are very appealing because you don't know what you will find in that box. It won't be long before it will start up so get ready (grin).
You can also post your haves and wants on the sticky thread above. Members here like to trade so that will help expand your collection. They also play Bingo in the warm months so that is another way to add to your collection. This forum is full of wonderful people :)
Connie
Welcome Vadis and yes.............the more the merrier! It's SO nice to see the forum start to liven up a little more :) Would love to hear more about your collection and see some pictures :) I am really enjoying everyone's pictures alot.
Connie I never grown the florist gloxinias; however, Thompsen's are AMAZING! To me florist glox have always seemed so difficult. I once bought one in full bloom but it didn't take me long to kill it *lol*
I like sinningia alot but am really touched by the eumorpha/conspicua shaped larger growers for some reason. A dear friend from here is putting together a nice box for me to get me started again. I'm sure once they get big enough I will be "dabbing" away. She sent me some seed of White Sprite and I'm looking forward to those sprouting. I'm hoping to get better at seed starting so that when I start crossing I can grow some of them out. *lol*
I just won this auction on E-Bay for a few miniatures she's sending me :)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330413619111&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Aren't they cute?
I certainly wouldn't classify myself as a hybridizer because I'm not. I'm just a willy nilly let's see what this will do kind of hobby grower. There are some real hybridizers out there though that really know the science of it, back crossing, genetics, etc. I don't. I simply cross pretty with pretty to see what might happen *lol*
Yes, there are some truly wonderful people on here (including yourself) that are some of the biggest hearts. I'm SO happy to be back. I'm really looking forward to when things start really growing. Right now I am enjoying the few babies that have arrived thus far :) It will be a while before they bloom though that is certain but the fun is in watching them mature :)
I'm going to my first plant show/convention in September. I am SO excited about it. I have never been to one! I'm sure I will just be in total awe all day. I can't wait!
Today is the first day of spring! It's supposed to be in the mid 60's here in Maine. LOTS of yard work to do. Woo Hoo.
Kim
Good Morning All;
Got off to a cool start this am, after having such a nice warm day yesterday. Oh well, monday is suppose to be warm again. oohhh, can't wait. lol Yes there is alot of people on this forum who do swaps.I have been part of them for some time. Always excited about that.I am ready to swap, whenever there are others also.I do have some mini sinns also to swap. So here is hoping we can do this soon.I also have leaves of kei yoki for anyone who will pay postage i can send you a leaf,so send me a dmail with your name & add.
mrsbonnie
What a nice e-mail to read while I drink my morning coffee, Kim :) Great find on those pots! You will be ready now and I know you will be getting some beauties from my wonderful "Sista" (grin). I read where you were going to build your collection up slowly. Are you just going to grow "other" gessies or will you be adding A.V.s to it also? I WAS SO BAD and ordered a few more A.V.s last night. Couldn't help it...addiction has taken over! LOL!!! I promised everyone that I would have some to share this spring and it is looking very promising now. I did have a set back and got some sick A.V.s but I think I am back on the road again. YAY!!!!!
Hey, mrsbonnie!!! AWESOME!!! I will be d-mailing you. I hope I can grow it. Seems like the ones that I want badly die on me. I think I baby them too much.
We woke up to snow this morning UGH! It was so nice out yesterday and it is supposed to warm up tomorrow, but today....feels like we are right back to winter. Where are you, Spring? You are supposed to be here today :( HA!!! I hope this is the end of it.
Connie
Good Morning All,
Connie, quite honestly.........I'm not a huge fan of AV's. There are select ones I like and plan to bring the AV's to work and keep the "other gessies" at home. I really am a bigger fan of the "other" gessies. Especially chirita, nematanthus and larger growing sinnigia. I like some of the smaller sinningia too but really gravitate to the larger ones.
