Nanna how is you Aussie Alice and other ones I sent you ? I need to check and see which ones I sent as I have extra Grey Lady, Choc, Soldier, E. F. Blue Heaven ....to put in with your new Cygnet.
I just saw a Pink Heaven very pretty !
October 2006 Pictures
Nanna the two Epsicas in the back laft and right in your first picture
Could these be plants Aussie Alice and Choclate Soldier I sent you ?
He is when you posted while back
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=2554019
looks like them ?
Hey, Allison. Nope. All three came from Behnki's. The Grey Lady and Alice you sent are doing quite well.
Here is a picture of the two you sent, Allison.
Grey Lady and Alice A.
Hey SusanGA! I'll try to answer your question.
Some of the plants are grown under lights and some are in windows or quite near windows. Sometimes the windows are open and sometimes closed depending on the temp. and humidity outside. The temperatures are comfortable for us -- around 65 to 75 degrees depending if it is winter or summer. We have air condition and ceiling fans so there is a lot of circulation. I water the violets about ever 5 days and the other plants when the are dry to the touch. I look at all the plants often. Check each individually at least once a week. I use optimara plant food which is balanced with no uric acid. The soil is a combination of Scotts av ph balanced av mix plus perlite and vermiculite in a 1-1-1 ratio. I have started "preventative medicine" by spraying with insecticidal soap with neem about ever 4 to 6 weeks. That treatment is due right now. If the plants have blooms when the treatment is due I use a systemic scrapped into the soil instead because for me, the neem seems to turn the blooms brown. I have pretty good natural light coming in my windows (lots of big windows) and was incouraged to use additional light from plant stands for only 8 (summer) to 10 (winter) hours. I was using 12 to 14 hours additional light from the stands and noticed curling leaves and tight centers. That has stopped since reducing the lights.
That is all I can think of. What conditions do you have SusanGA?
I have one light stand that stays on for 10 hours and I keep the violets there. Everything else is in the windows, including my one mature Episcia and some Epi babies. The Episcia was bought as a mature plant and has not done well in either the windows or on the light stand. I haven't repotted it and use the same fertilizer as I give the violets. Any ideas?
Susan
Susan, you could try a couple of things with the episcia. First, take cuttings (maybe you've done this already). Often, cuttings started in your conditions will do better than a mature plant that you acquired. Second, consider repotting the main plant into fresh mix.
I actually restart episcias from cuttings regularly, as the older plants start looking tired after a couple of years. I think that if I was better at replacing the soil (because of fertilizer salt and other water solid buildup), they might grow well for longer, but I rarely get around to it.
Thanks Key - Taking the cutting is an idea I didn't think of, but you're probably right, it would do better if raised in my conditions. So - before I only had AV's but through several swaps I'm now going to be addicted to Begonias, Episcias and Streps. I was very sad when my son recently left for UGA, but you would never know it now, his room is slowly filling up with plants.
Susan
Nanna wow look great ! Alice look so pretty she has some babies ! Have you rooted any ?
Their all so much fun to grow !
Lots of babies but no blossoms
They say if you keep taking the stolons off you will get more flowers ! I like how Alice grows so Bushy and compact .
When I first saw an pld book I think they called it a Flame Violet ! Epsica and had a hanging basket full and long hanging from a tree and told a little about it I went a looking. Alice was the first one I ever bought !
They said when it's hot and humid is most likly when you get flowers !
I guess I will wait until spring. Hot and humid are not in the forcast for now.