Violet Reflections

Newsletter - Issue 19 May 2002

This time of year everyone has extra babies, leaves, old magazines and other articles to sell or trade. People have been writing to me asking for permission to sell things over our mailing list. We cannot do that, this is a Yahoo rule, not mine!

I feel we should have some place to post these things and certainly there seemed to be enough demand for it so I opened a classifieds over a year ago and we still have only one item in it. WHY?

http://pub47.bravenet.com/classified/show.php?usernum=3955527368&cpv=1

I have been asking you to submit things to our newsletter classifieds section, yet we get no response at all. I know there are many of you who wish to sell things…I have been receiving the requests. But still, there is nothing in the newsletter!

I know Angela would be thrilled to have your ads in her newsletter classifieds. You can email her at krazystoned@hotmail.com. Please, everyone, we are trying to help you sell your wares. We have done what we can - it is your move now.

Rachel

Ander Afrikaan Viooltjie

(Another African Violet in Afrikaans language)

Original Concept: Laura Crater
Edited by Claire

Hi everybody, my name is Claire and I will be doing the Ander Afrikaan Viooltjie's column. I know that just like me, everybody enjoys this Newsletter. But to be able to produce a Newsletter every month, we need people to get involve with it. So from now on, every month, I will be begging one of you members of this great forum for some comments on your favourite African Violet plant.

First of all, I would like to thank Laura Crater for the time and the fantastic work she did with this column since its beginnings in the Violet Reflections Newsletter. Laura's way to say goodbye is by presenting us her favourite African Violet plant, which is…

Heritage Frolic 6716 08/22/87 (A. E. Adams) Semiminiature - Double dark rose/white-green frilled edge. Dark green, pointed, wavy/red back.

Here is what Laura had to say:
I received this little beauty late last summer. I left my records in our old computer, where the name of the person who gave it to me was recorded. It was marked as "Tropic Heat", but of course that wasn't what it was. It has always been one of my favourites as the small little blooms look like miniature carnations in beautiful tones of white and dark pink/rose, on an airy array of dark green ruffled, red back leaves. It blooms profusely and has a very unique style. I was determined to find out the real name if at all possible. I went back to the old computer and searched out my files and found that it had come in my STJ package from Mitzi Adams. I don't know how I mislabelled the plant. I sent her this picture and she was able to identify it immediately. Now I know that it is Heritage Frolic and it will always be one of my favourites. Thank you so much for bringing the joy of this violet to my life Mitzi.

Laura Crater

Thank you Laura for your contribution to this column. Who will be the next member to present their favourite African Violet? Please email your suggestions to: camirelc@sympatico.ca

Claire

CULTURE CORNER

- Editor: Jeanette Haygood

*Jeanette is on hiatus so Rachel was kind enough to provide us with this month's Culture Corner. If anyone is willing to temporarily take over this column, please contact Angela at krazystoned@hotmail.com

A note from Rachel: My Rachel's Reflections site was built on questions the public sent in. It is still growing today. In this case Wally Clarke was kind enough to share his knowledge with me and I in turn wish to share with you. Wally's piece will be added to my website in the fertilizer section.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I also grow Saint paulia in Ottawa and I caught your comments on urea fertilizer. In talks with Ed Holst from the Dixie AVS, J. Hale of Plant Products in Brampton, and many fertilizer manufacturers in the USA, it seems that, due to take-overs and USA monopoly regulations, .the Robert Peters business went through several hands; Sierra Chem., Spectrum Tech., Miracle Grow, Scott Lawn Products, etc., such that, with respect to nitrogen content, the ratio ammonia, nitrate and urea based ingredients varied between makers, dates and even size of the container!! (e.g. tubs of Peters 20-20-20 from Spectrum had different ratios of N than bags of Peters 20-20-20 from Scott's).

