Many growers with wells use water from a Reverse Osmosis filtering system to water their AVs.  There are no minerals in RO to buffer the acidity of peat based potting mixes. As the potting mix ages, the plant's growing environment becomes very acidic and the plamt may show signs of nutrient "lock up". Symptoms include tight deformed centers, small off- color blossoms or poor growth. You must use fertilizer with micronutrients and add Cal/Mag 1/4 tsp per gallon of water to stabilize pH and allow roots to properly absorb nutrients.

1. Wicking

By Nancy Manozzi

 I have tried many types of wicking materials but always return to either 3 ply acrylic yarn or nylon stocking. I split the 3 ply into single strands for most of my plants, even the very largest.

Some of the other types of wicking materials that I have read about are nylon strings purchased at fishing/sporting departments, Carpenter’s twine, nylon cords from fabric stores, seine line (material that is used to make fishing nets), Mason's Twine and upholstery twine used for piping. I have tried some of these, but still prefer yarn or nylon stocking.

My soil is very light weight, Fafard #2, now called Professional Growing Mix, to which I add 50% perlite. I sift the perlite to get rid of the fine particles which can make the soil heavier.

 When repotting, I pull the wick up through one of the holes in the bottom of the pot, then put a piece of paper towel over the holes to prevent the soil from running out. I then put about 1” of soil on the towel, place only a small amount of the wick on top of the soil, cover that with a fine layer of soil, then place the plant in. Many people recommend a layer of perlite on the bottom, which I have also used successfully.I used to bring the wick all the way to the top of the pot but found the soil got too saturated with moisture. The roots are the only part of the plant that need to come in contact with the wicking material.

 When I’m not repotting, but just replacing the wick, I use tweezers and insert my pre-moistened wick through one of the holes in the pot bottom, up only about 1” until it makes contact with the root ball. I then water the plant to get the wicking action started. It seems I have to replace the wicks more often in the summer—either because the wicks get clogged with roots or they just stop working. Air movement seems to dry the wicks, also, whether from the vents blowing heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer.

 The soil of the violets with established root systems doesn’t get as wet as some of the smaller plants with smaller roots. The roots can absorb the moisture and the water doesn’t just saturate the soil.

 My plants definitely get larger on wicks as they are getting constant, consistent care; they don’t dry out as they might if I were watering them by hand.

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.

Too Much Variegation is Not a Good Thing

By Susan Gimblet

 I moved to a new home a year ago and my violets have had to make a lot of adjustments. They were relocated from a first floor solarium to a walk out finished basement. They had to adapt to new water, temperature and humidity. The plant stands; lighting and their fertilizer regime stayed the same. And have they ever let me know that they are not happy with these changes!

 The violets have shown their displeasure with poor growth including small leaves, misshapen leaves, and some tight centers. Each plant has been carefully checked and repotted. Most are now adapting and growing a lot better.

The most striking changes have occurred among the variegated violets. In their former life they enjoyed winter temps in the 70’s with a low of 60 degrees at night. In their new life winter temps did not get as high and although there are windows, the sun was blocked by an overhanging deck. A thermometer registered in the low to mid 60’s a good part of the winter.

 So how did the variegated plants respond? The new leaves lost nearly all their variegation, growing nearly white. Normally variegated plants are grown on lower shelves so that they will be cooler. I moved all the variegated plants to the upper shelves of the light stands and centered them under the brightest part of the lights. I used only 20-20-20 fertilizer for those violets. After a couple of months the violets began responding to the warmer conditions. In addition, as spring turned into summer, the lower level temperatures increased into the high 60’s and 70’s.

 One day I really looked at the variegated violets and realized I had some very interesting growth patterns. There was an outer ring of normal variegated leaves; next was a ring of nearly white leaves with no variegation; and finally a center ring of new leaves that were again showing more or less normal variegation. In some cases the newest leaves showed more green than white, again due to the warmer summer conditions. The violets caught the attention of some non-growers whom had never seen violets like that before. Neither had I!

My next step was to remove the old variegated leaves and the white leaves and pot down the resulting neck. At this point the variegated violets are looking healthy and showing variegation. As the temperatures begin to drop, some decisions will need to be made as to how to handle these variegated violets. The room temperature can be increased. The variegated violets can remain on the upper shelves where the temps are a bit warmer. Their fertilizer can remain 20-20-20 to provide adequate nitrogen.

 Hopefully, the variegated violets will demonstrate their satisfaction with these changes come spring and be ready for show.

 

 

What is a Chimera?By Bill Daniels

Edited and reprinted from the avconnection

A chimera plant is unique, as it spontaneously mutates with two or more completely different genetic tissues growing adjacent to each other. The resulting pattern of the blossoms shows the uniqueness as a pin-type wheel on the petals. Another way to describe a chimera is there are two different genetic traits co-existing within one plant. The result is a splendid show when the plant puts out its blossom. The two different traits separate, aligning themselves in different cell layers. This produces two different color patterns within the flower giving its name a chimera.

