Mrs J's Diary

The Harrington babies are doing great!

2007-10-17T08:09:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, I transplanted the last of the "Harrington babies" from the leaves....
WOW... I am so excited!!!
I sent out many Harrington babies last week, to Violet Voice members who are participating in our group's growing project. Of course, I saved several of each variety for myself! :)
This photo is of just a small portion of one tray!

Progress Report on the African violet jar:

2007-10-14T07:46:00.000-06:00

In May, I planted a small clay 'strawberry jar' with extra plantlets of Darling BlueTrail.
Well, I must admit to having a terrible time keeping it watered!
At first, it was just like any other potted AV. But sometime in July, I began to notice it needed water every day... of course, it didn't get water every day!
I finally decided to really soak it, pot and soil, then fill the little saucer with water.
That worked fairly well... and by the middle of September, I began to see a bloom or two.
My other 'regularly-potted' Darling Blue Trail plants seem to love to bloom, so I am hoping with cooler house temperatures this fall... and maybe a larger saucer, these plants will soon begin to bloom more.

But this experience has been fun, and if I can find the way to care for it, I will do this again!

Window Plants Are Growing!

2007-09-17T07:58:00.000-06:00

This is a fact that we should all keep in mind: African violets DO grow at a fairly fast rate, so don't get discouraged! And we don't have to buy large plants 'just so we can have blooms"! If we would just have a LITTLE patience, the blooms will appear in no time!
PROOF:
This is my bedroom window this morning (mid September):

and here is how it looked six weeks ago (late July):

