Tipt Propagation

I'm posting this to show the difference in how quickly or how slowly some leaves will send up babies.  Well, mostly to show how slowly some do.  lol  Tipt (Tipt (F. Richter) Single large lavender/purple tips. Standard)  As a side note, does anyone know when Tipt was introduced?

The two cups on the left are both Tipt.  They were put down on 5/4.  The one in the back still hasn't produced.  The one in the front put up mouse ears in August, I think.  The one in the lower right is Bambino.  I put the leaf down for the first time on 5/4.  It has already had the babies removed the 3rd week of September and these babies are new since then.

So, Tipt and Bambino in the upper portion of this photo.  The lower left is BonBon that is in desperate need of being separated out.  To the right of that (center and cut off on the edge) is Topps.  All of these leaves were originally put down on 5/4.  

So this just shows how quick some are and how slow others are.  I've learned a lot since I originally put these down and wouldn't use such long stems anymore, if nothing more than just to conserve space.  It didn't seem to hurt any of them though!

French Lilac - First Bloom

French Lilac (2844) 05/17/1976 (J. Swift) Double lavender and wine frilled. Quilted, ruffled. Large (TX Hyb)

This is a fairly rare and hard to find violet.  I saw a photo of it online last spring and decided that I had to have it in my collection, especially since I have a passion for the vintage ones.  This summer someone posted on a forum that I'm on that they were looking for it and I piggybacked my request for one as well.  Within 2 weeks I had a good sized starter in my home (thanks, Deb!).  It's now blooming for the first time.  

According to Sylvia on the board, a lot of people wouldn't believe that French Lilac was an African violet when it first came out, because it was so different. Many florists sold it as a decorative house plant.  She hasn't seen it for years.  I'm glad that it's still around and am happy to share leaves this spring!

Renee again...

I've been admiring my Renee violet as it keeps putting out more and more blossoms and so I keep loving it even more by the day.  There's a smaller blossom on it tonight though that is different from the others.  I doubt that the plant is sporting but I wanted to post photos anyway.  Very, very delicate and cute blossom!

I love looking across this shelf and seeing the buds opening up!  This is French Lilac in the front and Ness' Puppy Prints behind.  In a few days, I'll have more blossoms to share!

BTW, almost all of my photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.  Lots more detail to be seen that way. :D

Stork's visit

No, not the bird!

Tomorrow I get to go to a class that will be taught by Kent and Joyce Stork.  The Storks will be talking about how to hold a show and how to make it easier and more efficient, etc.  Looking forward to it!

Nortex's Starlet Haven and my King Sooper's NOIDs

There are lots of blooms coming up on this plant now that I have it in natural light rather than under the brighter lights.  It seems to be behaving much better in general now!  Here's a photo of one of the blossoms that are almost completely open.

A couple of the NOID's that I bought from King Sooper's are blooming again.  They're in isolation and, other than A LOT of fungus gnats and icky looking leaves where the previous blooms that I couldn't convince myself to take off when I stuck them in isolation and they molded and marked the leaves, they seem to be doing pretty well.  It's still early yet but I wanted to remind myself of how beautiful they're going to look once they're deemed healthy and can come out to join the rest of my babies.

 Yes, icky leaves but it's only where the molding blossoms fell onto the leaves.

Don't pay attention to all the dead fungus gnats!  Ewwww!  Hey look, it's a pretty flower! :D

Fertilizers

Someone asked me the other day what I use to fertilize my violets with so I thought I'd post about it here.

I use a variety of fertilizers, depending on the plant and the stage of development that its in.  I primarily use a fish and seaweed emulsion.  

AGE OLD FISH AND SEAWEED (3-3-2)  The original organic fertilizer is a blend of processed fish hydrolysates and North Atlantic sea kelp. Loaded with macro-nutrients Age Old Fish & Seaweed makes for an effective plant stress reducer, encourages root growth and is rich in carbohydrates.

http://www.ageoldorganics.com/products/liquid-fertilizers/

I use just under 1/2 oz per gallon of water in almost every watering as the primary fertilizer.