Nitrogen is the nutrient element that plants require in greatest amounts. Adequate tissue levels of N exceed levels of all other essential macro and micro nutrient elements combined. Nitrogen care is important because the plant needs more and it is most transient-it is chewed up soil microbes, flushed out or escapes as NH3 gas often before roots can absorb it. Thus, the trick is provide N, in usable form, when the plant needs it. Urea releases lots N ions in a rush-flooding your soil with nitric acid which can burn roots. Ammonium nitrate is gentler and soil processing goes fast to get to your plant roots but much of it is lost in NH3 gas. "Supplying N in a balanced mixture of cations and anions tends to reduce the rapid rise in medium pH that is commonly seen when the nitrogen is supplied solely as nitrate anion. Even when the pH is kept neutral, most plants grow better if they have access to both NH3 and NO3 because absorption and assimilation of the two N forms promotes cation-anion balance within the plant." (Plant Physiology, 2nd. ed., p.109, by Taiz and Zeiger).

I prefer to use a balanced fertilizer having a low potential acidity of less than 600 lbs./acre CaCO3 with coarse garden dolomite lime which dissolves slowly in Ottawa municipal water, pH approx. 7.2, to compensate for the acids in the nitrates of my fertilizer solution and the sulphates in the peat moss, and in so doing, extend the time between repotting. I do not use slow release pellets, seaweed or fish gurry to smooth out nitrogen release. I have found most fertilizer manufacturers will provide details beyond labels required by law if you just ask for those details.

I note a highlight of the Bob Serbin cultivars in your Web Pages. The best plant of this variety will be given a Special Award at the 2002 AVSC Convention in Calgary, May 2-4.

Regards, W.E.Clarke

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH….

A collection of pictures and thoughts from members who have attended local Show & Sale events.

Angela Writes:
Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend two Show & Sale events. The first, and my first-ever Show, was in Columbus, Ohio at the Franklin Park Conservatory on April 20th. My best friend Marcie and I took the 5-hour car trip down to Columbus from NW Indiana. The conservatory itself was absolutely beautiful and the show wasn't bad either!

Franklin Park Conservatory

First Place Table

Winners Tables		The other show I attended in Palatine, Illinois was a bit closer to my home. This show was smaller than the Columbus show but I was delighted to be able to meet Sharon (and her beautiful children) and Amy, fellow Violet Reflections list members, at the show.

Opera's II Straniero	Palatine's Big Winner Rain Man
I had a great time and both shows and I plan on attending another show at the Chicago Botanic Gardens on May 18th & 19th. I'm also hoping to attend the Crown Point, Indiana show on June 15th. - Angela Sharon, Angela and Amy	My Violet Stand

Announcements

Welcome New Members

Rtrmsyc rshomsany civilengineered saitooa

kivw4bichons cvan_cool soff_2002 deketchumdiane

cavewoman 76133 viern01121ai shellistep

sheila.mercer plantman crazy4xs bobfmall

kulhay janmcewen laceyne roadwarrior47171

craveseeds iwbillbe50 ckeymel hreid27

mark.schutt dogefamily RyNeed tjmd

MarjBcrp Sharp226 preachalot Oxonian

Ivyrosemvp robinsblooms genkinurse hwh

Beberly ezraelmo cassara7 dbtrant

Cgayzia jems3add1 Konjie39 immissnnb

dorothy_bence roback01 LynnABryant chattkat

jans twentyfourCarrots ras213 rmccave

helena_hallmad asianbich ecylk carosenstn

Hopkins7 bstarlite15 shirleyb jvanoy

Contributing Editors:
   Ander Afrikaan - Claire
   Poetry - Richard
   Culture Corner - Jeanette Haygood
   Rachel's Ramblings - Rachel Mayer
   Kitchen Korner - Nancy Schweitzer
   The Greatest Show On Earth- Angela

And a Special Thank You to the following contributors: Laura Crater, W.E.Clarke, Lenore Riccio, Robert, Del Setchell, Nancy Schweitzer, Janet Stromborg

on to newsletter 20