African violets in Ottawa?

[Nyx]

Thanks for all your help, Sue. I really appreciate it and it was nice talking with you. 

[Nyx]

So Sue and Lynn, how are your leaves and/or plantlets doing? My plantlets are all still alive, although most of them have lost a leaf or two. The droopiness of the first couple days is gone and they seem to be doing well.

Thanks again for sharing your variegated AV, Sue. It's really lovely.

[RedFish]

My plantlets are still alive, and some have lost a leaf or two as well.   I received three leaves as substitute plantlets, and she sent two of each leaf.   I have lost two of those, one of the doubles, so I still have one of each left.



Thank you Sue also, for sharing your variegated AV, it is nice to have one that is more mature than all the others - plus it is gorgeous!

[sas]

My guys are all doing well, funny the only leaf that I lost
was off of another baby that I separated from my variegated violet.
I think it was because it was on the small size. It's doing well now
though.
Nice looking plants Lynn. You'll have them blooming in no time.

Glad you guys are happy with the plant.

[sas]

So how is everyone's violets doing?
Any babies from the leaves yet? I have none yet
but it is a bit early.

I was chatting with another fellow fish/plant nerd, and they told me
of a use for all those useless fishbowls.
Place some small pebbles(suppose you could use aquarium gravel),
then put in a layer of potting media. Plant your leaves, cover the bowl
with saran wrap and secure it with an elastic.
Any condensation can be removed by taking the cover off for bit.

[Nyx]

My plants are all doing well now after a bit of a rough start. I haven't lost any. Yet. I didn't have any leaves.

[washefuzzy]

Hope no one minds me asking. What do you do with a plant when the stalk gets thick and long on an older plant? Which doesn't look very nice.
Thank you

[Nyx]

I just read about this. Apparently, you cut the plant, about 1-1.5 inches down the stalk and start the plant over the way you would a leaf, with rooting hormone. Or you can also try re-potting it a little deeper. The first method is supposed to be the more correct thing to do, according to the book I had out from the library - the name of which escapes me.

[sas]

Hope no one minds me asking.

Not at all, nice to know there are others out there that love plants.


Just to add to what Nyx has mentioned, when planting your violet
deeper, scrape the stalk a little, like you would a carrot. New roots will grow
from this spot.
You might also need to place the entire plant in a plastic tent, to
help stave off water loss, and avoid the droops, like a tiny ICU for the plant.

On a side note I've just put three more leaves from the variegated violet
in medium to start.
I'm using the Gel2root system? Never used this before but it was on sale so
picked it up. Maybe not such a good sign that it was on sale? Anyone else use this product?

[Nyx]

When do we start fertilizing the baby African violet plants?

[sas]

I started about 3 weeks after I planted the plugs up.
Some say 2 weeks but I held off, since I'm not growing
under lights.
Any babies from your leaves yet? Mine haven't sprouted yet,
but they aren't dead either, so...........

[Nyx]

I didn't buy any leaves, just plantlets. I've lost two plantlets. One that I ordered (Cinnamon Candy) and the one that you gave me. No clue why. They have bright indirect light. I'm watering with tepid water and not over-watering. The temperature is constant with no drafts. I'm at a bit of a loss.

[sas]

Aw no , that's too bad.
What did the plants look like just before they crashed?

I started some leaves from that variegated one a few weeks
back so you're welcome to try it again if you want. I'll get it started
really well first.

[Nyx]

Thanks, Sue, I would really love to give it another try. I liked it more than the ones I ordered. As for the plants dying, overnight (literally), they went from looking good to the leaves turning brown and droopy and falling off. It wasn't crown rot. I've seen that before as it's what killed the plant that started me on my quest with violets and because of that, I've been careful to the point of being anal about caring for them.

[sas]

I find when I first pot up plant lets you have to be really careful
with the amount of water they get. I tend to almost let them get
to the stage of drooping but not quite. Then give them a small
drink.
Their roots are very fine and underdeveloped so it's really easy
to drown them.

Four out of five of the leaves that I bought have finally sprouted, phew,
this is another hobby that teaches patience.

[Nyx]

Thanks for the info, Sue. I'm not terribly patient by nature but I'm learning. 

[Fishnut]

I have a couple of generic violets (Loblaws variety) and they don't get water until I notice the leaves are drooping...then they get fish tank water that I pore into the dish under the pot.  Depending on how droopy those leaves are, I might give them another shot when I see the water has been completely absorbed into the pot.

They're doing great!  I actually have to separate one of them because it turns out there was more than 1 plant in the pot when I got it.

You guys should post more recent pics!

[Nyx]

Update on my African violets. *sigh* Out of 7 plantlets, I have three left. One, the Ramblin' Amethyst trailer is growing and thriving. Two others, called Boreal and Emerald Love, are hanging on for dear life. The rest have moved on to greener pastures, metaphorically speaking.

[sas]

Sorry to hear you've lost some Nyx .
I bought Emerald Love as well, here is a pic off the website of it,

http://photos.imageevent.com/bloomlovers/standards/websize/Emerald%20Love%20090909.jpg

and it's got bloom buds coming so if yours doesn't make it I'll share a leaf  with
you if you like? Hint Hint I'd love a leaf off of your Ramblin Amethyst, I've never grown a trailer
before .

I made the mistake of fertilizing mine too much and they got a little leggy
but they're coming along slowly. My problem is I'm growing them on window sills
and so growth is slow. Ummmmmmmmm maybe I should scrap the 6' tank(since it's full
of hair algae) and turn it into a violet home?
Anyway just think spring is around the corner .

[RedFish]

Like Sas, I'm growing mine on a window sill and growth is very slow.  I haven't lost any, and I am 100% sure that is due to wicking them, otherwise I would have forgot to water and they would all be dead.

The leaves I bought have finally created babies, and this spring I will transplant the babies to their own little pots.

Since the leaves lived, I think I'll try propagating new plants from leaves off the plantlets I bought.

Once I have some small plantlets going, and the babies have taken root, I would be happy to pass on any of them to anyone who wants some!   I'm terribly slow at 'getting around' to doing things though.

My Mom used to grow Violets (and many others plants) and she had a superb multi shelf lighting setup.   My Dad offered it to me a few years ago, and I turned it down due to space constraints.  Now I'm wishing I had found space!!!

I need to do some research on building or buying a light setup.   Find out what lights work, but also if certain ones use less electricity than others.    Has anyone reseached this at all?