VioletReflections
NEWSLETTER  issue #10 May 2001

An affiliation of AVSA    
    Editor:  Rachel Mayer                 

Who’s Right? by Don Geiss

After looking closely at the messages as they are shown on the VR egroup message board it is apparent that there is much room for thought about them.

The first item that caught our eye is the number of people who advocate covering starter leaves and even sick looking plants with plastic. In affect that makes those leaves and plants into a terrarium. It keeps the material in which the specimens are planted very moist. A number of people have reported that they do not have success with this method while perhaps an equal number do feel it is an excellent treatment. It certainly shows that there are many different ways of caring for plants. Remember though that even if a person recommends that method, it may succeed in that part of the country or in that person’s home conditions. As we have often said," Try it with a limited number of leaves or plants". If it does not work not too much is lost.

The subject of mailing leaves and starter plants is another question that often arises. The system of wetting the leaves and placing them in zip-loc bags has been found to work well. Some people, including the writer, send starter plants wrapped in wet paper towel pieces and then covered with aluminum foil. It seems to work well and provides that extra dampness time if the mail is late. We also insulate the shipping boxes because the temperature in our part of the country is very uncertain and the insulation gets the material shipped through the cold parts of the state. The leaf stems are always cut at an angle because it is our belief that more plantlets are grown from a stem cut that way.

Our friend Jim Eyerdom, who was the former owner of Granger Gardens, always recommended that a person automatically spray any leaves they receive. He pointed out that many insects are so small that a microscope was needed to see them. He also suggested that if there was an infestation of cyclamen mites that it might be wise to keep a couple of leaves and spray them thoroughly and then throw away the plant. Dr. Charles Cole once pointed out that a plant hit with mites could eventually recover itself because the insect eats its way out of house and home.

We must emphasize that each plant under that system must be isolated from any other. It could also be pointed out that if a leaf were put down from the plant at the same time it was set apart for recovery they would both be ready to flower at about the same time. It might even be that the leaf would have yielded babies and they in turn would have matured faster than the mature plant could recover. We do not, however, recommend that a person experiment with that idea because giving a plant cyclamen mites might not be a very good experiment.

While we are on the subject of leaves below is a rough drawing of the method we use in starting leaves.

Now comes the subject of purchasing plants from a source that does not concern itself with having names of the individual African Violets. They are attractive but if you ever intend to really have a named collection they should be avoided. For many individuals the name is not important and that is great . The majority of people who have AV’s are just happy to have a lovely plant. On the other hand if you purchase an unnamed plant and then try to identify it so you can give it a known name you may well be wrong. There are so many thousands of AV’s today that many are almost identical. The named brands as the ads say "may cost a little more" but they are accurate as to the name if that is important to the reader.

Annually the Optimara Company puts out a color poster of their plants. For those who do not use the First Class computer program, the poster is a good way to identify certain colors on plants and thus to name one that had no ID tag. We have picked them up at the AVSA Convention but it might be an idea to write the company and see if they will send them out.

Advice is often asked about the correct type of fertilizer to use. The subject is tossed back and forth. Often the type being used is blamed for the sickliness of plants. Certain brands are also avoided because of ingredients thought to be non soluble in potted plants. Much has been said about the fear of using Peters Fertilizer. We used it for years and never had a complaint. We stopped using it only because it was no longer available to the average grower in large quantities. The folks who talked about Peters not having usable ingredients are probably correct but we mention this only because it is not necessary to change a brand just because someone else does not like it. Currently we use Plant Marvel and used a bloom booster this spring when getting ready for garden club seminars. Remember though as the saying goes "If it ain’t broke don’t fix it".

Many of our readers have complained about algae in the reservoirs. There is a cure for that but it is not cheap. Cape Cod has the product called Physan 20. They sell it for about $6.25 for 16 ounces. It lasts a long time since you use only about one teaspoon per gallon of water. This is a product aimed at hospitals for disinfectant. It works like a charm to keep out algae.

