African Violets and Gesneriads: The Obsession Has Begun, 3 by KimsKreations1

KimsKreations1 wrote:
I remember when things really went down here. When Gail left and then Dave. I left shortly after that due to things at home and the upcoming divorce.
I really miss the way things were here. I miss Gail alot too. I don't know how to contact her anymore though.
I don't do Facebook but I would like to know that other forums you belong to Karen. I might be interested in joining someplace else that isn't Facebook.

I was never fond of AV's either. They were my least favorite back when I was focusing on streps. In fact, I called them cabbages remember? *lol* But I have to admit; now that I have been growing them; I really have fallen for them. Not all of them; just the ones that I select *lol*

Like you, I have always had a thing for fantasy flowers. I just love them. So alot of my violets are fantasy blooms or intricate blooms. I just love the challenge of getting them to shape properly, I like brushing the leaves, I like the constant blooming and the variety of leaf shapes. I only grow minis and semis and am really enjoying it.

Sinningias are more difficult for me. They don't seem to bloom as much, then there is the tuber thing *lol* Because they are so difficult for me and since there isn't as many hybrids out there this is where I decided to focus my hybridizing efforts this time around. I am SO excited to hear about your strep hybridizing too Karen! Have you been doing it long? Are you going for a certain objective? Do you have any that you have grown to flowering stage?

SOOOO much to catch up on.....fill me in :) I have missed all of you SO much! Growing gessies was my lifeline at the end of my marriage and now growing gessies is my healing hobby. I plan to grow gessies for the remainder of my time on this earth :)

A bit off topic but here is a picture of the VERY first bloom on my hoya bella. This little bella has a story to tell. In 2012 I lost my son in September. In December my Gram passed. For years Gram and I tried to get cuttings of my aunt's hoya bella to root and grow. I could never seem to get them to grow; they always died. Gram however, got 3 cuttings to grow. Those 3 cuttings turned into the MOST BEAUTIFUL huge lush plant that was constantly in bloom. I asked Gram for her plant when she no longer could take care of it. Right before Gram passed she must have either overwatered or underwatered it and it seemed to just wither and brown in a day. But Gram wouldn't believe it was dead. She moved her bella right next to her chair and continued to care for that dead plant right up until the time she passed. I decided that as much as Bella had broken my heart and deflated my growing abilities, I was going to give it one last shot. I ordered a small plant from Rob's and a small plant from a hoya grower and put them both in the same pot. I have taken 3 cuttings and have successfully rooted them (just in case) and yesterday when I got home I noticed the very first flowers on my mother plant! I was just tickled pink and I know my Gram is in heaven with my son just beaming with pride and saying "I taught her everything she knows". Thanks Gram, I miss you and love you so very much! We did it!