Organizing for Good Growing

Reprinted from April 2008 Ye Bay Stater

By Suzanne Ress

 “Consistency is the most important ingredient for successfully growing African violets.” We hear this over and over, sometimes we hear it so much that we ‘can’t’ hear it any more.

The easiest way to bring consistency to your growing is to be organized.

Organize your time. This is probably the most important element. Make sure you take the time to care for your plants. Make it a ritual – a set amount of time each evening to help you set aside the stress of the day, or in the morning as a way to ease yourself from sleep to activity, or … You get the idea, pick a time and stick to it as closely as possible. Depending on the number of plants you have, you do not have to take care of them all in one sitting! If you can only manage a limited amount of time with a limited amount of plants, then the next day, start where you left off and keep going, day by day. And if the time you choose isn’t working, pick another time slot and keep trying.

 Organize your plants. Make sure they are labeled with their correct name. Most people put the date they were last repotted on the label, also. This way you can set up a repotting schedule that allows you to keep track of which plant needs what sort of care. Make sure you have a list, on paper or on your computer, with all the identifying information on each plant; name, hybridizer, date of registration, and AVSA or hybridizer’s description.

 Organize your supplies. Don’t make it difficult to get started on a task, like repotting, because your supplies are scattered – potting medium in the garage, pots in the basement, labeling supplies in a drawer somewhere. Plastic bins are your friends. Potting medium, vermiculite, perlite, and anything else that goes into the pot can be in one large bin. Cleaned pots should be kept together, in their own container or with the potting medium. Tools, including labeling supplies, can stay in their own container. Chemicals for disinfecting, treating insects, or feeding plants, should be safely and separately stored. These bins and containers should be kept together, as near to the plants as possible. Then, when you are ready to repot, groom, or feed, you don’t waste time assembling everything you need.

Join an organization. A local African violet club is a great way to keep motivated, share your successes, learn new things about violet culture, and make friends. Local club listings are in the back of this issue.