please help me with my sinningias

Hi,

I got two lovely micro mini ones from Raingazer. They are sitting in moss inside solo cups. Should I leave them there? Should I pot them up? Should they be kept in terrariums?

I am getting some from Dave tomorrow, all micro minis. How do I deal with them?

Do they all need terrariums? Can I grow them in little pots with compost outside them? i love terrariums but i find it difficult to care for the plants that are inside.

Thank you very much!

Hi Spider!

I apologize for not answering your questions more quickly! I hope I can give you some tips to help you.

Everyone grows theirs differently, of course, but here's how I grow mine. I use the same mix for them as I do for everything else. Roughly equal parts of packaged potting mix, perlite, and vermiculite.

They do appreciate being in a terrarium, wine glass, etc. The extra humidity does help them a lot. You don't necessarily have to grow them in a closed terrarium, just have some way to keep the humidity higher around them. I grew a micromini in a very small terra cotta pot (a thumb pot, I guess) and put that in a larger pot, filling all the extra space with sphagnum moss that I kept moist. That helped keep the air immediately around the Sinn more humid, as well as helped keep it from drying out so quickly. As small as their pots are, they can quickly go dry and you need to prevent that if you can.

The microminis do not usually go dormant at all and can flower year-round. If you let them go dry, though, they will go dormant, but come back quickly, usually. Let me see if I can find some pictures of how I grow mine. Here's Sinn pusilla in the PF: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/142148/ Mine is in a wine glass, and you can see Lin's in a small glass jar. Here's one Ki posted in the PF. Sinn pusilla 'White Sprite'. Hers is in a glass yogurt jar. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/136844/

I hope that helps you, but ask if you have any more questions! You'll love them once they start blooming like little fools! LOL

I Love the micro mini's. I only have three, S. pusilla, S. rio das pedras and S. mighty mouse, but all are grown in little glass jars with lids or in short drinking glasses with saran wrap. I never, ever water them! Moisture builds up so much inside the glasses that I sometimes have to remove the lids for a short while to let them air out a bit so they don't rot.

Rain, it's no problem, really. I am just looking for suggestions and a good reason to go to Walmart in search of various containers.;o)

Thank you very much Rain and Lin for giving me tips and help.

LOL Well, anything small and clear will work fine. I grow a lot in wine glasses, simply because I have quite a few and don't drink wine. Candle holders/votive cups and things like that work great, too. Have fun picking containers, and I hope you'll post pictures when they're all potted up! ^_^

Can't wait to see your pics spider..there is nothing cuter than a micro...they are my favorites..basically take care of themselves..my kinda plant...lol..I love searching for just the right containers for them..have fun : )

pictures,pictures please....LOL.When you get them potted up Anna..

Hi Spider;
You can grow any sinningia out of a terrium, but they would have to be wicked.especially the micro's who do appreciate extra humidity.I grow both. the only ones that are in the tiny greenhouse are micro's, but i do have some of them on my plant stand that are wicked, they seem to do good either way.the mini sinns do m=not need a terrium, those can grow right along side of violets etc.they just need very close lite,
mrsbonnie

Thank you everyone.

I will have to wait to go out and ckeck the containers. We are getting the tail of Fay and the weather has been horrible. I worry about leaving my pets alone.

There is an antique market (junkyard) nearby so i will be going there as well. They sell depression glasses there and I just love them.

I have a question. Today I broke a leaf off one of my bigger sinningias, Apollo. Can i do sinningia leaf cuttings? I am very ignorant and will have to read a lot aboutr them.

For the time being i put my micro minis inside a salad container. I buy salad leaves at the supermarket and they come in handy plastic containers with lids, just like a propagator so I am saving those.

I have been taking some photos and will post them this evening.

Thank you everyone for your help!

Look forward to seeing your pictures Spider!

I think I remember someone (maybe Gail?) who talked about rooting Sinn. leaves.

Hi There;
yes you can grow a tuber from a leaf, however sometimes it's a blind tuber.then it will never produce, but put it down anyway, you have nothing to lose.lol
mrsbonnie

thank you Mrs Bonnie. I will do that straightaway.:o)

Aha ... It is Mrsbonnie who is the Sinningia person! I knew I remembered someone grew a lot of them!
Thanks Bonnie!

Spider: Keep us posted how they do!

Spider, there is a wealth of information for us on an old thread that Jannich found. I put it on this forum.......Keyring started it and she is our best grower of all..............

Thank you Gail, I will look for it! :o)