Lastly for this month potting mix comes up over and over again in messages. Soil boils down to some basic materials. There is sphagnum moss, ground up bark, washed sand, perlite and vermiculite. There are of course a number of other ingredients ( see our article in March-April 2001 issue of The AV magazine). A mix heavy to sphagnum moss tends to elicit the most complains about plants drowning. When one combines the moss and vermiculite that also holds lots of water it often acts like a swimming pool. Actually as far as I can discover the nurseries use essentially the same potting mix all over the country to start flats of Petunias and Marigolds as well as hanging baskets. It might be a suggestion for anyone in doubt about what a good potting mix might be to check with any local plant nurseries. We do not mean a florist, however, for often they do not know what it is.

And that’s a wrap until next month. Don

Bio of the month - 
I am embarrassed to say  I spent a couple of hours looking for a bio.  I am sure I received one or two the last time I put in a request, but I can't remember where I saved them.  I don't know what to say except I am sorry and I promise to do better next time.   

Chat room Schedule

Anyone can call a chat anytime there is not a scheduled one. Just go to one of the rooms and send a message to the list giving your name and chat room location.  If there is a subject you wish to speak on or question you may add that as well.   If you would like to be a chat room keeper on a regular basis contact Rachel while Yoko is away.  
The scheduled chats are listed below. 

Chat with....

Day	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Keeper	Tricky				Nancy		Tina
Time	7-8pm				5-6pm		10-11pm

Wayne has advised he will be quitting the Friday chats on chimera's and keiki grow. 
He plans to pick it up later at perhaps one session a month

Chat room locations.

Feel like talking?   Just go to one of  the chat rooms and drop a note to the list telling  them  what chat room you are in waiting for them.   It is great!  I have tried it a couple of times and each time I enjoyed chatting with at least 5 other persons. 

 Poetry Corner 

My Life in a Jar
While the sands of time trickle through my mind 
I gathered the rocks, they were not hard to find.
Success and mistakes were these great things 
Sometimes it hurts just remembering.
My mistakes were great and heavy on my mind
While the few life's successes are lagging behind

Coarse gravel are stubborn lessons unlearned 
In spite, errors repeated, once again burned 
The rocks broken down now to small bits of stone
I stand here in the sand so totally alone
The sand in the hour glass drizzling down
Soon it will be time to turn it around 

My mountain was too high to scan
On this earth I did all one person can
One is too righteous he can do no wrong
The other still lies in her innocence song.
I will take rest now for I have traveled so far
To store my life in this pickle jar. 
                                                           :Rachel Mayer

Picture of the Month



"MISS PRISS"
One of our cabin guests

Classified Section
ATTENTION VR- MEMBERS only

 
Contact Phyllis

 

Special offer to all VioletReflection members 

10% off regular pricing on plants and supplies 

I also have embroidered African Violet T-shirts, aprons, & baseball caps for sale.

These are excellent quality items & feature the AV blossom pictured in the large banner above.

Display your passion for AVs & find out how many people ask you about your gorgeous shirt!!!

E-mail me for pricing & selections available.

My African Violet business is for sale. 

If interested, please e-mail me-- PhyllisC@webbworks.com

Stpaulia program

With all the new varieties being added to your collections. You may wish for a way to help keep all your information organized. 
    
Our list member Will Cronk has written a fantastic program called "Stpaulia." He offers a full working demo version, for 30 days. Try it you'll like it. When you decide to purchase it tell him you are a member of VioletReflections. We have already met the criteria of the special price so your program would be only $20.00 (USA). 
    
Think about it, it works with the Master Variety List program and is a wonderful way to keep notes and pictures of all your violets. I use both programs, I would be lost without them.
  

Will Cronk
wcronk@ivs2.com 
    
Orders Sent To:
Wilson Cronk
P.O. BOX 321
Swartz Creek, MI 48473

make money orders or checks payable to Wilson Cronk
          

   Mahlen & Brenda

we offer all VioletReflection members 

6 violets of our choice 

for $20.00 plus shipping. 

 Our new catalog for 2001 is online now

http://www.violetgallery.com