There has been many blooms in the window before today, but I just didn't take time to take a photo!
~~~ So this 'photo diary' of this window has taught me a lesson I don't want to forget: our plants will bloom, so don't get in a hurry. Just go about your life, and one morning they will greet you with lots of blooms! ~~~

Lots of Babies... Harrington ones too!

2007-08-26T15:09:00.001-06:00

August has been busy on the ranch... and on the plant shelves!
Every two weeks, more babies need transplanting from the mama leaves.
July and August saw the number of trays on my plant stands DOUBLE!
Here is one shelf of young starters:

For anyone interested in the Harrington varieties: they are doing fine and I have transplanted babies from just over half of the leaves... and reset some of the leaves, of course!

My, how they have changed with TIME!

2007-07-27T08:32:00.000-06:00

We all know how SLOWLY our violets seem to grow! It seems like I am always waiting for a new plant to bloom, and it seems to take YEARS!!!
In reality, African violets grow at a reliable pace; and before we know it, there are many blooms to give color to our windowsills!
Case In Point:
In March, I found time to repot my few tiny violet babies, and ordered a few leaves to root.
Here is a photo of my entire collection of African violets in May 2007:

One month later, in June 2007, they were blooming and beautiful:

And here is what my violet stands look like in July:
(The plants from the window, plus a few new ones, and babies transplanted from the leaves rooted in March! )

So, they aren't as slow growing as we think!
It is simply that WE are impatient! :)

The cart in the window is again filled with new plants in isolation:

I also have a shelf of rooting leaves... 181 leaves!!!

We can go from having NO VIOLETS to having TOO MANY VIOLETS much quicker than we can imagine!!!!! WARNING!

Violets in a strawberry jar!

2007-05-13T19:38:00.000-06:00

One of the 'growing methods' popular in the 50's and 60's was planting African violets in strawberry pots. I have found several small strawberry pots that seemed just right for violets. One was just the right size for my extra plantlets of Darling Blue Trail, a semiminiature trailer. Today I 'planted' the pot... and we will see how it grows!

Note about Harrington varieties:

2007-05-13T19:30:00.001-06:00

Due to the number of emails I have received about the Harrington varieties, I am adding this note to say: YES, there should be Harrington varieties available this fall. But, I will be offering them to Violet Voice members as part of a fall/winter project. So, if you are interested in Harrington varieties, you will have to join our project! Watch for it to begin sometime in September 2007.
I understand several vendors do presently offer some Harrington varieties, and in the past week, several Harrington plants have brought fairly high prices on Ebay. Cedar Creek Violets will be selling Harrington varieties in spring of 2008.

My Search For Harrington Varieties

2007-05-11T10:14:00.000-06:00

I began my search for D. Harrington varieties in April by posting a request for information on several internet African violet groups. Wow, what a response! I have several vendors who are selling me plants/leaves, and the ever-generous members of the online groups have volunteered for more sales/trades!
The best part of all: I received an email from Delores Harrington herself! Besides the wonderful opportunity to learn more about this interesting person, I received a box of leaves directly from the lady herself! Here is a photo of the leaves, set on May 10th!

I gave them the best spot on the light stand, and they are in my 'most trusted' leaf-starting domed greenhouse!
This is my pet project this year, so I will be posting updates!

To recap the past 10 months:

2007-05-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

Last summer and fall, we began work on our new house ( http://montanaranch.blogspot.com/ ) ---and my violets were totally neglected. I literally shut off the lights and never looked at them for over four months. I did save a few of my favorite varieties and several new ones.
In January of 2007, as I moved the plant stands into the new house, the one remaining tray of survivors looked very lonely!
I did some serious thinking and decided to slowly buy or trade leaves... and did allow for some impulse Ebay purchases!
Over the past two months, I have purchsed about 50 leaves, and my friend Loxi lead me through her house, begging me to take leaves off some of our old favorites! Several varieties on my 'most wanted list' came up for auction on Ebay, and I now have plants of Sybil, Apache Sweetheart, Blue Aura and Edna Fischer!
Here are my 'leftovers' from last year... that doesn't sound as complimentary as I would like. These varieties really were tough and strong... and survived alot of abuse!

Now the challenge is to find the place in the new house that is ideal for growing AVs!

Watering.... more important than you might think!

2006-07-24T07:33:00.000-06:00

The Golden Rule to the Enjoyment of African violets is "Grow only the number you have time to care for." (Laurie's blog)

The Golden Rule to Healthy African violets is "Correct watering is the most important thing you can do for a healthy violet."

In my experience, I have found:

if your violets don't bloom, adjust the amount of light or how you
fertilize,
BUT, if your violets are dying, it is most likely you
need to correct your watering habits or methods.

We all know there are many ways to water our plants: wicking, bottom watering, top watering, self-watering pot, to name a few of the most popular. The method that is best for you will depend upon the conditions of your growing area (humidity, temperature, amount of light), soil mix, the amount of time you have to spend on your violets, and the number of plants you grow.

But half the fun of African violets is the learning, the experiences, and the things you learn!

For my house conditions, and my habits, I have developed some general things which work well for my plants, IF I do them.

I do 3 things to make sure my violets are watered correctly:

