Soothing Shrimp Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I'm thinking about getting into African Violets and am curious if anyone else is doing this too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 My mom grew them for years when I was growing up. They are pretty amazing plants and come in so many different colors and sizes. They seem pretty hardy but the one thing I do rememer is they are very sensitive to the intensity and direction of sunlight they get. She had some that did really well in filtered East facing window but when she moved them to a North facing window they would stall out. I would think that once you have a good spot dont move them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I read that quite a bit. I'm thinking of trying them under full spectrum bulbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dendrobatez Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I do as well but I don't do anything special, it was a plant my wife wanted but I look after lol. I have a couple on my back porch with my orchids and bromiliads, it also happens to face east. Online care says not to let temps get below 60 or above 80 but they have been hitting 90+ for a month or 2 and the leaves look great +they are blooming along with my orchids - probably due to the change from cooler and dry to hot and humid. I use the same fertilized water from my orchids on them and repotted them with ABG mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 What kind do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dendrobatez Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hmmm.. Not sure, got them while at a nice local place I go for orchids and supplies. Both are purple, one has white around the outside of the leaves. I would have gotten into tropical begonias but my wife likes violets more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadenlea Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Ha funny... when I was a kid, I remember my uncle who was a scientist made a career in african violets and propagating new varieties. For a while he had my parents working for him and the entire basement was a grow space for all different colors and varieties. If you Google Ron Nadeau african violets he comes up a bunch of times and that was before the internet! My mom still grows them and has one that is like 30 years old hanging in their living room. The thing must be 3 feet across and hangs down a foot and a half below the pot. Anyway, I don't know much about them except that they are beautiful plants but if you ever get stuck and have a question about it, I can pass it on to my mom or uncle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I already know when I get them I'll be looking to learn to grow the best looking I can do. LOL It's in my nature. My dad used to try to grow African violets with disastrous results. LOL But it was fun for him anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Awesome, Jaden! From my reading that ones that hang are a gooseneck and need repotted. I'm sure that there are many theories on that though, just like shrimpin'. No idea on how to cross them yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35ppt Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 They are supposed to do well under fluorescents, but it seems like the t5s may be too much for them? I think they can only handle t12s.I had a nice indirect/filtered natural light area for them, but ran out of room. Put one in an area that gets a good amount of direct sun, and guess what? That's the only one who has bloomed recently. Don't forget to use your fish/shrimp wastewater to fertilize Dendrobatez and Soothing Shrimp 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Don't forget to use your fish/shrimp wastewater to fertilize I have so many plants, and I can't believe I never thought of this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 35ppt, that's my thought regarding water. From what I'm reading it is common to sell/mail leaf cuttings and not the actual plant. Cheap to mail to trade/swap/sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35ppt Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I've heard that about the cuttings. LMK if you find out how they are actually prepped for shipping, would be interested to know the details. I was getting my plants for .50 - 1.00 on the clearance rack at the grocery or big box store, but my stores are not doing that anymore. Very sad I find it hard to water them properly, so I just started experimenting with wick watering. So far, I think it works better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Crystal told me about wick watering. I like the concept, however I wonder if the ferts would be too heavy or separate flowing up the wick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyfishlady Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I just remember being a little girl and going to my great grandparents house (I am sensing a theme here). My great grandma had two shelves of them and they were under a black light. That's all I know but I can't see one of those plants without remembering that Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Decided against AV for the time being. Beautiful plant, but so far away from my current hobby it would be like starting a totally new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35ppt Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 aw what about growing stuff for the shrimps ? Crazyfishlady and Pika 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Now there's a thought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pika Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Decided against AV for the time being. Beautiful plant, but so far away from my current hobby it would be like starting a totally new one. Aw, late to this thread, but if you're the kind of person who can just have a plant or two (without making it a giant hobby endeavor ) they're still lovely little plants. And yes, you can nurse the cheap ones on clearance from the grocery back to life pretty easily... just takes time and patience; they won't be showy for months, but they will recover. Same for single leaves from friends... just keep watering your leaf stuck in dirt, and it will grow into a plant. And yes, my grandparents (and mom) grew them... not so many of my contemporaries. But I like mine... you just have to find the right place for them (diffuse light) and be consistent on the watering. I don't wick, or use any of those fancy crown-support apparati or what-have-you that the "serious" people do, but mine do fine. I do make sure that they each have a nice reservoir or deep tray under the pot so that I can add a little water there as well as from the top. And yes, all my plants love my tank-water-change water. Also the "leftover" water from my RODI unit that I don't need for cooking, etc. at the moment goes to the plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Thanks for the tips, Pika. I am someone who gets carried away in a hobby. I've finally realized this about myself. heh So, now I'm super careful about starting new hobbies, as I tend to become involved very quickly. Pika 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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