Please help to verify & correct the AV pages in PF

This follows the previous thread http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/756006/#new
about fixing the AV entries in Plant Files. As per As per Joan's suggestion, let's sign up on this thread to break up the task among us by volunteering to check over all entries beginning with a certain letter of the alphabet.

Here's the link where you can see the AV entries letter by letter... click on a letter, and you'll know how many entries you'd be offering to verify and correct. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/finder/cultivars.php?sname=African%20Violets&choice=A

When you find an error, please report it to PF admin by submitting an error report from that page of Plant Files.

Joan's latest comments on what's been fixed and how things stand with regard to doing a group effort to set the entries straight (see this post, http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=3878407):

"Ready....Set....Go!!!!!!

We are ready for you to do this now. Terry has taken the spacing and zone fields out, and Dave has reset the pH to the correct data. I have a copy of First Class, and Peggy will have hers soon. If the details have been incorrectly added, just click on the report an error button from the PlantFile page that the errors occur on, and tell us what they should be. We'll get them fixed.

Please keep in mind that if there's a lot of reports coming in, (which we don't mind), it might take us a few days to get them all answered and corrected. Peggy and I both have full time jobs too. We will get them though, and your help in finding them is half the battle.

Thanks everyone for your help in getting this straightened out. Like Terry said, none of us are African Violet experts, so we couldn't do this without your input."

I don't think we need to plow through the PF pages in record time, but we should probably set a deadline for people to complete verifying the entries they've offered to check and correct. What seems reasonable? The end of September? Halloween? I know people are busy right now with summer gardening and other activities.

I'll start by volunteering to take the "C" entries ("C" for "Critter" LOL).

Does that mean I should volunteer for "R" as in RainGazer? LOL Naturally that's the biggest one... LOL

I am happy to do the "R" section, but I don't have a First Class CD. Does that mean I can't help?

Edited to add:

Joan started a list so we can keep up with which letters are being worked on by whom. I'll be keeping updated either indefinitely or til critterologist can take it. :o)

A Snowrose
B Snowrose
C Critterologist
D cjolene
E
F
G
H
I
J jannich
K jannich
L jannich
M
N
O
P
Q
R gessiegail and Raingazer
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z


This message was edited Aug 20, 2007 11:43 PM

This message was edited Aug 21, 2007 12:06 PM

This message was edited Aug 21, 2007 9:03 PM

Jill's right, you don't have to plow through them quickly. :)

You are the ones that use the database the most, so how quickly you want to do this is up to you.

Really, I am offering to do the "R's". It's only 4 pages which is a manageable task, in my opinion. There's just the CD issue...

Please be sure to check the propagation information as well as the descriptions. If it's a named variety, it won't come true from seed but only from vegetative propagation (cuttings or I think also tissue culture). If it's a chimera, it won't come true from leaf cuttings either, so please check only the "chimera" propagation option (which says something about suckers and bloom stalks as I remember).

I figure we can use this thread to sign up and also to ask questions if we aren't sure about anything that we're checking.

I'll try to google for vendor descriptions of any AVs that aren't in First Class, but I'm not always successful there, so I may be posting to ask about any that I can't find in case somebody else knows of them.

I'll also post the First Class description as a comment on that PF page, but I don't think we're permitted to copy and upload photos from FC to PlantFiles.

Aaaaaaand we're off! :-)

I know of a couple sites that list what I believe is the exact information in First Class. Is it alright to use those?

There are 315 entries under "R."

You might see about partnering with somebody who does have First Class, since that's probably the best source for accurate descriptions. For example, your partner could go through the entries and add the FC description as a comment, and then you could go through and verify that the PF description (checkbox lists) matched the registered description (and also check propagation info etc).

I'd be happy to partner with you... but I'd then have to put off checking the "C's" until we'd finished the "R's" I think, otherwise I'm likely to slow you down too much trying to do both.

Well, let's see how many offer up help, and we'll go from there. I really do want to help, but I don't want to hold up someone else from completing what they're offering to do. I'm not growing that many AVs anymore, so I am not inclined to buy the FC CD, but I do care very much about the Gesneriad portion of the PlantFiles being correct, so I want to help in any way I can. Is it within the rules of the FC guidelines for someone to let me borrow their CD just long enough to do this? Probably not, but I thought I'd ask! ;o)

Sitting here thinking about some sort of order to accomplish the task. Starting from 'A' for example and working our way systematically through to 'Z'.