The word chimera originally comes from Greek mythology. It refers to a she-monster, represented as vomiting flames, and, usually, as having a lion's head, goat's body, and dragon's or serpent's tail. You can see where this term came to be used biologically for a "mixture of tissues of different genetic constitution in the same part of an organism. "The preferred pronunciation of chimera is [ ky meer uh ], but [ ky mare uh ], [ kih meer uh ], and [ kih mare uh ] are also acceptable.

There are only two ways you can reproduce a chimera: The first way is for a sucker from the plant stem. Unfortunately when you want the plant to sucker it does not. You can cut the crown off the plant, forcing the chimera plant to sucker; yet this way ruins the symmetry of the plant you already have. The second way to product a chimera is by its flower stem or peduncle. A chimera will not bloom true from leaf propagation.

Did you know that a chimera has two different genetic traits co-existing within one plant? This situation demonstrates itself with pin-wheel type blossoms that are quite unique. The two different traits separate, aligning themselves in different cell layers. The result is two different color patterns within the flower.

Did you also know that there are only two ways you can reproduce a chimera? One way is with a sucker from the plant stem and the other is by flower stem. A chimera (word from Greek mythology) will not bloom true from leaf propagation.

Growing Violets Is Easy?

By Susan Gimblet

I have been very fortunate in my efforts to grow African violets. For years I had a wonderful growing area created from a garage turned solarium. The conditions of light, temperature, humidity and air circulation seemed to all come together and allow me to grow prize-winning violets.

What a difference a move can make! I have been in my new home for 2 years and I am still experimenting trying to get it right!

My growing conditions, particularly in the winter, are cooler. The violets grow on light stands in a finished walk out basement. I no longer have the benefit of passive solar heat to assist in keeping the violets in a warmer environment. The room is fitted with three sections of electric baseboard. To avoid blowing the budget, I have tried to keep the temperature reasonable.

The lights are the same, one warm white and one cool white for each shelf, set for 10 hours a day. The fertilizer routine is the same. Week 1: 20-20-20; week 2: Bounty and Sturdy, and week 3: plain water. The water is different. Previously, water saved from a dehumidifier was used. Now tap water, drawn and allowed to sit for a minimum of a week is utilized.

The first summer and winter, the plant stands were located against a long interior wall, near two of the baseboard heat sections. The violets seemed to do well and I had several show quality plants for the spring show. After the show, I began to notice the variegated plants. The new growth had very little green. The new leaves were predominantly white! I moved the variegated plants from their regular location on the lower shelf up to the top shelf of the plant stands. Over the following months, the new growth on the variegated plants returned to ‘normal’. Of course, now we were in the warmer summer months. During the second winter, the variegated plants remained on either the top or second shelf. There has not been a repeat of the loss of variegation. This summer the variegated plants are back on the lower shelves.

Last summer, I decided to rearrange the furniture in this plant room area. The two light stands were moved into an area approximately six feet by eight feet enclosed on three sides. One stand was still against an interior wall, but the second stand was against an exterior wall. There was one smaller baseboard heat unit. All seemed OK. The violets looked fine and I left in February for a month. Toward the end of the month, I heard from the plant waterer that 3 violets had powdery mildew on the leaves. She isolated them until my return. In the weeks after I returned, I sprayed the violets with a Safer commercial product designed for mildew. Unfortunately, between the mildew and some damage from the fungicide, I had two plants suitable for the spring show!

I purchased a fan to circulate the air, culled out some plants and checked the violets to be sure they were not getting too wet. I read a suggestion by Sue Gardner in the July/August 2008 issue of the AVM She suggested spraying the violets with a solution of two teaspoons of chlorine bleach to one pint of hot water. This spray seems to have worked.

My upcoming plans for the winter include:

To move the light stands back to their previous location closer to the larger baseboard heat units.

To spray the violets again with the bleach solution

To maintain adequate air circulation both with a fan and by separating the violets as much as possible.

To place the variegated plants on upper shelves

To increase the heat in the plant area by a few degrees

I hope that this plan will get my violets back to prize-winning status.

           

 

 THE QUESTION CORNER

By Lisa DiMambro

Question: I can't grow large show plants; my plants get to a certain size and the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. What is wrong?

Answer: I had to do a lot of research for this question, as the person posing it is an accomplished grower. Finally I asked a lot of growers of larger show plants at a recent convention. The following is all the advice that was received.

