Suggestions for a Spring Round Robin

That would be great, Olaf. I'll look for them in the box. Thanks.

You're welcome! No problem, Eileen!

Oh, btw: Do you have Stapelia gigantea, Haworthia coarctata and Aloe attenuata? All three are very tough and make nice clumps... :)

I have staplia giganta, but it's still too small to put in ground. I could put it there and leave it in the pot.

That may be the smartest with Stapeliads anyway as they resent getting wet in Winter and you can literally watch them collapse from rot in front of your eyes... :(

Here's a little progress report on my preparations for the RR:

Saintpaulia 'Cirelda', 'Ness' Dynomite', 'Lil' Runaround' and 'Rob's Tippy Toe'

Sinningia 'Mighty Mouse', 'Wood Nymph', concinna and 'Lil' Tiger'

Sinningia muscicola and 'Super Orange'

Sinningia 'Super Orange' and pusilla

Sinningia pusilla and muscicola

Sinningia 'Hircon' and pusilla

Saintpaulia 'Rob's Love Bite'. All those leaves from only one plant... LOL

Begonia 'Erythrophylla Helix'

I started some Chrysothemis "Black Flamingo" today, and some more Episcia. Ronnie, Alice's Outback, and others. Do you guys want me to send Episcia that need terrariums to grow well, or just mark them? Most of the E. lilacinas do better with a terrarium, and all of the variegated ones do too.

Hi Olaf,

You seem to be getting everyone stirred up for a Spring Round Robin. Could you please explain to those of us who don't know, how this sort of thing works.

Thanks in advance.

Earle

Episcias are always popular and pretty much everyone wants to grow a pink one. :)

Alright, as for the RR, this would be my forst one as well and I'm not sure if I entirely understood the rules myself.... LOL

Maybe, if someone who has participated in a RR before could explain it again to all us newbies?!? Pretty please... :)

Olaf

Nichole is our moderator and (I think) organizes them. I've only been in one on DavesGarden. I'll D-mail her & see if she can tell us all, or there are some others who are more experienced, like Lynn, Jan, Bonnie, Eileen, Tish...
Jamie

What I've seen before, is that we start off a box, and then it goes to everyone on the list, in order. You take as many plants as you add in, and mail it to the other person. I think for things like AV leaves or strep leaves, it's nice to take them out and trim them if they need it, or if you look at a plant and know it won't make it to the next person without dying, I will keep it and grow it out, just to give/trade it later. It's nice if people commit to re-send the box the day after you receive it, it just keeps the contents fresher.

Thanks for the heads up! That's the way, I remembered it.

Makes perfect sense to clean up the cuttings and forward the box as soon as you can.

I have heard before that sometimes the box makes several rounds... :)

Sometimes it does :)

That's such a cool way to both get and distribute plants. Particularly the harder to find ones. Can't wait for warmer weather... LOL

That would be fun to make more rounds, then you can add people who were late to start. I also think it's important for people to just take one of a single plant so there's some to share with the others down the line, unless the plants are at their end longevity wise. For example, if there are 5 stolons of Episcia 'Genevieve', don't take all five to make you a nice full new pot. Also, try to replenish the box with about the same amount you took out. I don't want to be too picky here, but don't take 15 things out & only add 2 new things back before sending it on to the next person. Pack it well too- so there's not a mess. I've packed poorly in the past & learned this. I hate that I passed all those beauties on and the person got a jumbled box full of dirt! There are some good directions out there on how to do it correctly.

Everybody stock up on Press'n'Seal and Zip Loc bags... LOL

You have a point there, Jamie!

Proper packaging probably is the most important thing!

Another thing worth pointing out is that I would recommend (rooted) cuttings over mature plants in pots where possible. For example, I would trim off any large crown off a Sinningia and wash the mix off the tuber before shipping it. This saves room, weight and therefore shipping costs. Also, it makes packaging much, much easier.

I'll also add that leaves travel better than fragile, newly-rooted plantlets for AV and streps, and stolons for episcias.

I agree!

If you have to send very small plantlets, it's a safer bet to leave them attached to the leaf and just ship the whole thing. Much better chance of survival than a plantlet all by itself.

Here's two prop boxes that I started last night.

Cool! I'm getting the feeling that we'll wind up sending two or three boxes around... LOL

Well, I'm selling stuff for our club sale too & other forums may have a RR. I don't propagate every leaf. There is usually a large mixing bowl full of leaves to throw away when I finish grooming. Compost. The most recent AVSA magazine had a funny article about 'hoarding'.

Here are the instructions from a RR that I participated in last fall. It was a great RR. It moved very quickly because no one took longer than a day to pass on to next person.