I wonder how many of the av forum have First Class 2 so we do get this right as it will be a huge job?

Some of us will do many of the letters I'm thinking. So, as a start I will be glad to start with 'A' and 'B' since you want to do 'C', critter. Okay?

Amy, I have first class.................so give me a day and i will start only putting the description from first class on the comment section and the size it is ............standard, etc............is there anything else I should put in that you can't do..............

Edited and removed the duplicate listing that RainGazer now has at the top of the list.

This message was edited Aug 21, 2007 7:27 AM

That will work, Gail. You and I could do the R section together. It's the largest section, but wouldn't be so bad if each of us only had to do part of the work on each entry. Sound good?

In all honesty, I'm going to have to go back and read through the other thread to see exactly what information we want filled in on the details.

If there is concrete list that pertains to each and every Saintpaulia entry, perhaps one of you who knows what that list consists of could post it here as a guideline for the rest of us who are filling in the information.

let me go look and see exactly what has to be filled in other than the description under comments.............I hope I know what we are doing..............

I am not an AV expert, which is why I wanted a list posted by someone who is! LOL I'm just a dabbler trying to help the cause! :o)

Good idea, Joan! Thanks! :o)

Will we be sending error messages to Joan? Right and then they change it................can someone answer , por favor?????

everyone left for now................better wait and see or go back and study that thread carefully............

That's my understanding, Gail. We fill in the correct information where there is none, and if incorrect information exists, we submit an error report with the correct information. Do correct me if I'm wrong. :o)

Gail, if the details are already filled in, yes, click on the "Report an Error" button and send a report to the helpdesk with what needs to be changed. Peggy or I will pick it up, verify the corrections to be made and make them.

If the details aren't yet checked off, then you can fill in the details in each field.

Joan, some have the height put in centimeters.............i don't know the height and the First Class doesn't give that kind of information
Could someone help by just saying which parts on the left need to be filled in?

RainGazer, to answer your question about what the proper details were to check off, I think the fields that are left are pretty cultivar specific, so there will be no standard answers all across the board. Dave has already corrected all of the pH fields.

Rain, you have a much harder job than I do .....................without a picture from First class.......I don't know if we should attempt this???????? I am willing to try and see what happens..........Snowrose, where are you......................do we know enough to be doing this? Critter???????????

Gail, the height is given in both measurements.

Yes, Joan, that's what I was talking about. Thank you. I think some of it could be decided up front.

I do notice, that the pH for AVs is still 5.6 to 6.0. I thought that was part of the big problem to begin with, was that was too acidic for AVs. I'm still reading back through the other thread, but haven't found where that was accepted for AVs.

Let me look at your list for a moment and see what I have questions about. Better to answer them all up front, then I can take off running, once I have figured out a bit more. :o)

OK................here is what Amy and I have decided we can attempt.............i will first look at the comment to see if it is exactly what First Class says...........if it is I won't turn in an error report........Amy is coming behind me and doing the left hand side based on the description............if the description is incorrect, i will turn in an error report........Amy, too......

does this sound ok?????

Amy, I will go back and read thread again.............but I think they had to it that way and 6.6 -7.5 is neutral

Opps, I did goof when I gave Dave the information. I somehow got confused with the pH for the Streps and gave him that.

I have hung my head in shame and asked him if he would please fix my error.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention RainGazer.

It should be 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) and 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)

This message was edited Aug 20, 2007 4:13 PM

Gail, whatever works for you guys, but please be sure that you aren't BOTH reporting the same error.

Height is really N/A to violets. So, leave that blank.

pH 5.6 - 6 should be left blank as it is N/A

Thanks for that list of letters, Joan. That should work nicely and keep things organized.

Yay!! I fixed something on my first try!! LOL Maybe that's a good sign for the rest of this experience! ;o)

Don't shame yourself, Joan. We're all human, and this has been quite an intense and, at times, very confusing discussion. Hugs to you for all your help! :o)

I had the same opinion of height, Snowrose. Thanks for your input on that.