1) I use the same soil mix in all my plants: mama leaves, babies, large plants, and even my other houseplants.
2) I use pots of certain sizes for certain sizes of plants:

* Any violet plant that is rapidly putting out new blooms or new roots is planted in a pot that allows 'toe room'. This means that starter plants that have begun to really grow up fast are given a pot that allows space for roots to fill, and larger mature plants also need a bit of extra soil to hold water between watering days.
* Any violet plant that is slowly growing or has a small root system is planted in a pot that 'pinches toes'. This means that tiny babies are transplanted in small pots. Slow growing varieties, weak or ill plants also need small pots. Small pots on these plants mean there is not extra soil to hold more moisture than the weak root systems can use.

3) I water all my plants on the same day! (By watering on the same day, I don't mean on the same day every week, although I often do water on Mondays. That isn't what I meant.)

When I do water, whatever that day is, I water ALL my violets. I have found that if I set aside a tray of babies or several pots to 'water tomorrow', I may forget them and they go without water until their wilting catches my attention. If I do remember them several days later, these trays or pots will be 'out of schedule' and will not need watering when the rest of the plants do, and next week I will have two watering days.)

I have found that if I do the first two things, the third is easy to do. If I use the same soil mix in all my plants, and use a correct size of pot for each type of plant, I can water everything all at once... and every plant is happy!

If a plant gets thirsty before the rest of the plants on a shelf, or in a tray... it needs potting up into a larger pot. If a plant is still moist when everything else is ready for water, it is probably in a pot that is too large.

Every time I try to 'compromise' on these three things, I have problems! If I follow them, and water at least once a week in the summer, my violets are happy!
1) I use the same soil mix in all my plants.

2) I use pots of certain sizes for certain sizes of plants.
3) I water all my plants on the same day!

AV Culture Schedule

2006-07-21T09:16:00.000-06:00

Here is the AV Culture Schedule I have been using for about 6 years:
AV Culture Schedule (to print)
I have found this really works for me! The list reminds me of what I have to do... and keeps me on schedule as I can see what I have fallen behind.

Must be something about adding a check mark when it is done, and having that blank space staring at me when the job isn't done!!!!!

2006 Inventory Lists, record sheets and Culling Scorecard

2006-07-11T15:23:00.000-06:00

I am posting updated INVENTORY LISTS of varieties I am growing:

I have found these 'record sheets' helpful....

And I have so much trouble getting rid of any AV, I made myself a
form that helps me ADMIT that I could live without a certain AV variety!!!!

AV Culling Scorecard (to print)

I have a 'AV Care Schedule' that is not in a pdf file yet... I have been photo copying new sheets each month. I hope to redo it and will upload it as a pdf file.

Is My AV Pest BIGGER Than Your Pest?

2006-07-10T11:28:00.000-06:00

What is the 'biggest' pest to attack your African violets? I don't mean the pest that was the biggest headache to eradicate. I'm talking about the physical SIZE of the pest!

About 6 weeks ago, I received an AV order that had thrips. I cut down the plants into leaves and crowns... then isolated them in a 'room' in our barn. The tray was covered with a dome and placed out of direct sunlight near a window.

At 3 weeks, the leaves looked fine. At 4 weeks, we needed the 'room' for the goats and I moved the violet tray to a small straw loft. This was not the best place for African violets; the temperatures rose to the high 90's, and the strong late afternoon sun hit the tray. Over the next few days a few leaves rotted, and the three crowns lost all their leaves to rot.

Last week, I was happy to see that 14 of the original 21 leaves were alive! I noticed a bit of white, fuzzy mold on two leaves. Because the leaves all appeared to have developed roots, I took the dome off for the night. The next morning, the mold was gone so I replaced the dome.

Then last night, I noticed a little bit of the mold had returned, so I took off the dome.

This morning, I found only 5 leaves standing upright! The rest of leaves were torn, chewed, and scattered around the tray. MICE!!!!

Rodents are to be expected in barns and farm outbuildings and I worried about this pest. At first, I placed the leaf tray above the ground, to avoid tempting the mice. The straw loft was probably asking for troubles, but it seemed the best place in the barn, filled with goats, cows, a calf, cats, setting hens, and whatever needed shelter from heat, rain, or mosquitoes!

After nothing happened the first time I removed the protection of the dome, I thought Montana mice don't like houseplants! I guess I was wrong!

A mouse is the biggest pest I have had attack my violets. What has been YOUR biggest pest?

( For updates on how the 'isolated leaves' are doing, read
Fear, Paranoia? I hope this makes you think! )

I have started a Blogger 'diary'

2006-06-30T16:37:00.000-06:00

I have just begun an African violet diary on Blogger.com.... and I thought you all might be interested. In fact, if you are reading this on The Violet Voice messageboards, you are actually reading one of my posts!
Here are a few of the features I like the best:

no ads, even on the basic accounts
you can have more than one blog... so you can experiment with one and have one as your 'good' journal
you can add posts to the journal simply by sending an email from your email program! (note: you cannot add photos to these posts; you have to add photos by posting from the blogger.com site.)
the template of the blog and posts can be customized in many ways!

Other features that you may find interesting and to some purpose:

You may upload 300 MB of photos, although the photos can not be shown on other pages or messageboard.
search your blog, haven't tried this yet!

