Kayla was home not too long ago and mentioned something about an African Violet I had in the window. Â I told her the plant did look full but it actually needed to be cleaned up as “sucker plants” had formed and leaving them on the plant wasn’t the best idea. Â She offered to clean it up if she could have one of the suckers. Â I was all for that! Â Who wouldn’t take some help replanting?
So over nap time, I got out the supplies and away she went.
Here’s my plant all out and ready to be “de-suckered”. Â I love this one. Â It’s a beautiful variegated variety.
Kayla wouldn’t remove the suckers and she was afraid to hurt my plant. Â She left that to me. Â Here I go….
Here is one ready to be planted.
That’s when Kayla took over.
At the end of the summer last year I took some leaves and planted them for propagation. Â That’s when I plant leaves and new little plants grow from them. Â I planted six leaves in the planter and ended up with LOTS of new little plants. Â I haven’t replanted them as quickly as I should have and now they were overgrown into a HUGE clump.
Can you believe Kayla got 13 new little plants from the bunch!!??
So what did we do….started another bunch of leaves! Â Goodness knows neither of us needs any more violets but it’s so hard to throw anything away that has potential…isn’t it?
Thankfully all of these leaves won’t start new babies….but remember, last time I started 6 leaves and got 13 plants. Â UGH…we don’t need more plants either. Â I’m running out of room!!
But happily all my plants are repotted that needed it AND they are all fertilized too. Â That’s a great job to have finished.
Well, there is always the next “sale”……. forgot where you got the potting soil…. I remember it is special and you like it.
In the last picture, are the leaves cut in half? These are just planted to start new plants? I love violets, but can’t have them as don’t have a sunny morning window, at least that’s what my MIL said I needed for them.
I have an abundance of Amaryllis. I potted a lot of the extras and took them along to my family’s Christmas gathering in early December and said whoever wants one, take it. All the potted plants were taken and several of the unplanted bulbs too. Get your new starts growing and take them to the next family get together. Didn’t you say you have a bunch of weddings coming up? Newlyweds needs plants too. Give a quilt and a plant.
When my brother got married 25 years ago, his mother in law used African violets as party favors for the bridal shower. Why not gift them to the fire dept. next time they have an event? Or to your daycare moms? Mother’s Day is coming up; the kids could paint pots.
I am going to sound like a Greedy Gert, but I would adopt some when I come in August. I have some plain purple ones and would love to add some variety.
This sounds like an idea!!
Can you recommend a good source for learning how to care for African Violets? My mother used to raise them for a local greenhouse, but I didn’t inherit that talent. I can kill them faster than you can say Jack Sprat! I love them and would like to have some if I could figure out what I’m doing wrong.
I would look here….
https://www.violetbarn.com/
Yes, they sell African Violets (over the years, I have bought a lot from them, always, always been happy with them).. The also sell supplies, but.. There is a lit if useful information on their site.
Also check out….
http://www.avsa.org/
The African Violet Society of America… A great site for all information about African Violets.
Also.. I live in a small apartment.. But, I have bought, lighted plant stands, and plant lights.. This has allowed me to successfully grow.. Propagate African Violets.
Sorry, I should have said.. That post was in answer to Andy’s post, about a good source for caring for African Violets.
Jo, I’ve been looking for a pretty variegated AV and I’ll trade you a bar of my homemade honey and beeswax soap for a couple leaves.
Thank you for the information!
Do you have any extras to sell.at a resonance price??
You can email me at rogjok@iowtelecom.net
Couple of ideas….
1. Little African Violet plants (in handmade planters) could make great Mother’s Day gifts from your childcare kiddos!
2. Take them to the flea market to sell when hubby takes his upcycled furniture projects!