anthos flores av's and their HEAVY soil...

How did they lost them ?

LOVE those Episcias, Allison!

Thanks Amy what did I send you my favorite Chirita ? Did I send Alsobia Cygent ? How are they doing ?

You sent me both of those and they're doing great! The Alsobia has two babies. One is big and I really want to take it off and root it, but I'm scared to. LOL They're really growing. I LOVE them!

Don't be afraid root it just like I did the blooms stlak baby basket ! Put it in cup or pot for size of stolon. They root and grow so easy. Give it 16 hours a day of light it will bloom for you all the time !
Your Chirita must be getting large ! It sould be blooming soon . Yours was the size of Bob's or larger that I sent him and his is blooming :)) I can't wait to see a pictures of your and Bob 's :)) They are both easy to Progate !.
My Chirita in in a 5 inch pan pot and about 20 inches across. It should be able to be in the pot a couple years happy without transplanting according to all the info I have read.

I'm not happy with where they are. I think they should be growing much more than they are. So, I'm moving everybody to a different room where it is MUCH brighter and sunnier. I'm cleaning everything before I move them, so it will be a couple days before they're all in their new home.
Here's the Chirita and Alsobia. I LOVE them so much!

Not a very good picture. I had to snap it really quickly before the camera shut off. The battery won't hold a charge. Grrrr...

Oh yes their beautiful ! They are fast growers they just need to get a lot of light. Lots. The Alsobia likes to be more moist and fed. I like to keep mine on a saucer of plant food and on the plant stand close to light. The ones I have no room for under light and in natural light grow slow. Alsobias will grow fast and bloom more if bqabies are taken off until plant is full size ( like in a full 6-12 inch pot)
I can't wait to see Bob's he got his way after you and he says it's blooming. I saw picture up top his Alsobia is blooming too. last I knew he had them on a kitchen counter as his trailer does not have much room either
Chirtias like to be on the dry side.

That sounded rather contradictory. I first said they're really growing and then that I think they should be growing more. Let me elaborate. I'm thrilled with the growth that they've had. I can tell they're larger than when I got them a couple months ago and they seem very happy and healthy. However, I know they're not getting enough light, and from what you say, Allison, I think they should have grown more than they have. See, there's a method to my madness! LOL

I was typing while you posted, Allison, but you said what I was thinking. They are doing great, but they're not growing like you say they do and I know it's because they're not getting enough light. I'm cleaning everything in the kitchen and moving them to my south window there. It's bright all day long in that window. With all the overcast days we had in the winter, I don't think it would have mattered much, though. Nothing got much natural light.

oh..Allison...i meant the asboia was blooming..not the chirta 8((......and Allison..I love you to pieces but .i must continue to ask again..and please don't be upset with me but why does your soil feel so heavy...i know what you put in it etc...but it just feels so heavy....Laurie..maybe you can help with this?....It is the perfect mix as everything is growing so great...but it just feels very heavy.

Laurie thanks for your comments...believe me Allison is the magic worker....i have had them under flourescent light about 12 to 13 hrs a day...but haven't done much else...except water them...i am so happy that they are growing so well...and i love the begonia she included.

I was at a place today where they had the minis ..but no names...but they looked like they might be optimaras...they were very pretty but were about 6.00 a piece...is that a good price...?...some had pink /red blossoms with tinges of green on the blossom...

Oh I get it. lol
Their growing and healthy. But will grow more to their potential if given 12-16 hours of light and they will be blooming all the time too :))
Chiritas are not heavy feeders they like it more on the dry side. They can also take cooler weather. HHM Maybe I should plant on outside !
And the Cygnets like more moist and like being fead !
How to Grow Chiritas

http://www.maavs.org/html/growing_cheritas.htm

Training and Episcia (Alsobia ‘Cygnet’)

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/556129/
You should have seen how small my Chirita was last Fall when I got it. And I grew all these babies I've been sharing with others with my Mom Chirita :))
Here is a Picture of it last Ocotber 2005. I love it had the bloom stalks all prerfect going all around the plant ! The plant was pretty small here. I use to grow it under light when it was full of buds I'd put it under natural light. Now my stand has no room . When I get an empt shelf I will give it to this plant as it's at least 20 inches across one leaf is as large as my fat hand. lol

If I can make room, then, I'll put them under my lights for a while. That should give them a boost.
I dmailed you, too, Allison.

Bob my hubby laughed when I told him you all were saying our soil is heavy. lol He mixes it the same all the time. It has 60 percent Perilite ! Could not be much lights. Water goes right threw it for wicking.
Now like I mentioned about funny others I sent plants to said my soil was so light different than what they had and what were they going to do when they trans-planted ? I told them to add 60 percent perlite . Now are your plants too wet making the soil heavy and soggy ? As when I pick my pots up they are light and I don't water until they are light .