Blogger journals and blogs is also available in other languages than English.

I first joined Blogger.com three years ago and my account seems to have been up and available all this time. Their cookies, etc. seem to work fine on both my desktop and laptop computers.

There are options to set that will send all posts to an email address... I simply set the email to come to The Violet Voice... (WHICH DOES NOT APPEAR TO WORKING AT THE MOMENT... I am blaming it on MSN and the fact that it is a weekend, MSN's busiest time!) :(

p.s. Thanks again, Laurie! This is fun! ;)

Instant Gratification -or- My Frustration!

2006-06-30T16:17:00.000-06:00

We've all heard the term 'instant gratification'. It is often used like this: 'In this modern age, too many people are used to getting what they what, when they want it, and at any cost.' I have heard people actually boast of behaving in this way: "I wanted it right now, so I just went ahead and bought it." or "I saw that beautiful quilt and asked around the show until I found one for sale. Boy, I wish I could sew something beautiful like that."

I enjoyed the first part of an article, It Takes Time by Nan Russell:

The story goes that after one of Ludwig van Beethoven's performances, several people were offering
him their congratulations, when one woman commented, "I wish God had bestowed me with such genius." "It isn't genius, madam, nor is it magic." Beethoven replied. "All you have to do is practice on your piano eight hours a day for 40 years."

That's not the message most people want to hear. Most people would prefer to buy the magazine which headlines, "Miracle Weight Loss Discovery," in the hopes of finding a quick solution before their class reunion,
rather than start a daily diet and exercise program. They'd sooner check out a seminar promising, "become a millionaire within months" rather than start a debt reduction, monthly savings plan. And they'd rather put their future hopes in a weekly lottery ticket than in themselves.

It's an instant messaging, plug-and-play world. Too often we bring that instant gratification thinking into
our workplace. We have little patience for the business idea that doesn't show an immediate return. We aren't interested in learning how to do something; we just want to do it. We don't want to hit the singles, just the home runs. We want mastery, money and success. And we want it now.

..... People who are winning at working ... know what happens to them, is up to them. Just like a house is built stone-by-stone, they know they build their own work success step-by-step. They know it takes time, and they use that time wisely.

Personally, I think we all have been tempted to 'GET' something already created, when we could just as easily 'WORK' at creating the same for ourselves. Sometimes, I wonder if we don't excuse ourselves by saying: 'I need a little treat for myself' or 'I don't do this too
often' or the one I find myself using: 'I don't do many other extravagant things!'

In an African Violet perspective, this 'instant gratification' can border on 'addiction'. And particularily when buying new plants. And I am not talking about buying more plants than will fit in your house. That is a different subject altogether.. that is insanity! ;)

I have recently been horrified by the high prices people seem willing to pay for African violet plants and leaves on Ebay. Okay, I understand the desire to have a certain variety, and the real need to bid when there is something beautiful. That is addiction too... addiction to Ebay, that thrill of getting a bargin and of bidding wars.
But the thing that makes it so terrible to me is the fact that the same variety is most often available from an African Violet vendor, at much cheaper prices!

I have heard the arguement that it is nice to see what size of plant you are buying... but I have seen Ebay auctions go sky high even without a photo of the plant. In several instances, the varieties was indeed hard to find, but many Ebay descriptsions say HTF, when the same variety is listed on more than one online AV catalog.

I don't consider spending the high price the terrible part... if someone truely wants a certain variety and it TRUELY IS NOT AVAILABLE anywhere else, I say 'go for it'. My price threshhold is not very high, but then again it has not been tested by an Ebay auction for a variety that was NOT available elsewhere.
In all but one or two cases of the last 30 or more I checked, HTF varieties on Ebay were NOT that HARD TO FIND!

I just had to vent my frustration!

WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE DOUBLE-CHECK other sources, ESPECIALLY when the prices GETS OVER $20 or higher????!!!!!!

I have a great example:

Last month, I followed Alana's link to the winners of last year's AVSA National Convention Show... and fell in love with Rose Buddies. I had no idea there was such a neat yellow-flowering violet! The first thing I did was a search using African Violet Search.. with not much results showing up there. I did an Ebay search and, if I were to believe the prices there, would have expected it to be one that is HTF and always with a high price.

Then, within one week, I received two vendor catalogs in the mail that listed Rose Buddies leaves.. one at $2.75 per leaf packet of two leaves, and the other at $1.00 a leaf! I promptly emailed Violet Gallery and asked if they had 4 leaves of Rose Buddies available. They said yes, so I ordered 2 leaf packets! A few days later, I received a wonderful PLANT of Rose Buddies!

The plant has three leaves that are hanging way out to one side, but to me they are saying 'pick me.. to plant' ! So I have three leaves to plant AND a nice, well-rooted plant of an age to begin to bloom very, very soon!

So, once again, I say:

Check the AV vendors... and don't pay HIGH prices for plants and leaves,
if you don't have to!

(maybe I should add a disclaimer: "My opinons only" if I post a topic like this? But, remember, that is what this diary is for! ) :)

I am GUILTY!

2006-06-30T14:02:00.000-06:00

I think the beginning of this Diary should demand my honesty --- and a confession. I AM GUILTY!