I also use Schultz African Violet Plus (8-14-9) when I think about it on a monthly basis or so.  It does have urea in it but if it's not used on a consistent basis then it is fine.  I use it to mix things up a bit for my violets and give them things that the fish emulsion doesn't give them.  

http://www.schultz.com/Products-and-Solutions/Plant-Food/African-Violet-Plus-Liquid-Plant-Food.aspx

http://www.schultz.com/~/media/Schultz/Files/Labels/SchultzAfrican%20VioletPlusMicronutrients-8-14-9-LABEL-AUG03-15-8105-4FLOZ.ashx

The last fertilizer that I just started using is a bloom booster by Fertilome, Blooming and Rooting Soluble Plant Food 9-59-8 (8 oz).  I just got it a few weeks ago but my plan is to give it to my adult plants once a month in a very reduced amount.  I've used it once and Simpler Times has gone bonkers and both French Lilac and Ness' Puppy Prints have both put out bloom stalks.  

http://www.fertilome.com/product.aspx?pid=7eca7da6-3ec6-46e8-932b-0db4c57745e1

I couldn't resist... this blossom was all alone and it looked so perfect!

Yes, it's my beloved Double Black Cherry :)

Tonight's Violet Happenings

Just some photos of what's going on in my violet world tonight.

Simpler Times - this is closer to what she's supposed to be with all the frills.  I think that as the plant matures then she'll have more of the frills that took my breath away when I first saw this variety.

With the flash...

Different angle :)

Lucky Me

Oops!  It's a Kenya Cat!  (She hates the camera!)

The new Tiger cub.

The old Tiger cub - looking so sad :(

Ness' Orange Pekoe babies (and Happy Harold on the left)

Kei Yoki x 2 and Happy Harold x 2

Dark Night of the Soul

Renee

Tipped Honey - I put this one into a baggy to try to get it to do something and it worked!

Baby Mermaid - see the teensy little one on the right side?  That came up from a withered leaf and it seems to be growing, even if it's slow.

A few other varieties that are coming up - Radiant Glow, Hawaiian Lei, Storm's Eye, and Lyon's Bunny Hop

The leaves that arrived today - Red Velvet Cake, Spanish Moss, Picasso, Allegro Watermelon Ruffles, B-Man's Etna, and Red Lion

New leaves!

Yes, I said it was too cold but a fellow collector convinced me that it was ok to ship as long as proper insulation was used, so...

I now have the following in my collection (and will be adding this to my list on the previous blog):

Red Velvet Cake
Spanish Moss
Picasso
Allegro Watermelon Ruffles
B-Man's Etna
Red Lion

They'll be put down in the next day or so.

There was also another starter of Tiger since mine isn't doing well.  This one is remaining in a plastic bag and I'll gradually introduce it to the dry air here in Colorado.  I didn't even think about acclimatizing the last one and so it's now in intensive care.

Thank you, Dave!

African Violet Society of Europe

It's a new club but it looks promising.  Putting this in my blog so I don't forget about it. :)

http://www.african-violet.eu/

Double Black Cherry blossom

I accidentally snapped this off when I was taking another dead stalk off, so I thought I'd take advantage and take a photo.  For a vintage violet, this one is superb!

Simpler Times - Watching the Development

Simpler Times 

Simpler Times (9193) 02/03/2003 (Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses/Sorano) Double dark blue large frilled star. Dark green, quilted, serrated. Standard

Oct 2, 2011.  

There is much development yet for this blossom but it's the first time I've come even close to capturing the correct color for this one. There are more to come as there are LOTS of buds coming up right now !

This photo shows the depth of the blossom a little better.

Oct 3, 2011 

The blossom is starting to cup more.  

Sparkles!

October 10, 2011

October 13, 2011

First Class 2

My First Class 2 (FC2) arrived in today's mail!  I wish I'd had time to really play with the program but it was a busy evening.  Looking forward to taking time to browse!  Woot!

My Violets - a list

This is a work in progress at the moment.  I'll post another note when it's complete. :)

