You are invited to a free ZOOM Lecture!
Sunday, December 6, 2020 @ 3pm EST
How to Grow & Care For African Violets
Are you new to growing African violets? Would you benefit from a refresher course on the basics?
In this lecture/demonstration, BSAVS award-winning member Christopher Paiva will walk you through the basics of growing and propagating. Learn about pot sizes, soil, watering, and fertilizer. Chris will explain why environmental conditions such as light, humidity and temperature are important when growing violets. Chris will also demonstrate how to repot plants and how to set a leaf to produce baby plantlets. We will end with a question and answer session for solutions to common problems.
Please register early, even if you are not sure you can make it! Once you have registered you will receive a Zoom link to use on the meeting time and date.
We will attempt to record the presentation and make it available to our members on our web site for future reference. We look forward to seeing you for this interactive and motivating experience!
Chris Paiva Biography
Chris became interested in growing African violets after searching for a hobby to decrease stress from work and other responsibilities. His fascination began with a small blue and white striped NOID plant purchased at a local supermarket. As his collection began to increase, he learned techniques in wick watering, soil mixtures, fertilizers, and fluorescent lighting. Chris’s first exhibit was in the BSAVS show in April 2017. He won awards for Best AVSA Collection Standard “Buckeye Cherry Topping”, “Buckeye Scrumptious”, and “Buckeye Cranberry Sparkler” and Best Novice “Cajun’s Cherished Hope”. This impressive first exhibit was just the beginning of many awards to follow!
Chris credits his friend, the late John Cook of Cape Cod Violetry, as the person who inspired and motivated him to persist with the hobby despite many early failures. John invited Chris to his home to make purchases of growing supplies and encouraged Chris to join BSAVS, Inc. and AVSA. Chris takes his membership in these organizations seriously and states involvement keeps our organizations viable. Chris contributes to our newsletter the “Ye Bay Stater” and the AVSA magazine regularly. In 2018 Chris won an award at the AVSA Conference for his article titled “Making the Greens While Talking Dirt in the Workplace” Chris also runs our popular lecture/demonstration during our annual show at Tower Hill each year.
Chris lives in Fairhaven, MA with his wife Linda, their two sons, Nicholas, and Ryan and a Pug named Chester. He works as a psychiatric RN Supervisor and is a professor at a local college where he teaches Psychiatric Nursing.