Here's the rules:

1. I need you full name, address, email address, and telephone number optional. I will post a complete list of those participating. We may end up with a East and West box, depending on the number of participants.
2. If you will be on vacation during the months of March or April (maybe May) but still wish to participate, please state what dates you will be gone and you will be placed on the list accordingly.
3. You need to send me a message that you received the box and a message to the next person on the list, letting them know when the box is going out to them so they can expect it.
4. I think it would be fun if each post what they kept out of the box. You don't have to list what you put in, just what you take out, keep the box contents quiet for surprise.
5. Please discard any dying, mush, or questionable leaves and replace if you can.
6. No restrictions....can be leaves, or other gessies, or even cuttings from a house plant (but try to keep this to a minimum). The fun part is "shopping" through the box, as you never know what will be in it, however, must be plant material.
7. A list will be included in the box, please cross out your name and the next in line will be sent the box, with myself receiving the box back at the end of the round. Make sure the list stays with the box. The box must be sent Priority Mail. (less than 8.00 depending upon where in the US its going). This will be the big priority mail box.
8. We just need to remember that if you are going to participate, the box has to be out in a real timely fashion to keep everything moving along and keep the leaves fresh.

Thanks to all. I have a clear picture now. All I have to do is decide to participate. I spent a good part of last week potting up young AV plants with more to come this week. Leaves can be harvested most any time. The mystery of it makes it sound like fun and worth the Priority Mail postage.

Earle

Thanks for explaining the rules, Eileen! Makes perfect sense! :)

Jamie, we're all hoarders, aren't we? LOL

Earle, I agree with you! A boat load of plants for the price of flat rate shipping? Unbeatable!

Olaf

I'm a cutting hoarder as well, but I do give them away at work.

I have learned over the years to part with the less than desirable cuttings and only keep the good ones, except in case of emergency...

For example, I just stuffed a whole garbage bag full of Kohlerias because they wouldn't have made good cuttings.

I rather wait for Spring in cases like this and take cuttings from fresh, new shoots full of vigor.

Here's what I heard from Nichole:

A Round Robin is basically this: One person (I'd be willing) starts a box . . . since this is the AV & G forum, the RR could have AV's, streps, sinn., chirita's, etc. - both plants and/or leaves. So, person 1 would start the box with - for example - 15 baggies of leaves and 6 starter plants. Person 1 would priority mail the box to person 2. Person 2 would take what they wanted out of the box, and replace the items taken with like items (leaves for leaves, etc. - or could be 5 leaves for 1 plant - details could be worked out). Person 2 would then priority mail the box to person 3, and so on, and so on, etc. The last person to get the box would priority mail it back to Person 1.

and this too:

the person who sends the initial box (again, I'd be willing), will also need to have a list of each participants mailing addresses (printing the address labels in advance is great). Depending on the number of participants, it may be feasible to have 2 separate round robins going at once . . . would need a second person to volunteer to start the 2nd box .


Now if it were just Spring already....

What Nichole told you is right, Jamie. Olaf posted an interest thread when I brought up the idea of having one in the spring so I assumed he was going to take it over. The only thing I would add to what info Nichole gave you is the interest/sign up needs to be posted right before the RR starts and what is in the box should be a surprise for the receiver. It is so much fun to get a box not knowing what's inside. If you all know what everyone is growing for the RR, then you know what's in the box before you open it. Just a thought but you all can do it however you wish to. It is always fun to read the posts of what each person finds in the box. Some might even post pics . You get all excited seeing what someone who was # 9 on the list got out of the box knowing you are #11. You just can't wait for your turn. However ya'll decide to do it, have fun!

Connie

Hey Connie!

Well, when I started this thread, it was just suppost to be a bit of a brain storm in order to coordinate the RR a little better.

I didn't intend to take over the RR in no way but certainly would if prompted to.

You definitely have a point regarding the surprise factor. However, I think that a little bit of planning and coordination can help make things run a little smoother.

In any regard, I can't wait for this show to get on the road and hope for plenty of participants! :)

Olaf

I don't know how I missed this thread. I never pass up a chance to participate in a RR. It is very economical and fun! Like many of you, my only outlet for gessies is online, and when the postage is added, they can become expensive quickly. Even if a person only takes three or four items, it is well worth the cost of forwarding the box.

I have some cuttings started and will start some more now that I found this thread.
One suggestion that worked well on another forum, was to send a "North" box and a "South" box( According to participants addresses) and they traveled very quickly and the items stayed fresh. The starter could then switch the routes and everyone could get the benefit of the second box.

I would be interested in terrarium plants if they are marked accordingly. Happy growing all. Lou

I have the suspicion that we'll wind up sending two boxes anyway... LOL

It should be a great one!