June pictures and chit chat

Streptocarpus 'Bristol's Red Typhoon':

Streptocarpus 'Brocade Velvet'. Not fully open but I like them already. :)

Great growing Olaf!

Thanks Lynn! So far, so good. My Streps haven't given up on me although it has started to get hot around here. Keep your fingers crossed... LOL

I will! Some of mine never make it through the summer,others are troopers.

I think it was Arleen Dewell from Canada who wrote an article for Gesneriads on the subject. She wrote that after a lot of trial an error in her overheated apartment, the solution that wors bes for her is to take some leaves right away and pretty much discard the mother. She says that the babies are much better adapted to her conditions and that she has minimized losses that way. I've made similar observations on Violets.

I think there is a lot of truth in that.Many plants will adjust better when you start them small or from cuttings,instead of trying to adapt a large plant.

Exactly! That's why I usually try to start anything finnicky from seed. Much better success rate. :)

Sinningia nordestina. Very slow but not at all difficult to germinate. It takes about 3 months. The oldest seedlings are a few weeks old, the youngest just geminated a week or so ago. A more recent discovery, it is somewhat of an oddball among the Sinningias. It can act like an annual with no tuber or sometimes make very small tubers. The flowers look mor like a Kohleria than a Sinningia. Germination is painfully slow for a Sinningia. Just like Alan LaVergne says on his website Sinningia & Friends. The habit isn't very tidy but I agree with Alan LaVergne that it is worth a try. :)

Episcia 'Pink Panther' is, in fact, a weed. LOL But she's so pretty!

Well, i would love to have weeds that looked like that! You all really grow some beautiful plants.

Melanie

Thanks Melanie!

I wasn't exaggerating when I called Episcia 'Pink Panther' a weed. It's so easy (maybe too easy...) to grow and bloom. Maybe you should try growing it and see for yourself... :)

You too can grow pretty weeds!

Olaf

Sinningia 'Flair':

Sinningia speciosa seedling #1. Any day now...

I thought i'd bore you with an AV

Picaso.

Thanks for boring us, Helene! This is beautiful. Again: Give me pink/purple fantasy. Just so irresistable...

Diastema vexans. Buds. Finally. Now, if I can manage not to blast them...

Streptocarpus 'Brocade Velvet'. I have been able to keep this one alive and happy enough to get flowers. It's from the raffle table and I'm glad I brought it home. :)

Sinningia mini NOID:

Sinningia 'Snowbird'. At least the anthers are halfays sharp in this picture... :)

No such thing as too many Gessies!

Sinningia 'Gabriel's Horn Mutant'. Going and going...

Sorry folks! The rhizomes are gone.

Olaf I think you are showing off. Meant in good gist.
Selby Garden in Chicago???

You keep saying that, Helene. LOL

Thanks so much! It's much appreciated. I'm pretty new to the hobby and I sometimes can't believe it myself, how well everyone is doing...

You both make me green with envy!! LOL! I can not for the life of me get a strep to live longer than a month, much less root a leaf! I have sinningia Gabriel's Horn...never has bloomed, but it hasn't died either. It takes someone special to raise these beauties

Melanie

Hey Melanie!

You're being too hard on yourself here! What Sinningias and many other of the commonly grown Gesneriads need is an open mix, good moisture without being soggy, 1/4" fertilizer with every watering. A nice, bright East or West window that can get a bit of morning or evening sun and you're off to a good start.

Many Sinningias (both species and hybrids) as well as Kohlerias, for example, can take or even require quite a bit of direct sun.

Streptocarpus don't like the heat and prefer it more on the cool and humid side. Many Streptocarpus species grow along cold streams in the forest with a cool and humid micro climate. The commonly grown hybrids tolerate the heat more or less well.

For example: most Sinningias, Episcias and Kohlerias, given good moisture, don't have any or very little problems with excessive Summer heat. Episcias thrive in temperatures above 80 degrees while some Streptocarpus can and will croak above 75 degrees.

For further reading and to get a pretty good glimpse into the fascinating world of Gesneriads, I can only recommend Ron Myhr's amazing Gesneriad Reference Web:

http://gesneriads.ca/


You too can do it!

Olaf

Sinningia 'Ozark Red Lightning'. Could easily be my favorite red mini Sinningia.

Streptocarpus. Two volunteer seed pods ready to pop. Yesterday they were still green.

Sinningia mini NOID, deep purple. What not to do with a mini Sinningia when repotting. LOL A lesson in how brittle their crowns are. Oh, well, now it's a tuber with the buds of three new shoots and a crown cutting... This truly isn't a disaster. The crown should be rooted in a few weeks and by that time, the tuber should be almost ready to bloom again. :)

And the flowers are so pretty...

Episcia 'Thad's Diamond Dust'. Putting on a show.

Different angle:

Episcia 'Pixie Dust'. Little Episcia, little flower. :)

Streptocarpus 'Brocade Velvet':

And the picture...

Streptocarpus 'Pale Ryder':

Closeup:

Olaf , Olaf Olaf, we cannot keep up with you.
i'd like a piece of the Epys but in the makings is that I may have to move up North. no more large Apt. - life is sad. Keeping Fl. but only for vacations - that is in the thinking stage as I don't like living alone...

Thanks Helene! I know. But in the last few days, everything has truly burst into bloom around here and I couldn't help but posting all those pics and letting you all share the joy I have growing those plants. :)

Oh wow! I'm sorry to hear that you're thinking about moving. I know how hard it is to start all over. And that's what a move usually is. I wish you all the best and hope that you will be happy in your new place.

Olaf