Don't be shy !When did you tat growing African violets :))

Don't be shy ! how did you first start growin African violet
Wnen did you do the leaf growing ??
Do you have lghts stands ? When did you get them what kind are they?Tell
us about your set ups ))
A few years ago on Ebay I saw African violets with names , minis, trailers, every color and
size. WOW Names. Streptocarpus plants , Flame violets. I bought 3 to start.
I had always had a lot of house plants, a few big African violets always blooming , I hardly thought to water them, thought they needed transplanting once every five years. lol
My three plants to dozens. I bid high. I wanted them bloomiing and would give them to admiring visitors when they came to visit. I never thought I'd grow by leaf . Hek 6-9 months or longer for a blooing plant, I won't live that long.
Then the seller gave me a free leaf ! It was fun to grow. It was a girl leaf and I
learned about girl leaves .
I have grown leaves ever way you could imagine. even grew one in a large zip lock bag on a slightly damped paper towel blown up and kept on the TV cable
box to keep t warm. People on groups told me the trick of the importanse of
keeping them warm. I kept it in the bag no soil until it was a baby . I was so
proud of it :))
Then I joined a local goup and was given bags and bags of named AV's and
the tricks of growing them ! I was not only given bags of leaves , solo cups, wicks , 6 quart plastic boxes to grow them in...I bought their soil-less mixture
it was great ! Soon later my husband mixes it for me as I use so much. The one box turned into two, ten, thrirty five. Then the boxes got larger. A 6 quart could hold 16 solo cups I now still use them but have ones that hold 30, 40 even 75 solo cups of leaves at one time !
Before I had lights my plants were in natural light and on every table end table with lamps on. lol I ran my lamps from the time I got up until I went to bed. lol The lamps and natural light they were always blooming. I had a house of lights. lol I can't tell you how many 3 ways lights I had going all the way turned up. I'd gather as many babies under each one I could . It was funny but it was all I had and it worked.
Then my husband was going to build me a light stand but he had a heart attach and his back pulled and it just seemed like his health went down hill.
Then my brother-in-law came to get me in and out of the van so I could go to the African violet show/sale I had wanted to go for a long time. My husband was not well enough to do so. This was a year last Feb two years in Feb. I bought plants at my club discount for $ 2.00 and $ 3.00 each. And leaves were only 50 cents each :)) My brotheer in-law grows AV's so every plant I bought I bought him and bought him some leaves he wanted. I also bought pots, wicks for him and soil-less mixture. The group sold it. But later down the road I used so much my husband mixes it. I met a couple older ladies I knew from on line groups they came to our show/sale. One lady was telling me how she bought her stands... Medal ones for like $69.00 . Well my husband got me a heavy plastic one five shelves I use 4. And he bought 4 ft; shop lights at lowes and home Depot each holding two 4 ft. gro-lights. My stand was around $ 39.00 on sale,( I like it I can keep it clean with hot bleach water and it does not rust or rot. I am a lbeach clean freak. ) the fixtures were about $ 7.00 each and gro-lights were $ 5.00 then. I only got a couple at a time. And sense I like the stand he got me another one the following month and little by little light fixtures were added :)). I say it took two two months in March I got my first stand :)) And then I really started putting leaves down. I bought an order of 100 leaves :)) I became addicted to growing by leaf. This past year, year and a half I have grown over a thousand differrent varieites of babies. Most given away, I sponcoered lots Bingos sold some but most I just gave lots of them away. We don't have musch room in our one bedroom trailer home so to keep up my joy of growing babies I have to be able to have the joy of Sharing !


Share us your new stories ! Allison

Allison, your story is so interesting. It's funny how a hobby progresses and we feel the need to learn everything. It's great that you have a relative who shares your love of plants and a husband that supports and helps you. I've never tried growing babies in a plastic bag. I will have to try that soon.

Since I am usually a "lurker" on this forum, I'll introduce myself: My name is Stephanie and I am pretty much a plantaholic. I grow orchids, hoyas, succulents and, of course, gesneriads. I have about 250 african violets, many streps, chiritas, and nematanthus.

I cannot remember a time when I didn't have plants. When I was very young, I remember having plants in my room and cutflowers during the summer. I became interested in african violets when I accidentally found a club sale. I had no idea that there were so many different colors of both leaves and flowers. I was hooked.

Then came the internet. Not only did I learn how to grow my plants better, I found many different places to buy them. I ordered books and read them cover to cover.

I started growing with plant stands about 10 years ago. My first husband did not share my love for plants, nor was he supportive of my hobby. Now I have a husband that does. In 2003, he made arrangements for me to go to MAAVS in North Carolina where I got to meet Rob and Olive from the Violet Barn and Paul from Lyndon Lyon. He's also built plant stands for me to grow. I couldn't ask for a better husband.

I've only ordered leaves off Ebay once--all Silverglades. Sometimes if I have a spare minute, I go check out the plants, but rarely bid because I forget about them (my DH says I should bid very close to the end of the auction).

Both of my daughters are interested in plants, although my curious 2 year old recently knocked over an entire tray of baby plants so I no longer know what is growing in those pots--just have to wait until they bloom!

I love to propagate plants and recently began to grow from seed.

Anyhow, hope you don't mind that I jumped in to add my story.

Stephanie

Stephanie, it's great to meet you! I hope that you'll continue to lurk, but even better I hope you will actively post and share your experiences and expertise with the forum. As you can tell, you are certainly among fellow plantaholics! *grin*

btw, I've used the "buy it now" pricing that some sellers make available on eBay. Before I realized that option was available last year, I bought a couple of sets of bulbs at prices that were actually higher than "buy it now" would have been.

Hi Stephanie
Nice to Meety ou and Thank you for sharing your story :)) I'm wishin' :))
everyone will share their stories !
Your stry is very interesting ! You have a bunch of African violets ! I have seen some of your postings on the African violet forum here, one when you recomended great places for shopping was one it was great ! You have a lot of great experience to share with us ! I hope you keep lurking and posting too when you can.
I like growing Av's and all their cousins too. I' really enjoying some
chiritas and Streps. Not having much room and some of mine are getting large . But I keep finding a new window or light stand space for new ones ! Thanks again for jumping in and sharing your stoy with us @
I'm looking forwad to more ! Allison

Ok! Here goes my story.

I received my first AV about 5 years ago. A friend was moving to Australia for 3 years and had several plants that needed tending. She gave me her white av that she had received from her mother. At the time she gave me the plant she thought the violet was about 35 years old. I wanted to help my friend but at the same time I didn't want to be responsible for killing her mother's av. (Her mom had recently passed away.)

During the 3 years she was gone I talked to the violet, I bought a couple more to keep it company, and It seemed to go well. I noticed it was leaning to one side and went on line to see if I could find out how to help it. I discovered the virtue of repotting and in so doing found 3 succors. I cared for them and they lived. I gave the 3 to each of my friends daughters.

About 2 years ago my friend came home and I went to return the violet (which really looked very health). She said she didn't want the responsibility of caring for it and that I had done a good job and she wanted me to keep it.

Sad ending: 3 weeks later the violet died. But I was born to a love for avs. The two plants I had bought to keep her violet company were doing wonderfully and I just kept buying more and trying leaf propogation. One day I was surfing trying to find an answer to a question and discovered the forum at Daves Garden.

I recently spend a wonderful day with Jill (Critterologist) and we traveled to PA to purchase some avs. So, not only did I discover a wonderful place to find solutions to questions and receive support, but a choice group of friends in embro.

Nanna

Nice story Nanna . Did you put leaves down of your friend's Mom's Plant ? Still have som ? Enjoyable reading thnaks :)) Allison