Oh no, I better get dressed.....hubby is already out there in the yard and I'm sitting here in jama's *lol*
More later :)
Kim
LOL... you guys and gals really know how to brighten any day :)
I'm glad to see so much interest in hobby hybridizing as well as those that are interested in becoming a true hybridizer. I've been mixing soil up to get ready to buy more of the $1.00 5" terra cotta clay pots I found at Wal-Mart the other night when I went up to the store to get some Zantac for my hubby. That 2lb bag of really small stones (something they're calling natural "beach" sand) about the size of perlite pieces. I think that will work wonderfully in the soil and make it light enough for my AVs to be very happy :)
While I love the AVs I also love a lot of the other Gessies as well and would love to have a smalll collection of all different types of gessies. You never know but I may even come up with e AV x "other" Gessie cross ;) But that will take me some researching to find out if that is even possible and if so how to work toward crossing things to get what I want. You never know, I may even decide to take a "leap of faith" and close my eyes and see what happens ..lol j/k Anyway, I would like to try to create some unique and one of a kind gessies whether AV or otherwise just to have something no one else has that I can share with those interested. Connie, thank you I'll be sure to post any progress I see so everyone can see how things turn out including any plants I am able to grow from the cross :)
Kim, Thank you for the advice as it is always appreciated to hear what those experienced in hybridizing have learned and experienced. I went to the AVSA's website before I started trying to crossbreed my two AVs and did see where it said to leave the bloom/bud on the plant until it drys out and practically falls of the plant. I've been making sure to also keep up on fertilizing them so that they have the necessary nutrients needed in order to produce a seed bud :) I've been looking and checking my plants regularly to make sure they don't get dried out and to make sure that they don't get "sick" either. Luckily, for now I've been keeping them inside under a grow light so I can check on them daily if needed. However, both plants that I'm crossing are just blooming away as if they are the happiest plants in the world. I when I did the pollinated I did so over a week period so as to give myself the best possibility of a success mating. Here a picture a bloom from the beauty that donated her pollen to my crossbreeding attempt.
Okay Kim...rub it in. It has been snowing ALL day long and you just had to tell us you were going out to play in the dirt. Okay...we did that 2 days ago when it was warmer so I can't pick on you too much :)
I love the glox I have and can't wait for them to grow. D.T. is the only one I know of right now that grows the big ones. Mine went dormant for a very short period and they are growing back now. I think I can try to start leaves and hope a tuber forms. I have Jean, Samantha, Nancy and Faye. Can't wait for him to start listing again 'cause there are several that I want. If I remember right, he has one that is double blooming (DROOL)
Very pretty pic, Katie! I have a NOID blooming now that is white and has a pink "thumbprint" pattern on it. I need to be taking pics but I am too lazy to charge my battery. Shame on me...I will blame it on the weather. (I bet if it was nice here like at Kim's I'd feel like it LOL) I will get some pics on shortly. It will take a little while for that seed pod but can't wait to see what you got.
Connie
Hi All;
Well hybridizing seems to be the word here. lol It's always fun to hybrize. I have done it several times.I do have 2 sinningia's that are out there.they are Bonnie's baby & Bonnie's tootie.I did this a few years ago & never did register there names. I might later. It's really fun, but you get so much seed, you wind up with a ton of babies.lol Anyway there is a group called crosswords, that is made up of all hybrizers, they donate some of there seed so others can grow it out.The membership is 8.00 per year & the magazine comes out 3 times a year april, august & dec.It's very intresting & free seed. contact wlacy@snet.net I really like this group.Also good articles.
mrsbonnie
Wow, thanks for the information mrsbonnie, I'll be sure to contact them to see about a membership. As a beginner I'm more doing a "eyes wide shut" experiment. Meaning I don't really know what I'm doing but understand the basic principle of breeding and am hoping for the best..LOL
Well, didn't end up getting much outside work done yesterday *lol* Went outside to find we only had 1 rake. Off to the store.....and another store.........and then home. Then back out to the store *lol*. We got so side tracked (I think we were both too tired to really work outside and were just trying to find excuses to avoid it *lol*).
I did repot some of my new babies though so was happy with that.
I can't wait to hybridize and really look forward to everyone else's hybridizing stories and andeavors. It's so exciting!
SilverTigris what a beautiful "momma" you have up there! I sure hope she sets you some fat pods to watch ripen!
I just joined the GHA that Bonnie mentioned above too :)
Spring is SUCH an exciting time of the year!
Kim
Welcome Vadis. And I guess I didn't welcome Silver Tigris yet either, so welcome! I've been away from the forum for a couple months, missed a lot of posts.
