Nyxx -

there are trailers that have relatively long internodes - there are more of them in standard trailer category - and they cascade. minis and semis - especially the modern ones have really short internodes and they do not spread a lot.
There is a certain time period your trailer will look good, but eventually it will develop bare stems in the middle. I tried to repot them deeper to cover these stems - but the proper solution is to restart them - take tip cuttings and root them. It takes more than a year to grow a show quality trailer plant - and it probably will stay attractive for another year - but then you need to disassemble it. (you still need to repot it every 6-9 months to give it fresh soil).

As far as I remember this trailer is s/mini and you can grow it nicely in a shallow bulb pan 5-6" in diameter.

Irina

Hi nyxx, my limited personal experiance with trailers is that I never prune them or even bother to train them other than removing the odd leaf. I have several at present in 6 inch wide and very shallow pots and some in 10 inch shallow pots. I tend to keep them a little drier than standards - mainly because of the amount of mix they sit in and I dont think they can be over-potted width-wise, but it does take a few months to fill out to a large saucer.
I love the idea of you growing a cascading trailer, it should be quite possible if you leave it in the same size pot long enough.

I also find they need more light than standards and also a slightly stronger nutrient mix.
They seem to bloom regardless although you are correct they do tend to put on foliage and root growth at the expense of blooms.
Be a little careful when removing spent blooms - the stems can be pretty tough. I find it easier to cut them.

I've had a few problems with watering them and as a consequence I no longer wick my trailers, I now put down a thick layer of perlite and use the Texas potting method. That way I can sit the pots in water until it is all absorbed and wait until the pot is light enough to warrant more water.
Best of luck
Andrew

Thank you Irina and Andrew for the info. I think I will put a couple of leaves down and leave the mother plant alone for awhile. That way if my observing ends tragically I have a back up. Let me tell you, my kids are really glad I didn't apply this philosophy to raising them lol

If you take the tip cutting - you will have a blooming plant 4 months earlier - and it will make a mother plant branch more.

There is a DVD by Bill Price you can purchase at AVSA shop - it is a must - from the best grower of the century.
I was lucky to be at his presentation at the Convention - and it works beautifully.

And Andrew - you need to remove old tired leaves every so often - it will give more light to the center and in no time you are getting more crowns and more blossoms.

Love Trailers

Irina

Here is a link that might be useful: Super Trailer Know-How

I grow a number of "Fancy trail" and they cascade very quickly. I have started "Sticky Wicket" in a 3x5" lunch meat container and it quickly filled the container.

Irina you're quite right its just that I'm basically lazy...

Andrew - you are not lazy, you just need to try a new way one time - I mean Bill Price method- to see the difference.

TommyR -

I didn't grow Fancy Trail - but I did Rob's Sticky Wicket - it is an exceptional show quality trailer which probably does the best in a bulb pan 5-6" diameter.

Wow Irina thanks for the link and the tip on the tip cutting. =o)

Tommy I think I will have to get a Fancy Trail. I really want to see what this tea pot would look like with the African Violet in the top and draping down the sides. As I said, in my head it looks beautiful.