Oh, wow. There must be a trend of giving extras. Hah. Good luck with the bouquets. I do have a watermelon snow sucker in with the tented group. Hoping it does ok. I love Rose Bouquet and Watermelon Snow so much I will have a hard time letting them go!

I Google watermellon snow. It is a beauty but the price on ebay is $$$!! I can't believe it. Please post a picture when it flower^ ^

Here is a picture of the one that I have now. I will post a picture when the baby one grows up! I also have a leaf down to grow alot more hopefully. This was right after I got it so it was a little dirty from shipping. The dirt sticks to the flowers like fly paper!

Beautiful plant!!

Lovely plant

Is this kind of leaves with a lot of white need a lot of light or less?

Thats a good question. I dont treat it any different than the others. It is a slow grower not sure if that is the factor or not but maybe one of our friends here with more knowledge can tell us. :)

I do not grow Watermelon Snow, I grow Rose Bouquet...also highly variegated plant - seems that 2T8 fluorescent lights do the trick, Even under lights it is a very slow grower.

Thanks for sharing Irina! Was wondering if I may be doing something wrong with that one. But all the others are happy so I guess its just slow to grow!

I'm here!!! Here I am Stamik!!!!! Don't forget me in the fall!!!! One of each please!!!!! Oh my,,,,,Keep in touch!!! Yay!!!!! Rosie

Rosie, I laughed out loud when I saw your message! Hahah. I wont forget you! I jist picked up another light to open up a new shelf! Let the games begin! (Or continue.. but whos counting.)

Another light??? Another shelf???? Oh my,,,did you add on another room also????? lol Rosie

No haha. My shelf has three and I have been using the third for storage but its much needed now!

Where there's a will,,,,,,,,,,!!!!!! Can't wait to see what happens next! Rosie

Hi Stamik, I have some lovely leaves making babies right now. I will have for trade in fall good sized plantlets of: Optimara Cora, Rob's Slap Happy, Wrangler's Faded Jeans, Candy Fountain (fredette), Candy Cane (Eyerdom), Natcherly Nawlins, Petite Blarney, Allegro Pepto Pink, (maybe: Blue Dragon, Optimara Millenia, Jolly Mars, Allegro Little White Lies, Tea's Blueberry Butterflies - these have not made babies yet or have made only 1 or 2). If any of these interest you I would LOVE a Rose Bouquet, I'd also like a Wranglers Dixie Celebration and Kev's Heavenly Star. (I have an AV friend on the AVbratpack who is looking for Rose Bouquet but is older and doesn't have a lot of money to spend on ebay auctions. I'd love to grow up a Rose Bouquet and give her a leaf.) - Amy

Hi Amy! You have some that I would love to have. And would be happy to trade with you. Would you send me a private message and we can share emails?

And here is a picture of the mother plant of Rose Bouquet right now. She has grown to be so beautiful. My favorite of the bunch (Except Watermelon Snow)...

WOW. I hope mine can grow to be like this. All the flowers on mine got destroyed during shipping. I ended up with a plant with 15+ broken leaves and 3 remaining. It's growing pretty fast right now but probably will take a long time to bloom again.

Before getting rid of all the broken leaves and flowers, I was able to see the blooms in person and absolutely love them. I can understand why people love Rose Bouquet.

Oh, My, Gosh Julie! That is awful. You should have contacted them and asked for it to be replaced a "few" broken leaves does not mean the whole plant! I hope you have all those leaves down to make babies! It does seem to grow quickly once it gets established. Mine didnt at first till the root system got big enough I think. And it constantly grows flowers. I have already cut all the stems off once because I wanted it to focus on growing the plant itself and in no time its all back!

Ha, I did contact him and he refunded the price, not the shipping. So I got this one for the shipping cost. Like I said, the plant grows pretty fast. The 3 tiny leaves are big now and several new leaves grew out. I only rooted 2 leaves because I don't want a lot of babies. I am not good at rooting leaves. I kept pulling them out to check. They did nothing yet, but not dead yet.

Expect about 8 weeks to root and 12 or so to see some sprouts. It does take a while!

Thanks! I was thinking about the normal 3-4 weeks to root. I moved one of them to the water a couple of weeks ago so I can see the roots coming out. Looks like I need more patience.

"It is a virtue" (Roll Eyes)

Julie, I have good luck rooting. I use these lights- link to lights, pro-mix barely wetted and very fluffy. The leaves are housed in almost clear shoe boxes in individual 3 oz cups. Cut the stems on an angle with the face of the cut facing the front of the leaf. I read that the new plants spring from the cut surface (someone correct me if that is wrong). I don't bury them too deeply, for minis I push the stem in only a few millimeters. I open the boxes almost every day to get some new air in the there. I did a round robin that went wrong, so I ended up with some sad, old and sorry leaves, they were very small and very yellow. Half rotted, but half rooted, greened up and made babies. When the leaves root I give them a bit more water. I don't feed the babies until they are quite big. When I see a few mouse ears I trim the mama leaf so she stops growing. I have tried rooting in the sun, and it doesn't work for me. Community trays have also never worked well for me.

I got some leaves in a community tray right now. I will try to avoid in the future. What specific Pro-Mix do you use? Thanks for the link to the lights. I will look into it..

With this hobby, I'm always learning. Yesterday, I read that Watermelon Snow is a sport of Rose Bouquet. Geeez, please tell me I'm not the only one who didn't know! Ha, Ha!

I did know that only because I am obsessed with both of them hah. BUT!!... I am sure lots dont know that. ;)

Don't feel bad Terri,,,,I didn't know either!!!! Rosie

Me either. Saw stamik's picture on this board and had to have them.

They are a must. I just love both of them.