The last Round Robin had all kinds of plants inside the box, not just violets and gesneriads. I got some interesting cuttings.
I guess the trade list is to contact one another if you see something on their list you want or will send. Our round robin is random...but you know who is after you on the mailing list, so you can check their trade list and put something in the box they had wanted if you happen to have it...thats fun too.
tish
Well, I have a lot of babies now so a round robin would be a great idea! I have to get some room on my shelves.
Pat
You and me both!! And the AV Convention coming next month! I have to clean alot of things out.
Wow, spring fever is definitely in the aire... LOL I'm glad to see such an interest. I know there is already an exchange in place but what I'm really hearing is that everyone is ready to start trading and making room for new plants, finding new and unique varieties and just having a wonderful time doing something with others with similar interests, which is GREAT !!!
I'm going to be going out to look at buying more pots today and some hanging baskets. I'm hoping to make like a hanging herb garden as well as a living floral arrangement. I'm not sure how I'm going to do that, but if anyone has any ideas that they think might be interested in seeing using Gessies I'd love to hear your ideas. I was thinking of having a couple of AVs (obviously) but also thinking about having 1 of htem be a trailer and possibly putting that one in the outer edge of the basket and having it wrap around the outside of the basket possibly. However, I am open to suggestions if anyone has any ideas :)
tish,
Thank you for your warm welcome and I am glad I found such a wonderful site full of wonderful people :)
I would love to join in on a swap or round robin. I would like to get some mini sinns. I have some episcias to trade. Lou
I can't participate in a Round Robin right now,but I'm sure anyone is free to start one if they want to..Also be sure to post your want and have lists in that thread and it makes it much easier if you put yourself in the addy exchange.
That said,LOL,I don't really have much of a list posted,but some of us have so many trades already promised or enjoy sending others "surprises",so it's hard to tell what we will have extras of yet.(but you never know......) ^_^
Lynn
Well, I have put down more leaves. Hopefully they will do something in a month or two. I would love to do a swap but I am indebted up to my eyeballs to two ladies who have sent me surprise boxes. I desperately need to get them paid back with something until I can better pay them. I also have a couple of trades in the works. Hmmmm, unless these leaves perform miracles, I might have to sit out on the first round robin too.
Connie
i am always game. even with sending out some other boxes,lol
mrsbonnie
I can't participate this year either but you can bet that I will be well prepared next year :)
Kim
I would love to participate as it was so much fun last fall. I have some babies from the leaves I got then - actually quite a few. I have a few trades planned but not that much. My biggest problem is that things are not growing as fast this winter as I wanted but maybe now that spring is here they will pick up. I have babies that are just taking their sweet time rooting and adding leaves so they can't be shipped yet.
When is that robin box going to be set up? I've got a dozen or so plants (not leaves) ready to swap including two rooted Jewel Orchids. Come on gals, get the lead out or I'll have to build another shelf.......
i am always ready. lol
mrsbonnie
It would be a good time for me too. Overgrown babies...okay they aren't babies anymore and I have been lazy so they are overgrown:) I have some other gessies I could throw in.
Pat
So ....what? we start a new thread with a sign up and deadline and then someone starts by sending a box? I'll start by sending the first box. Someone pick a date for last day to sign up and lets post a new thread! Get this plant trading party started!
tish - who just might be going to convention on Fri or Sat : )
Great!!! I am soooooo for a round robin!! I have lots of plants ready to go (also have to make room for what I bring home from the convention LOL!!!).
Tish, see if you can go on Friday. I plan on being there all day. I was told that Friday was the best day to go. Saturday everyone starts to pack up to go home. I hope to meet you there, along with Jan and Susan.
How 'bout the last day to sign up is April 30 and then we can mail out in May while the weather is still nice?
Pat
Orlando
Sounds good to me! Lou
I would love to participate in this but I will have to bow out on this one. Our daughter is due May 7. "Alexis" is in position and the Dr. says she could come anytime now. When we get the call...we're outa here!!!! There is also a possibility that she might come after the due date. She will be making the call on this LOL!!
Connie
sounds good to me, someone make a thread, so we can sign up.i still don't know how to do that.lol
mrsbonnie
OK. It's posted...Go Sign UP !!!!