Make sure that the variety you are trying to grow large will grow large, and do so in your conditions. A plant that will grow large for a grower in California may not grow as well in New England. Use a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer, not a 12-36-14, as the large show plants need the nitrogen to keep the leaves a nice, healthy, green. Skipping fertilizer in the summer is not a good idea for the show plants as they are still growing and need the nutrition for the outer leaves to stay healthy.

A few growers I spoke with suggested that taking the plant off the wicking system in the warmer weather seems to help with this type of problem also. Another suggestion was made to take the root ball apart and make sure that there are no soil mealy bugs or other root problems. Also not over potting the plant, or allowing the plant to stay too long in an undersized pot.

Contrary to popular belief I was told not to disbud completely for long periods of time, but to allow the plant to put up one bloom stalk occasionally.

And the final, most common suggestion made by all the growers was the ph issue. Although this grower had tested her ph and it was in the normal range, many said that unless a soil sample was taken from the center of the root ball, it would not be accurate. With the mold potting method of potting up larger plants, we are not taking the old soil off, but just adding new. This does not level the ph throughout the pot. The older soil in the center of the root ball could be too high or too low and not allow the plant to absorb the nutrients it needs, even though the ph on the outer edge is fine.

 

Streptocarpus

By Holly Walker

 I grow under lights and really don't pay attention to how close or far away the plants are from the lights, but decided to measure for this article. My largest streps are about 8" from the lights, which are on for ten hours a day.

My mix is one part each of perlite, vermiculite, and Pro Mix. I also throw in a handful of charcoal.

Even though the experts say not to wick water streps, I do! I don't have enough time to water each plant individually. I use just one strand of yarn (single ply) because they definitely don't like to be overwatered. Most of the time I use Peters 20-20-20 fertilizer, or whatever is handy! I have read that streps like a fertilizer that is high in potassium but I haven't tried one of those varieties yet. (for readers who don't know, that would be the third number on the fertilizer label and that number should be double the first number.)

As for pot sizes, I kind of use the same rule as for violets which is the pot should be 1/3 the size of the plant. Also, shallow pots are better than tall ones, as streps would rather be pot bound than over potted. I use green plastic pots.

As the blossoms start dying, remove them. Once all the flowers on a stalk have been removed, cut the stalk as low as possible. Don't worry if the soil dries out and your plant wilts as it can withstand that. Just water the plant and it will perk right up again.

I only divide my streps if it's a huge pot of many plants. When I repot, I take off some of the larger, outer leaves that have started to yellow a bit.

As for propagation, I use one of the fresher, dark green leaves toward the center of the plant. I use a razor blade and cut the leaf lengthwise on either side of the "mid rib". Then, I cut those long strips into three or four smaller strips. I make a few rows of indentations in the soil and place the cut sides of the pieces down into the soil mix. I use the same soil for propagation as I do for other potting. I use clear plastic salad-type take-out containers that have tops. I make sure the soil stays moist. In about six weeks, small plantlets should start to appear. Once they're about 2" in size, you can separate them from the leaf and pot them up, individually, into small pots.

Basic Essentials(reprint from April 2004 Ye Bay Stater

By Susan Gimblet             

Welcome to Basic Essentials. This column is the first in a series designed to help each of us, as growers, maximize the essential elements for producing beautiful African violets. Whether we are growing a violet just for our own enjoyment or planning to 'Grow to Show', taking a look at the individual components is always a good idea.

 We have all probably heard laments about how difficult it is to grow African violets; "it won't bloom," "my violets always die," "I watered too much/too little," and so forth.

In reality, African violets are very adaptable to most environments, which have made them one of the most popular house plants. Because the African violet is so adaptable, it can be grown in different ways by different growers, with equal success. I remember when I was first growing violets, I would become frustrated when asking questions about growing them. Everyone had a different tip or suggestion and frequently these tips would contradict each other or offer too many alternatives. For example, one grower watered from the top, another person said, “Oh no, always water from the bottom and don't get the center leaves wet.”

Having said all that, there are several basic essentials that are needed to produce a beautiful African violet, but there are variables based on individual conditions. We will mention some of these variables throughout the discussion. Keep in mind that African violets are grown literally from Maine to Texas, in all different climates. Although we are going to be talking about growing within our area, each of us may have little micro climates within our homes.

Let's start with a discussion of potting mixes, pots and potting techniques.

 Potting Mix

African violets have very fine roots and require a light, airy potting mix that will provide good drainage and permit the roots to grow. The potting mix should be slightly acidic (pH of 6.5-6.7). A good potting mix is very important. If violets are not grown in the correct potting mix, the other essentials for successful growing may not matter.

 The terms 'potting mix', 'soil-less potting mix' and 'soil' are interchangeable for the purpose of this discussion. The one factor that they all have in common is that these mixes do not contain 'dirt'. Because African violets grow better in a light, porous mixture, a mix containing dirt would become too heavy and compact, inhibiting the roots from growing. The three primary ingredients of soil-less mixes are peat moss, perlite and vermiculite.

