...any advice on what to look for ?? I only have store violets, I want some more interesting varieties. I have a nicely set up area under my kitchen island cabinets, one tube warm light, one tube cool, just waiting for some new plants! Also have some nice window space now that all the hoyas and rhips have been moved outside.
Also, how do you all keep your violets in that beautiful mounded shape? I looked in the sticky threads and didn't see any info on shaping.
I am going to an AV show/sale this afternoon
I have a feeling you're going to the Burlington AV show..? I wanted to make it but spent 2 months in Jersey and just got home so I won't be going to that one. (It's the one show in Jersey over the last couple months I'll miss LOL)
But anyways, one great thing about going to a violet show/sale is that you will find a lot of helpful people there that will answer any questions you have. They will give you all sorts of tips on culture and about keeping them in that perfect rosette shape. And they'll also be able to give you info about joining there club--Which I highly recommend!! There's a million great reasons for joining an African violet club!! :-)
Have fun!!! Wish I could be there!
yes, it is the Burlington County show, less than a mile from my house, I am so excited, leaving soon...I just finished a VERY difficult semester in school, so I am ready to treat myself to something I can't afford!! I will let you know how it went when I get home...
Yeah I'd love to hear about it! 3 friends of mine were judging too! Enjoy!!!
oh, it was awful, the prices were so good I had to buy 10 plants. Plus 4 baggies of 2 to 3 leaves each...
First up, Spin Out - semiminiature
LOL "awful" I'm suuuuuuuuuure ;-)
clockwise from top left - I think they are all semi miniatures, but not positive, have to look some of them up
Rob's Bed Bug
Rob's Cool Fruit
Jazz Bouquet
Funambole - standard
Tiger Eye's
This message was edited May 16, 2009 3:25 PM
clockwise from top left:
Ma's Winter Moon (think its a standard size)
Rravs (sp??) Irish Elf
Cherokee Trail - standard
Lil Rich Girl
This message was edited May 16, 2009 3:26 PM
these are the loose leaves
Skagit's Little Gem (semimini)
Aca's Red Ember (?)
Private Dancer (standard)
Tiger (huge!!)
The last two I have no idea what the flowers are, but I do have a question - Red Ember's leaves already have little plantlets growing, but they are in a bag full of dry dirt, and completely covered with it to the point where you can't even see any green....is it safe to rinse them before planting?
All of the above, plus a leaf starter kit, bag of soil, and some wicks was only $22.
The show was nice, so many gorgeous plants, there were a few I saw that they also starter plants of, one was something like "Kelly's Mist" or Kelly's Cool Mist - the other was Rob's Boolaloo (I am sure I have both names wrong)- but they had already been scooped up by someone. They also had a china painter there, lots of beautiful china pieces painted with AV themes. I would have liked to stay longer but I took my aunt with me and she is older and was getting tired.
There were classes, but only members of the club could attend. I did get to see a demonstration on how to save/repot violets once they get that long neck. Very helpful!
Glad I went. What do you think of my choices?
Nice choices! The hybridizer of Jazz Bouquet is a really nice guy I know named Bob Kurzynski.
Yeah you can rinse them in water that's about body temp. :-)
Do you know what color Jazz Bouquet is and if it is a mini, semimini or trailer? I can't find any info online about that, or leaves I bought that were just labeled "Tiger" and one other that had written the side of the pot these exact words:
"Rr av's Irish Elf" It is definitely a mini or semimini, also variegated - but what is Rr??
I hadn't really planned on buying so many of the mini's, but that was what looked the most appealing to me. Now that I had the chance to look them up, I am even happier with my choices. I wish there were shows like this every weekend!
thanks so much for all your help! I noticed as I was unpacking all my new plants that several have buds hidden under their leaves, so maybe I will have some new pics to post soon.
This message was edited May 16, 2009 8:00 PM
Jazz Bouquet (9443) 06/14/2005 (R. Kurzynski) Semidouble-double pink two-tone pansy. Variegated dark green, pink and white, plain, quilted/red back. Semiminiature
Tiger (3433) 06/01/1978 (I. Fredette) Semidouble dark blue-violet. Variegated. Large
Sorry, I don't know on the Irish Elf one.
You got some very nice varieties of violets at a unbelievable price. I know you will enjoy growing them. Are you thinking about joining the club? If so, you are so fortunate to have one to attend.
Tiger is over 30 years since introduction and is still one of the best ever violets.
