A Closer Look

Isn't this a lovely flower? Sinningia eumorpha....

You Voted!

More votes are in and the results were quite interesting. Two polls ago the question was raised about what was the biggest challenge to the violet grower in their situation. Of the possible answers, getting rid of BUGS was the most voted for answer followed by challenges with watering properly and having the correct house temperature. Coming in last with the votes were wilting the violets and sunburning them. No one chose fertilizing challenges, keeping them too wet (which surprised me) and "other problem" for answers.

So..... we took that information and asked this question: Which PEST problem was the most difficult to deal with and Cyclamen mites topped the charts with 40% of the votes. Foliar mealy bugs and nematodes got 20% of the votes with thrips and red spider mite getting 10% each.

All in all I think that it's an interesting outcome to the questions. Insect/pest problems are more challenging to folks than other horticultural issues like moisture, temperature and lighting. Now, what do you think that most people will say about what they DO to correct the problems? That will be the next poll question, so please cast your votes!

What's new!

Dale Martens is once again a very happy hybridizer! She has graciously shared some photos with the blog that show three of her newest violet hybrids. Here are the descriptions: 1) Yuk x HHLace6858s.jpg is a photo of my newest seedling:

Yukako x (Emerald City x Louisiana Lagniappe)

2) The second shows 3 live flowers with Yukako in the middle and its selfings on each side of it. Only one out of 10 seedlings was purple showing that the green center stripe is the dominant color.

3) Yukako x self with a bell/cupped flower. I'm thinking of naming this one 'Heartland's Lime Bubbles'

Thanks again to Dale for sharing!

Edged....

Now this is a proper edge on a violet. How come they all don't look like this one?

Show Me The Violets!

Here are a few of the exciting plants and designs that you'll see at the Spring Show sponsored by the AVSM. Still going on today, be sure to stop by Har Mar Mall on the corner of Snelling and CR-C to check out the blooms.

Happy April Fool's Day to YOU!

The Boys of Summer are simply aghast at what they found this morning in their pool.... Is this a joke???? Is this some sort of twisted April Fool's shenanigan? Or is it really all a spoof featuring a photo taken in January????

YOU be the judge!!!!

PS: You get the most points if you vote for "Twisted April Fool's Shenanigan especially made for Minnesota Seasonal Depressives".

Field Trip

The Gesneriad Society's chapter here in the Twin Cities took a very interesting field trip to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Biological Control Laboratory on Sunday the 30Th. The facility sounds very interesting for the person wishing to learn more about how to take care of pest problems using a more "green" approach. A guest blogger was there to fill us in on more of the details.

The Twin Cities Chapter of the Gesneriad Society toured the Mn Department of Agriculture's Biological Control Program. Neil Cunningham discussed the various common bug problems and ways to control or get rid of them. He had an interesting talk that included putting petri dishes under a projection microscope with the bugs still crawling around! The microscope was attached to a computer, which in turn was put on a screen for everyone to see. He showed very large pictures of blossom thrips, red spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, fungus gnats and scale. He explained how the use of predacious insects would be useful in controlling pest insects. The predators eat bugs but will only live on the "bad" bugs or their eggs. The predators will not do any damage to the plants. To learn more, go to the Department of Agriculture's website that is at MN Department of Agriculture They order their supplies from the Green Methods company. This site if full of interesting information about "good bugs" and how to use them for control of plant pests whether in the home, garden or for agricultural situations.

He also took us into the greenhouse and gave a demonstration of applying the predators to a plant infested with aphids. It was an exciting afternoon. As we see that we are having more and more impact on the environment around us, it's good to find new and effective ways to deal with pests with less use of toxic substances!

I'm excited to have this for a resource and I thank the Gesneriad Club for giving us the contact information. I personally intend to use more biological control in the flower beds this year because I'm encouraging bees and butterflies to the yard and I don't want to harm them after working hard to attract them. Besides anything you put on your yard comes into contact with your pets, children and ultimately runs off into the water system. I don't want to drink some of that stuff......

Another Surprise

Here's one for you... This is "Jealous Heart". Most blooms are like the bottom one, clear light pink on the petals with a distinctive patch of magenta in the throat. Why are some of the blooms coming out with the mottling and splotchy coloration on the petals? This has happened on more than one of the blooms recently. Not much has changed about the plants care and culture.

Give us an opinion or guess... nsavctc@gmail.com and we'll share with everyone if we get a few comments.

Party Boy

A lovely fantasy bloom on a streptocarpus.

The Votes Are In!

What do most people say about why they grow violets? When asked the question, 42% of our votes came in with folks growing violets because they have "pretty flowers". Twenty eight percent said that "their mother or grandmother grew violets". Fourteen percent grew violets because they "could sell them", they "liked to show them" or they "thought it was relaxing". No one answered that they grew the African violet because other plants such as "begonias died when they tried those". But most people, a whopping 57%, said that they grow violets because "it is a CHALLENGE."

What are the challenges you face when you grow? TELL US. nsavctc@gmail.com