 There are many different brands of soilless mix and many different recipes. It may be necessary to try more than one mix before settling on the one that works best in your environment. Potting mixes designed for African violets may be purchased at many garden centers. Look at these mixes closely, read the label. Check that the mix contains the three primary ingredients mentioned before and note whether it contains any 'dirt'. These mixes will work, frequently they need to have additional peat moss or perlite added to lighten them.

 Soilless potting mix may also be found in many garden shops. In addition, there are listings of commercial suppliers in the back of the AVSA magazine, including Cape Cod Violetry, owned by Bay State members John and Barbara Cook. Finally, growers may make their own mix, following recipes published in the AVSA magazine, Pauline Bartholomew's Growing To Show, and other sources. Potting mixes do vary from brand to brand. Choose a good quality potting mix, perhaps one that is recommended by a violet friend or club.

 Variable: I have found that when I bring a new plant home, whether from a club member or a commercial grower, I need to repot that plant into "my" soilless mix. "My" mix works well under my watering, temperature and light conditions. I have learned from experience (note-trial and error) that if I leave the plant in the original mix, it will not grow that well.

 Pots and Potting

African violets may be grown in either plastic or clay pots. Clay pots, however, will dry out faster and require more frequent watering. As most growers have many African violets, less frequent watering is a plus. There are many types of plastic pots available for violets. The simplest is a squat or shallow 4" pot (which is the most frequently used size). African violets have fine, shallow roots and grow best in smaller, shallow pots. Ideally, the roots will grow and fill the shallow pot, then permitting the plant's energy to focus on producing a nice rosette of leaves.

 A general rule of thumb is that the diameter of a violet may be three times the diameter of the pot. Therefore, a violet in a 4" pot may grow to 12" in diameter without needing to be moved to a larger pot. So remember not to be too hasty in wanting to put the plant in a larger pot. Keep in mind those shallow roots.

 This does not mean that the violet should not be repotted. African violets do need to be repotted at least twice a year. Semi miniatures and miniatures may need to be done more often. Violets like to grow in a pH range of 6.2-7.0. The potting mix selected is in the pH range of 6.5-6.7, but over time, the peat moss in the potting mix will break down and make the mix too acidic, thus affecting the violet's growth. By repotting on a scheduled basis with new potting mix, this problem is eliminated.

 Purchased plants usually come in a 2" pot. Allow that plant to grow to at least twice the diameter of the pot before transferring into a larger pot. Some growers will move from a 2" pot to a 3" pot and then a 4" pot. I prefer to repot from a 2" directly into a 4" pot.

 To repot, place screening in the bottom of a clean 4" pot. Screening material may be a piece of coffee filter or any other material that is porous but will prevent the soilless mix from spilling out at the bottom. Place enough moist mix in the bottom of the 4" pot so that when a small 2" pot is placed on top of the mix, the rims are level with each other. Add additional moist mix between the two pots, pressing firmly. When the space is filled, remove the smaller pot and place the small plant in the available hole. Add additional mix as needed to stabilize the plant. Water lightly with plain water.

 Violets that are being repotted should be disbudded. The plants will be stressed from the repotting and their energy will be needed for root growth in the larger pot.

 Track repotting needs either on a calendar, with a computer or simply by dating the plant label.

 Enjoy your violets!!

Air Layering Your Leggy African Violets

By Sharon Rosenzweig

Many of you are probably familiar with rejuvenating an old African violet with a long neck. The common practice is to cut off the root ball leaving about 1-1/2” of the neck, scraping off the dried brown stuff until moist green tissue is showing, placing the scraped neck into potting mix and cover with the plant with a plastic bag. This method puts a lot of stress on the plant while it is trying to make new roots.

Another method of re-establishing an old plant with a neck is to air layer the neck.

The first step is to remove outer leaves until the plant is no more than six inches in diameter. Clean the stem of stubby leaf bases and scrape the dried bark until moist green tissue is showing.

Wrap moist (not wet) sphagnum moss firmly around the stem. Cover the moss with plastic wrap, making sure it fits tightly both above and below to prevent it from drying out. Use twist ties to secure the plastic on the top and bottom.

Treat the layered plant the same as you would any other African violet. However, periodically check the moss to be sure it has not dried out.  If it dries, moisten with a gently spray of water.

After about two to three weeks, the sphagnum moss should be filled with roots. When the plant is well rooted, cut the neck just below the ball of moss and roots and place in a pot of suitable growing mix. Water and cover with a plastic bag for a week to ten days. Remove the plastic bag when the plant seems firm in the pot.

The advantages of air-layering are:

Little or no risk of losing the plant

Shock to the plant is minimal

The plant will have a new root system

The plant will produce new growth and flowers sooner