I sure hope Watermelon Snow is in the Round Robin box when it getts to my house! Those auctions of it on ebay get bid up in a hurry.

Watermelon Snow is probably one of the very few standard AVs that would tempt me. Love the contrast between the very clean white variegation and the deep green leaves.

I just saw Cosmic Snowball on ebay. The description says it is a soprt of Rose Bouquet. Pretty but to expensive.

It is fun to have Watermelon Snow. It does not get too large. For myself, I had it several times but it was the most difficult AV I have grown.

Irina explained it must be under lights. When I kept mine under lights, it did ok, but not as great as the perfect conditions of the person who gave me the leaf starts.

If you have good conditions in which they flourish, maybe keep a spare or two to experiment with the culture. It is variable, it can be grown with color, or more white.

It is encouraging to read that some people have success with this lovely AV.

Years ago, I tried Rose Bouquet and Anne. I was too new to realize they were rare because they were hard to grow. I got them from Rob's. It took a long time for them to grow. Rose Bouquet was truly lovely. But it bloomed once then declined.

When I decided to try them, I had been successfully growing two Lyon's AVs that had mosaic foliage and rose shaped deep pink blossoms. They were very pretty and my favorites. They were difficult to grow, but not nearly as difficult as Rose Bouquet.

They never reached the point that I could pull leaves to start new ones but I could order spares. At the time on this forum or in life, no one was growing them. Now the pink rose shaped blooms are back in style.

Some of the Russians have that same quality, without the fussiness, but much larger, of course. Joanne

Watermelon Snow is my dream flower. Rose Bouquet is growing well. So much slower than the others but it’s leaves are huge! Irina explained that it would be slow due to its varigation. It is very slow. I now have babies from it!! Irina also said Watermelon Snow May be a bit difficult for me at this point as I am new but I sure would like to try. If not now hopefully soon.

Rose Bouquet was the second most difficult AV I grew. I got it from Violet Barn. So it was from a good source.

It is extremely pretty. You have great skills if you got babies

Joanne

Most all mine have come from Violet Barn. I have lost a couple of other AV’s like Rob’s Sailor BILL AND Rob’s Pewter Bells. I was so surprised that Rose Bouquet worked for me. Irina told me to stick to the standard size for a while till I get the hang of things. I have 3x’s as many micros as standards currently. Most are growing and some are blooming.

Good Job! A pity you lost Rob's Pewter Bells - it is vintage Rob, not that easy to find...

Wow Cheryl,,,,,,you have micro mini's????? Which ones? Love those teensy eensy ones! Rosie

Rosie, I’m sorry about that. I should clarify. I have micro and semimicros. Currently, Rob’s June Bug, Rob’s Cool Fruit, Rob’s Cotton Ball, Amadie Trail, Rob’s Gum Bubble, Rob’s Love Bite, Rob’s Itchy Britches ( moms fav ), Jersey Starlight Trail, Rob’s Boolaroo, and Rob’s Vanilla Trail currently under dome is : Irish Flirt, Jolly Jubilee, and Rob’s Chilly Willy which I’m afraid I’ve lost the last

Oh what a nice variety! That's ok,,,,I like semi mini's also! Oh yeah and standards and trailers,,,,,hmmmm I guess that just about covers it huh? lol Rosie

Thanks Irina, they survived with your help. I hope to replace the ones I’ve lost one day and try again. But enjoying the ones I have now. Also trying to grow babies from leaves. Patience and more patience for me.

Rosie, I looked at VB’s list again and apparently my only micro mini is Rob’s June a bug, which was my 1st. I bought 3, they are sweet. Obviously, still learning here. My Standards are, Rose Bouquet, Lacy’s Determination, Southern Delight, Mas Ching Dynasty and then 2 NOIDS

I won’t mention the ones I’ve lost, maybe 5 : ( May they Rest In Peace and the trumpets play

Yeah,,,,we all do that. Play on Gideon! Rosie

I have Rob's Pewter Bells and it is one of my favorites. The flowers last a long time and I appreciate the bell shape and good color. There is a trick to growing it. First, choose the greenest leaves for propagation. Even if they are small they will work. Provide good quality light. Then fertilize lightly with each watering after leaf is growing well. If plantlets show too much variegation use 1/4 or 1/8 teaspoon of Epsom salts per gallon instead of fertilizer to green them up or fish emulsion if you can stand to use it indoors. Mine is in bloom now under LED lights. It even grew roots out of the bottom of the pot to make its own wick!

Additionally, Rob's Pewter Bells is more vigorous and grows larger than Rob's Dandy Lion. I had both, but Pewter bells survived. Both originated from a cross of (Snuggles x Silver Brocade source: Saintpaulia ancestry project.) It is a tough and pretty little plant.

My Rob’s Pewter Bells didn’t make it. Is it a micro? I looked at VB but currently it doesn’t show.

Also what LEDs are you using?

Good to know about the growing conditions. I will try again but first will explore more of the standards for a while.

So hard not to repurchase, I love to make things work but with these little guys, they don’t sing to my song, I must sing to theirs.

Rob's Pewter Bells is a semi-miniature that grows larger than most. Repot more frequently than standards and it will grow better.

Repost from me regarding a different topic: The current issue of the African Violet Magazine has two articles on LED lighting: page 24 and page 60. Your mileage will vary with LEDs depending on the lumen output and color temperature. What I have noticed over time is that my FEIT shop lights from Costco (3700 lumens, 4000K color temp) were not weaker than fluorescents, but significantly STRONGER. If one were to have them on for 10-12 hours, the violets would be bleached due to the intensity. When I first started, it was necessary to scale back the time from 11-12 to eventually 6 hours over time. It is better to start small and work up to longer times as needed.