Great! Thanks so much! Tiger sounds pretty awesome, the leaves are so big. And yes, I am thinking about joining. All the women I met today were very nice, the meetings are not far from where I live, and I think I would enjoy it. I am kind of anti-social, spend most of my time studying, and if I am not with my SO, I am home with my plants, my garden, my animals, my art supplies.. not healthy to always be by myself - though I must say I am pretty happy that way!
I am taking a summer class till the beginning of July that will be on the night that the club meets, so will wait till that class is over.
The thing is, violet club meetings are usually only about once a month so it's not like it's too much even for introverts ^_^ ( some of the best people). If you think you will like growing violets, the connections you can make in the club are beneficial. Nothing to lose. You might even like seriously growing plants for show some day.
I do like growing them, but have always just had the store bought ones, occasional mini's here and there. I have even grown a few from leaves...It has mostly depended on where I was living, right now I don't have alot of good light due to too many big trees around the house and very deep eaves over all the windows - and I grow hoyas too, so they get all the prime light spots. But, there is always a little room for something more, and I have some flourescent fixtures under my kitchen cabinets, so I will see how it goes there.
I plan on a greenhouse/sunroom in the next few years, and my lighting issues will be over. The hoyas especially will be very happy.
Do you grow for the shows? Do you belong to a club up there in Maine? So envious of you living up there, I would love to go further north, every year the heat bothers me more and more.
Found it!
Rrav's Irish Elf (10012) 12/03/2008 (L. Nesvacil) Semidouble red pansy/dark purple fantasy. Crown variegated medium green and cream, serrated. Semiminiature
How come violet people like hoyas too? Not at all alike but it seems so many gessie folks like the hoyas. I do.
Yes, I have grown for show and have to say I liked the challenge very much. No club near me now.
GL,
Why DO Gessie growers love Hoyas so much...Just curious? I love them too,but don't really have enough good light spaces.I used to grow a few.
jmp24,if you do decide to rinse those leaves,be careful to dry them thoroughly.Great choices and I can't believe the prices!!
Lynn
Thanks for that syrumani..glad you found it. It's a new one 2008. My MVL needs updating! But, that means a new subscription to the avsa and the update fee. So...
I don't know the answer why about the hoyas. But I have noticed the interest in certain other plants that seem to be a common thread.
Gold Leaf, just saw my mistake! M3rma1d had been replying to all my posts, and I stopped looking at the poster names...I am such an airhead, not one for noticing details....this is why I have get so many test questions wrong in school - I don't read the questions thoroughly, just rush through. Nice Carnosa flowers, mine are blooming too...not sure what the connection is to hoyas, but I have noticed it to. Attached is pic of Hoya obovata
Thankyou syurami - Irish Elf sounds like it was a good choice! I also got one called Funambole, looked that one up and it is a deep purple flower with pink stripes! Can't wait to see these plants bloom.
Uh oh Ibrabec...I rinsed the little plantlets with their big leaves last night, then just set them in a plastic container with their soil, still wet, going to pot them up this morning. They were so tiny, how would I have dried them?
Not sure what this hoya is, came to me mislabeled, a few people have guessed at the ID, but no one seem sure so it is just my unknown hoya
jmp--did you happen to meet Trisha yesterday? She is a club member--I let her know you might be coming. I think we like hoyas so much b/c they do well in the same environment AV's appreciate...and they smell great!
This message was edited May 17, 2009 8:42 AM
Curtsii
Vari Bella Lancelota
Thanks for mentioning me to her! I met Rose, and there are two other women I remember well but don't know their names - one was prob in her 30's, pretty, petite, with curly dark below shoulder length hair, she did a demo on how to replant violets with "necks" and she also had a few plants with ribbons in the show, but she wasn't wearing a name tag. Another one was taller, maybe late 30's with short hair, glasses, very sweet, she was at the sale counter. I think I mentioned to her that I found out about the show thru DG. I did not really talk to many people there unless it was to ask about the plants. But, I am going to join the club, as soon as this night class I am taking is over, which should be about 3 or 4 weeks, so I will meet everyone then.
Whoa, that is a NICE curtisii! One of my favorites! I got cuttings years ago that did well for a long time, then started going downhill last year, for reasons unknown. I saved a few and they are making a comeback now. I have bella too, and I used to have a gorgeous rope hoya that I bought full size - but, I left it outside too long one year and it did not appreciate the cooler fall temps....
Maybe part of the hoya / av attraction is that both plants are a little work to get to bloom, but when they do give us flowers, isn't it a great feeling??
Great choices on your violets. I just ordered a leaf of Tiger!
Teazviolets on ebay says in her box she sends out that you can soak african violet leaves for 5 minutes (the whole leaf) to rehydrate.????????