It is a straight-forward case of neglect --- deliberate abuse. There is no need for debate or a trial; the facts are simple. I have no honorable defense, because I have been given many warnings. I had ample time to change my actions. I have also been previously convicted on similar charges, which made my behavior even harder to understand.

It began in October of 2005 when I began to make plans for a new house. Fall work on the ranch is at it's busiest. At first, I simply put off watering my African violets until the weekends only.
In November, we had a chance to go on several 'totally carefree' camping trips. Before we left on the first trip, I put all my plants under domes and shut off the plant lights. Actually, that was a good plan to 'get by' for a few weeks, and everything would have been fine if I had returned my violet care to normal when the hunting season was over! But I totally ignored the plants for nearly three months!
In February of 2006, dead plants were scattered in every tray. While the majority were alive, they were in such poor shape that I felt real shame when a visitor would ask "Where are your violets?". I was so horrified at my neglect and not wanting to deal with the huge task of repairing the damage, I consoled myself by giving each plant a little drip of water and saying: "Revive them slowly before repotting.". In reality, that was just an excuse and what I was really doing was still ignoring them.

Late February, I sorted out all the duplicate plants and the varieties I knew I didn't HAVE to keep. In a matter of minutes, I did the ONE THING TO BE PROUD OF, and the number of plants in my house went from over 200 to 50. (I've always clung to '50' as my magic number -- as the number of plants I can care for properly.)

In April, all but 4 plants (2 were set aside as entries for our Virtual Show and 2 were left as control plants, see below) were cut back to about 3 leaves in each center, and put into 2" pots. There were about a dozen or so that looked pretty nice, and these were not pruned so severely. They were allowed about 6 leaves, received new pots and a bit of fresh soil. My plant shelves were cleaned and the lights finally turned on. It was nearly a full month before I saw new growth, but only 5 of the crowns died.

The end of June is the end of 3 months of PROPER CARE, and I have been rewarded with a spurt of new, fresh growth. Every plant has been transplanted at least once, and about half of them have buds. At first, they fit under two lights... now I have them spread out under 4 lights and my living room window.
The streps seem to not only have survived but thrived under their domes in the past year!
The two plants I set aside as Virtual Violet Show entries look okay, considering what they have had to deal with! They are the two blooming plants in the tray below.

I kept two duplicate plants 'as is'. I did not repot, I did not do anything to them, except give them the same renewed care as the plants I 'repaired'. They have not improved and look the same. So this photo gives you an idea of where my violets started three months ago.

So my punishment for my crime has been a mild one: I lost five varieties that I wanted to keep. But I DID 'cull' my collection, even if it was by neglect. But that is maybe something I should not mention as being to my credit???!!! (insert embarrassed face here!)

So: who is my Probation Officer? Have I modified my behavior? I wonder if I have learned from this experience!!?

My rehabilitation should not include browsing Ebay violet auctions, or opening Violet Voice messages with beautiful violet photos! My friends should not be other addicts with the same habits and faults as my own!

In early May, I purchased a 50-leaf Ebay auction, and found a leaf auction of Sybil, one of my 'most wanted' varieties. I simply 'had' to have a Ma's and a Rob's for our VV projects, plus the Buckeye leaves, and so it goes!!

I think the lesson to be learned here is "Grow as many violets as is fun to care for!".

In the words of Laurie from her blog: "the golden rule: Grow only the number you have time to care for." Humm, Alana wrote a great article: Keeping Your Collection manageable . Fred is always telling us how he refuses most new plants, in order to keep the ones he has. And many others tell of 'Violet Burnout' when they could not 'sent bounds to their desires'.

There is much truth and a not-so-subtle warning in *Count your plants, multiply by 15 equals?, a review of an article by Rich Follett.

Time will tell if I have learned something from this experience, or if all violets in my house are doomed to this annual cycle of neglect, then abuse. While I have a 'reasonable' number of plants at this moment, I also have the potential for many, many... TOO MANY by fall... If all my leaves sprout and my re-started crowns continue to grow and thrive. The only way out of this is to make sure I give away and sell as many of my extras, duplicates, and any variety that I don't absolutely love.

Can I do it? I will let you know this fall!

Thanks, Laurie!

2006-06-28T21:07:00.000-06:00

I want to send a special 'thank you' to Laurie Walton, whose SocksHaveNoThumbs blog has been so interesting to me. I have felt a bit guilty that I had nothing to share in return!

So, I decided to begin my own 'Diary' and I will try to add a few thoughts-- interesting or not! :)

I won't even try to match your sense of humor, Laurie, or your 'way with words'. Reading your blog, I am always amazed at, and I admit, a bit in awe of the way you always seem to go into every experience, good or bad, with every bit of your body and soul! :)

Thanks again, Laurie, for sharing your days!

WELCOME!

2006-06-28T19:45:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my new Diary!

I have in mind to use this blog as a place to post my OPINIONS, a place to give my views on this obsessive hobby of African violets.

These 'opinons' may be as simple as my favorite variety of the moment or as serious as the future of no-name plants. Maybe some of these opinons are not ones I would post on The Violet Voice!!!???!!!

I have so much fun reading about how the rest of you 'play with your plants'!
I will try to do my part, by sharing some of my thoughts here!