I have a bit of information to share. I was e-mailing "Tim" at the Optimara site to try to identify a white miniature I recently purchased. We were discussing temperature effecting the color of blooms and he mentioned that he had recently talked with one of the hybridizers at Lyndon Lyons. Most of the hybrids from LL are raised to do well with the range of 65 to 75 degrees as long as temperatures remain fairly constant with no sudden changes.
This was good for me to know, because the temperature in my house drops at night by about 5 to 8 degrees. With the cost of fuel being so expensive, it's good to know that avs can adapt to temperature change.
Nanna
Temperature and AVs
Thanks, Nanna! That is encouraging!
Great information to have. I'm at the point where I check on my babies and leaves 5 - 6 times a day...just to monitor the temps and humidity.
Yes I check mine also. 12:30 PM here and mine stands are 69 degrees. I do try to keep them 70-75 as the babies like it and plants grow faster and better and bloom. But Latly keeping them 65-70 has been a struggle in the cool weather. I do know 70-75 they do better. Under 60 they can really slow down even die.
Plants in nursery are grown inder control enviroment and they also use heavier soil and don't wick so this makes a difference also. I have always had to be careful I use Hot water but in no time the water turns cold. So now mine get to drink 15 mintues, half hour and the rest of the then cooling water gets dumped. Pour real hot water in a cup and put it on your stand and see how fast it cools.Nanna any idea
what your white plant's name is ??
Still don't know what the name of the white plant is. Tim thinks it was a bi colored plant that just lost the second color. Could be Little Crow without the purple. I guess we will never know.
The last few articles I have read about watering avs says that the water should be the temperature of the room the violets are in. I fill up a gallon container with warm water, let it stand over night in the room where my violets are, then add the liquid fertilizer to it. I refill the wells with that water and use a baster to water the plantlets as needed from the top.
I also remember reading an article that said, "If it works for you, don't try to fix it."
Once every two or three weeks I clean the wells and fill them up again with room temperature water.
Just last month I started filling the wells with plain water once a month to prevent salts build up.
Nanna
Yes that's the trick if it works not broken it don't fix it :)) I have read in a lot of my Av books Room temputure or warmer. Just cool air home water gets cool fast so it depends :)) But I learnt from long time growers a couple years ago to use warm to hotwater and have been doing it it works so I keep it up. lol But your plants are so Happy so you doing everything perfect for them !
Also to prevent salt build up in plants is to flush your plant pots from top with plain warm water. or watering from the top once in awhile helps.
I have so many books I enjoy reading over and over. One is supose to be like the AV Bible cost me a $ 42.00 bid plus shipping. I have seen it in out of print stores for $ 125.00-$200.00 depedning on condition... I love reading and learniong. I was lucky the small amout of time I could go to local club it started in 1955 and had some long time growers I sure learned a lot ! A whole lot was done different after those meetings .
Most of it is all suggestions . People ask for help, or questions, or ideas, on and on , we do all best to help each other . Then people just have to experiment and see what works best for their plants in their environments :)) Happy Growing ::)
OK.... which book is it that is "like the AV Bible?" Who knows, maybe it'll show up at a thrift shop....
don't feel the book is Av Bible but thats what everyone tells me. lol But it is an excellent books.
African violets Queens of the indoor Gardening Kingdom.
By Melvin J. Robey
Now sense I bought it I have seen it sold for less and for more.uess thats how it goes. It is the first edition , hardcover, dust jacket in good condtion so thats good. And I have read it many times and always looking back on things.