Alamo Frills (starter)
*Allegro Paisley Pony (mouse ears)
Amy Lyn (starter)
Anastasia (starter)
*Bambino (starter and mouse ears)
*Bayou Secret
Berry Splash (starter)
*Bon-Bon (starters)
Broadway Star (starter)
Canadian Sunset (mouse ears)
Cherries and Cream (starter)
*Chicago Flair (leaf)
Christine (leaf - not doing well)
*Colonial Werries Creek (starter)
Cutie (leaf)
Dark Night of the Soul (mouse ears)
*Double Black Cherry
*Dumplin'
Evensong (leaf)
Feather (rooted leaf)
*French Lilac
Glimmer (leaf)
Granger's Peach Frost (starter)
Green Dragon
Happy Harold (starters)
Harbor Blue (Leaf)
Hawaiian Pearl (mouse ears)
*Iris (starter)
Irish Angel
Irish Flirt
*Island Hideaway (leaf)
*Jam Packed (mouse ears)
*Judie's Satin Doll
Jungle Print (leaf)
*Kaper (starter)
*Kei Yoki (starter)
King's Ransom (starter)
Lemon Kisses
*Lucky Me
*Lucky Me Sport (starter)
Lyon's Bunny Hop (starter)
Lyon's Pirate Treasure (starter)
Maas' Angela
*Magnolia
Malyshka Rusalka (mouse ears)
Ma's Fuzzy Slippers (leaf)
Midnight Radiation
Music Box Dancer (mouse ears)
MyDelight (starter)
MyPassion (starter)
Neon Fireflies (mouse ears)
Ness' Crinkle Blue (leaf)
Ness' Orange Pekoe (starters)
Ness' Satin rose (leaf)
Newtown Quiet Resolve (leaf)
Oksana
Optimara Molokai (starter - Project Plant)
Optimara Tradition
*Optimara Trinidad (leaf)
*Perfect Harmony
Persian Lace
Playful Spectrum (starters)
Plum Gem
*Pow Wow
Ness' Puppy Prints
*Nortex's Starlet Haven
Radiant Glow (mouse ears)
Rainbow's Quiet Riot (leaf)
Rebel's Splatter Kake (leaf)
Reka Oka? (starter)
Rechke Severka (leaf - Russian trailer)
Reka Volke (starter)
*Renee
*Richter's Charm Song (starter)
*Richter's Green Dawn (starter/mouse ears)
*Richter's Pearly Shells (starters)
Rob's Antique Rose (starter)
Rob's Bahama Mama (leaf)
Rob's Dust Storm (leaf)
Rodeo Bonanza (leaf)
Rozovaia Akvarel
*Sherbert (starter)
Silverglade Flashes (starter)
Silverglade Plums (starter)
*Simpler Times
Sky and Snow (starter)
Softique
Spectacular
Storm's Eye (starter)
Teen Sweetheart (leaf)
Tiger
*Tipped Honey (mouse ears)
*Tipt (mouse ears)
*Topps (starter)
Trinket Terrific (leaf)
Wild Irish Rose (leaf)
Winter Smiles (mouse ears)
Witch Doctor (starter)
Yesterday's Love (mouse ears)

Optimara video

This isn't mine but I wanted to share it here.  It takes 34 weeks for Optimara to take a plant from a leaf waiting for babies to when it's ready to ship out to the store for sale.  All that time for a plant that costs $3.97.

Outside photos...

We've been cool at night and had our first snow this last Saturday.  Today our balcony is toasty warm and the outside plants are gone so I felt safe to take a couple of plants outside for a few minutes to get photos in nice sunlight.  (One plant out at a time, just in case there are any hardy bugs still floating around!)

Lucky Me (Domiano)

Lucky Me (6298) 06/30/1986 (J. Domiano) Double orchid/darker mottling, variable purple edge. Light green, plain, glossy. Large (DAVS 942)

Lucky Me Sport.  I have this plant (and leaves put down too) but took a photo that of the picture that was on the starter that I bought. 

Jeannette Domiano was a hybridizer from New Orleans.  Her hybrids were known for their catchy names and unusual blossoms.  Per a thread on a forum that I'm on, here is some more info about this hybridizer:

In discussion with one of the members of our club, who was a close friend of Jeannette's, told us that she read a lot of class B romance novels and that is how she named a lot of her plants. It would be the title of the book or some section of the book that caught her attention. That is why some of her plant names were "risque". Plus, she named a lot of plants that had to do with New Orleans and surrounding Louisiana culture.

From what I understand, she was a real nice person, who enjoyed growing a hybridizing plants. She would share her plants with everyone. When she passed away, her husband called one of the members and told him that he was throwing out all and anything that had to do with the violets, that if he or any other members wanted anything, that they needed to come a get it. He told us that when they got there 2 days later, that they had to take things out of the garbage and try to save as much as they could. This included plants, seed pods, pots, soil, and anything else related. The husband hated violets and wanted nothing to do with them.

Jeannette's hybrids are listed throughout this page. She had a lot!