Now about bloom color... If it's a solid color bloom, of course I'll check the appropriate color, but for instance, the first entry in the R category - Rain Man. FC states, "Semidouble-double dark blue large star/wide white-green edge. Dark green, quilted, glossy/maroon back. Large"

And this is what is checked:

Bloom Color:
Pale Green
Dark Blue
White/Near White

Do we want to include all the colors in the bloom, or just the main color? Would simply checking "Dark Blue" be more appropriate for this one? I think the main color should be listed, at the very least, so that if someone is searching for a blue bloom, this one will show up.

I guess I need to jump in here and thank you all for all your help and to thank Joan for keeping this going. We all want to make PF as correct as possible and we try our best to work with you to do that. As for the colors you decide how you want to do it , in most of the specific cultivars that have there own section (ex: hems, Iris, Roses etc) they are being done both ways most list all the colors in the bloom. This is turning into your database that might be something you want to decide. Neither is wrong.

Thanks, mystic. My reasoning was this: I really do happen to favor blue blooms, but don't care if they have white or green or pink or whatever, as long as they're mainly blue. 'Rain Man' falls into that category. When searching for a blue bloom, I would want to find this one. However, if we don't list at least the predominant color for a multi-colored bloom, I would never be able to find this one by searching by bloom color. Does that make any sense?

As well, if I want a bloom with any blue whatsoever in it, I would, of course search for blue. Here's where it gets tricky. While, in that situation, I would be happy to find a list of plants with any blue at all in the bloom, it would be cumbersome for someone who wanted only solid blue blooms. What to do? Opinions?

It's my opinion that all colors in a bloom be listed, but I'll not make that decision personally. I know there was discussion on the other thread about that subject, and it seemed to be the idea to just leave all the bloom color boxes unchecked in that situation. I don't think that's the correct choice here...

RainGazer that's why I said for you all to make the decision while we are doing this, we are basically starting from scratch with this and you are the ones willing to work on it. You all decide how you want to do it and we will go with that. I don't think the color box should be unmarked if the color is known. Either decide to list the predominant color or the main colors. I know in working in others I will list the predominant color but if it has a white edge won't list that.

I also don't have First Class. Anyone want to pair up with me?

Thanks again, mystic. I've actually been working on a much longer reply to this thread, which I'll post in just a few minutes, asking up front all the questions I have about a particular cultivar. Once I get input from everyone on that one cultivar, I'll know what I need to know to get started. I hope I'm not being too much of an irritation. I just don't want to make things worse instead of better.

Everybody, answer up and be heard so we can get this off the ground with a common goal in mind! We don't need each letter done differently, so let's decide up front on the route we want to take with all of the Saintpaulia entries. :o)

OK Here's the long post with lots of questions. :o) (That's a "please don't throw anything at me!" smile!)

Bear with me here, through a few more questions, and then I'll know exactly what I'm supposed to do and can get to it without anymore delay. Patience, please. :o)

Still concerning 'Rain Man' Semidouble-double dark blue large star/wide white-green edge. Dark green, quilted, glossy/maroon back. Large

On Flower Characteristics, these are my choices:

Single
Double
Semi-double
Pansy
Bell
Fringed
Star
Wasp
Multicolor
Chimera
Fantasy
Edged
Bicolor
Two-tone
Ruffled (frilled or wavy)
Sticktite

For this one, I would select:

Double
Semi-double
Star
Edged

Is that acceptable to everyone?

On Propagation, we're going with:

May be propagated by tissue culture
May be propagated by cuttings (leaf, sucker, or bloom stalk)

Unless it's Chimera, of course, which would get the special designation, or species, which would include propagation by seed.

About Other Details -

It's my opinion that these are the only two that are relevant:

This plant is suitable for growing indoors
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater

If it can be grown indoors, then of course it's suitable for containers. I've always thought having both of those checked was ridiculous and redundant. And the winter interest certainly seems to be more of an outdoor designation, at least to me. However, on this particular entry, both the container and winter interest boxes are checked. Would you have me submit an error report on that, or is that a waste of time?

Again, I don't mean to sound dumb, but I want to get confirmation that my idea correlates with what we're trying to accomplish. Once I have the big picture firmly in my head, my questions will decrease dramatically. :o)

I vote we list all colors... I remember once seeing a small picture of Rolling Pink Cloudburst or something named like that and I almost ordered it and then upon looking closer, I found out it had blue fantasy markings on it...I was looking for a plain pink. So it wasn't what I wanted.