That's right about re-hydrating violet leaves, Gail. I recut the stem end for better uptake. If the leaf is big, you can cut the top off some too. I love Tiger and always have. That is one I would like to grow again one of these days.
Nice hoyas, phoebe..I have the variegated bella, 'Luis Bois' and it's blooming now also.
Beautiful bloom on Obovata, jmp! Your mystery one reminds me of a snowball.
Thanks Gessie....
Well, GoldLeaf, if I can get Tiger to grow from leaves, I will definitely share a leaf with you!
Ok girls, another question - I bought a good size bag of the clubs growing mix yesterday, along with a small leaf starter kit, came with a small pot, wick, and a little bag of what I thought was the growing mix....now after opening everything up, I see on the directions that what came in the kit is a "soilless" mix for rooting leaves in. There isn't nearly enuff of it for all the leaves I have.
Can I use the soil in the big bag ( the clubs special mix ) for rooting leaves? I believe it contains peat, vermiculite, perlite, and some fertilizers.
In the past I have successfully rooted leaves in just regular av soil I got from the garden center...so I am wondering how important it is to use a special rooting soiless mix.
Also, I am noticing on a few of my tiny new plants that they already have some necking going on...wish I had noticed this before buying. I am thinking that the 2 with necks were probably suckers, not grown from leaves, to be honest, you can almost tell even by looking at the plant from above. The ones grown from leaves are more compact, symmetrical. Anyway, should I leave them be for now, give them a chance to recover from environmental change and all that and deal with the necks later?
Use whatever works best for you on starting leaves, whether it is a soilless mix, a perlite/vermiculite mix, etc. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.
Your plants were probably grown by different members of the club that held the sale. That means different growing conditions. Some baby plants may look a bit leggy if they're reaching for light, etc.
Now, if you're talking about suckers, then the only plant you bought where that would be ok is Cherokee Trail.
No problem with the 'necks'. When you pot, bury the necks...roots will form. Plant to the bottom row of leaves.
Most all violet planting mixes these days are soil-less meaning they are peat based and not loam, etc.
thanks guys, your're great..I am so glad I saved all those little 2 and 3 inch pots over the years!
jmp24,
There is nothing wrong with getting the leaves wet.I just meant to make sure they were dry before putting under light to avoid spotting.They should also be dry if you plan to dome them.You can use a small paint brush,or soft cloth or LOL even blow on them to dry them.
Lynn
I root av leaves in nothing but perlite and vermiculite.............everyone does it a different way.
Here is Glitter Fountain from GL and her leaves are almost the size of a nickle and ready for potting up.............When GL said trim a big av leaf, I should have listened. Look how tall the mother leaf grew.........
(She is grown in 1/2 perlite and 1/2 vermiculite)
irabec, by dome them do you mean they should be dry before you put them in plastic bags and ziploc the tops or before you cover them like in those plastic trays with the clear plastic lids?
Gessie, when will you cut the leaf off? I usually do it once the plantlet is about half the size of yours.
Mine new leaves are all done. The "Tiger" leaves were too big to pop into the small ziplock bags I have, so I had to use cellophane bags. Some of the smaller ones I put in bags, the rest I put in clear salad bar takeout containers with lids. Hopefully they will all do well, I was a little disappointed in some of the stem lengths on the leaves, very short.
I just read somewhere that you shouldn't water with softened water, which is what we have here. Ours is well water and it is very very hard, so we add softening crystals every 5 or 6 weeks or so. In the past I have watered with spring water, looks like I may have to do it again. The hoyas and my other tropicals seem to do ok with the soft water, but AV's roots are more sensitive I think. ((((huge sigh)))....I need to stop reading!
Well water is always the best...........wish I had it...............The mother leaf will come off this afternoon when I separate babies..........since she is a trailer, I will probably cheat and put 2 or 3 plants together in a tiny pot............Then I will put all of them on a mat under a dome........until they form a good root system.............I don't know that the mat is critical.......just easier for me.....(a piece of felt or an old acrylic blanket)........then I just water the mat (felt or blanket piece)
I think you are misunderstanding Lynn........what she is saying is that when the lights are on, you don't want the leaves of anything to be wet. Meaning..........when I spray or mist, I do it after the lights go on or before the lights come on in the morning........but when sticking av leaves, I don't care if they get spotted looking on the mother leaf...........so I don't worry about anything being wet except a plant once it is planted.......
jmp--there really is such a thing as "TMI"--LOL! Between the show, and Dave's Garden, you've absorbed a ton of new information in the past 24 hours. You just need a little time to sort it all out and find what works for you. Just take what you need, and leave the rest. It's all good! And it's all right here when you need it!