Allison..i just cked the plants you sent...i lifted them out of the container i have them in...and now they feel much lighter....i appreciate all the info and i am going to get the chirta to bloom for you and me....lol....hugs

Bob do you feed them ?
Yes beigin on the lights stand will help them grow and bloom :))

allison..the charita looks great.......8((

Bob what kind of conatainer do you have them in ? Are they still in plastic pots or did you trans-plant.
Other than is people are over watering making soil-less mix heavy and soggy it's light 60 percent perilite light :))

Don't upu just love it Bob ! It's my favorite Chirita. I think I have 6 different plants. I also orderd three new ones from LL. And have leaves down from a lot !

allison have fed them very lightly....i may just give them a bit of fish emulsion....

Allison i don't mess with your success..he he...they are in the pots you sent and loving it...and i haven't over watered them...as i stated ..i just cked them and they feel much lighter than the last time and you are right...the water ran right through them..when i pot my pluerias i use 75 percent perlite for good drainage

plumerias that is

This message was edited Mar 29, 2006 4:47 PM

do you guys think 6.00 is too much for the mini's i mentioned above?

Minis at our Lowe's and Walmart are less than $2 each. None of them have green on the blossoms, though. I can't find a nursery around there that even has minis, so I don't know how prices are at a nursery.

Amy wow..that's pretty cheap...these were in full bloom and very pretty...i suspect they're the "ever grace" series?

I don't know. The Everfloris AVs I have are in 6 inch pots. They're huge! No way they could be confused with a mini. Even so, I only paid $10 each for the Everfloris ones I have. I guess they could be baby Everfloris. Any chance of you calling the nursery or going back and asking if they could tell you anything about them? Maybe that would help you decide if it's a fair price or not. Wish I could be of more help.

amy...i asked them if they knew what they were....they responded...they're 6.00...he he...they didn't have a clue to what kind they were...do you have ones like "ever young"...that kind of thing?

Bob that prcie would be Ok if their named. Lorry bought some named ones for $6.00. And yes the Space babies have been $10.00 in the stores which are good as Vendors sell plugs for $10.00-15.00 $$ and around 24.00-29.00 for large plants and Ebay can go higher plus shipping. And Optimara leaves on even the vendor sights are very $$$$.
Oh bob they'd love fish emolsion even a couple sprays :)) But they look really good.

Well, that was no help to you, Bob! Smarty pants, they are! ;o)
I do have four of the Everfloris. They are EverYoung, EverBeautiful, EverPraise, and EverGrace. I posted pictures of them on a thread somewhere. I'll try to find it and link to it here.

I've grown all the Space babies Bob but I give themall away. lol Sent Deb some last month and sent Diane 4 of them :)) Their Everfloris line the seeds went to Space for 5 1/2 years :))

allison...i remember hearing about that....into space....any thanks for your help...i don't have time for any more really..but when i see them i get excited...lol

The Everfloris seem to be more willing to bloom than other AVs. Did you find that to be true, Allison? Well, all of yours bloom all the time, you lucky duck! I guess they seem to be more tolerant of my low humidity than other AVs.

amy i think that's the BIG thing about the optimaras...or at least their selling point.

EverHarmony:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/101221/

Good to see you again, Bob. I will mail you about sending you plants next monday, weather permitting.

I have an Optimara chimera that I'm propagating by leaf (experiment) and some Noid Anthoflores blooming. One is pretty darn unusual, I should get some pictures.Kenton

Amy how long have you had your Optimara's it has not been that long sense you bought them. After owning them 4,5 or 6 months a year see if their good bloomers.
I will be very honest I grow them beacasue other people love them and they cost a lot and I can grow them eacy by leaf and share them but I'm not crazy about them. One of my first Av plants was an Everfloris EverLove a couple years ago. I don't think the bloom better than any of my other Africah violets.

Kenton i want to see your Optimara Chimera :))

HI Kenton..good to see yuo...will look forward to the plants....we want to see your pics

I want to go home to take them... tee hee.

Oh yes. You too, Allison. Do you want me to ship safely to you Monday?

Ph James your too sweet. You don't have to go crazy shipping to me. I have your Rob's Slap Happt with the mauve foliage it was almost all deep mauve now getting green I want to ship it to you before it does. lol I was thinking of shipping it to you on Monday :)) I grew I think 3,4 Slap Happy from this leaf and only one 's foliage turned these colors. Is there anything else you would like !