We like to buy leaves from others and put them down. Linda and I have a shared provider, it turns out.

We have to be careful not to bid against each other on auctions!

I hope the provider pulls them from the middle layer; the bottom layer of leaves, while capable of producing, are older and tireder, and it can take awhile to cajole them (the lower leaves) to have babies.

I like doing leaves, but will be in trouble when the stork delivers.

I'm thinking Linda and I have raised the standard of living for at least one person in Poland ...

dave

Joanne,

i start a lot of leaves because I am addicted. "Hi, my name is Linda and I am a violetaholic..." Seriously, I start a lot of plants and then choose which ones grow the best for me. I also have a lot of room so I have the space for a lot of plants. I was also very sick this year and lost a lot of plants to neglect and bugs, so in a sense, I am starting over.

Growers start violets the same way we all do, by putting down leaves, and in a lesser way, suckers. You cannot replicate a cultivar by seeds. Think of it this way: mom and dad have a baby. The baby is a mix of mom and dad's genetic make-up as well as all the traits that they carry. You cannot reproduce the same violet through sexual reproduction-pistils, anthers, pollen and all that business. You must use asexual reproduction-leaves, suckers that will produce the exact same plant-a clone. The only time you use seeds is when you want to produce new varieties.
Ideally, use the middle row of leaves but any leaf should root unless it is on its last legs. The middle row generally root the quickest and are the strongest.

And, yes, Dave, I think Alexandra is enjoying her little slice of capitalism...

Linda

Hi Dave and Linda,
Funny! To Linda, thanks for all the information, it is
fascinating! I have spent many hours this Saturday
getting my plantlets ready for the AV show next Sat.
I can't go, but hope to drop off the plantlets. I used
a method I read about or saw on a video that worked
well. I put a layer of perlite on the bottom, I thinned
the AV peat mix as you suggested, Linda, with
vermiculite and perl. Then inserted an empty pot
the size of the one the plant was in, into
the larger pot and spooned
soil around the edges. Then removed the empty
pot, the root clump could
be inserted directly. That is for those plantlets
that did not
have to be pried apart to separate the babies.
So far, 25, and not done yet. The ones I am
giving away or selling went into round 2.5" or 4"
as I had no other sizes in between. The ones that
went into 4" are fast growers and already have strong
roots.

I need to find a source of square 2.5" pots.
Maybe I can order them from the growers who
ship their plants in that size and shape pot.

My local nurseries stock mostly only 4" larger.
It is hard to find 2.5", even the round.

I once tried the little cardboard or peat pots. They
did not work out too well. I probably did not know
the best method.

To Phil, if you are reading this thread, you had noted
to me that you have 20 different varieties, sounds
like a nice collection. I shall have to count the
different varieties I have. I did not start keeping a log
journal until a few days ago.

Linda, my colleague who introduced me to Lyon's
hybrids and the AVSA, ended up losing a collection
to a bug. She had given me a slip that developed
a bug. I promptly got rid of it and told her. But
by then, it was too late for her collection. We all
mourned the loss ... but had great fun building
a new collection. She traveled a lot, I was her
office plant-sitter.

Linda, at least you are not "collecting" Shih-Tzus!!
(Or are you???) Or should I ask, how many kitties
you have?? Just kidding!!

As for Addictions, I think I am a "periodic," I think
that means, one addiction at a time!!

A couple of my friends who raise violets also breed
either dogs or cats.
I think if you are a horticulturist, then you should have
lots of horticulture! The more I get into this hobby
and read about the violets, the more intriguing it
becomes.

But I do think the violets are a little bit like stray cats ...
they sneak up on you, you feed them,
and before you know it, there
is another litter under the porch.

joanne 47

Joanne,

You got me! Rescuing dogs is another 'hobby'. I had four; I lost my sweet little Maltese this July. I still miss her but she is next to my bed in her usual spot in a little urn.

I also did volunteering and fostering for a local shelter. Getting sick put a stop to that but hopefully I can pick it up again. DD is getting married two weeks from today and right now I've got all I can handle.

As for your re-potting: roots need to be 'ruffled up' a bit when re-potting. Otherwise they will continue to grow in their little ball of soil and will not venture out into the new stuff.I get my 2.5 pots from a seller on E Bay. I cannot find them anywhere else. I am happy with the pots I get from them; good pots and good prices.

And, yes, I have a LOT of horticulture! I have horticulture outside, inside and everywhere in-between!

Linda

Hi Linda,
Great post, exciting about the wedding!!
What kind of flowers!!??

Great that you rescued some pooches and
sorry about your sweet Maltese.
Sounds like "abundant living" to me!

Wish I had remembered to ruffle up the roots.
However, some I repotted to get
ready for the AV show and sale on Saturday
really "stretched out" their leaves in just 24
to 48 hours!I They look as proud as they can!

Your horticulture sounds awesome! Must be
beautiful this time of year.

Joanne

Joanne,

As things usually turn out-DD is totally uninterested in flowers. I can't complain though, she is a ASL interpreter and teaches deaf children who have learning disabilities. She's an angel on earth.

Linda

P.S. She chose lilies for her flowers because "They smell good."

Linda,
That is the PERFECT reason to choose lilies!
Joanne