Question:  Why are miniature violets small?  Will it grow bigger if I pot it in a larger pot?

Answer:  The answer to this question seemed so obvious that  we hesitated to include it here.  Then we remembered all of the visitors to our shop, some of whom already grew African violets, that didn't realize the distinction between "miniature" and "standard" sized varieties and how they should be grown. 

To begin with, "miniature" violets grow small because of their genetic makeup, not because of how they've been cared for.  To be more precise, a miniature variety is one that typically will not exceed 6" in diameter at maturity.  "Semiminiatures" are slightly bigger, but still small, being allowed to grow up to 8" in diameter when mature.  In fact, to be judged at an AVSA sanctioned show, they are not allowed to exceed their specified size.

These varieties have been specially bred by hybridizers to grow small.  In practice, many of these varieties will grow even smaller than their allowed dimensions.  The Best Miniature at the 2000 AVSA Convention Show, 'Rob's Twinkle Blue', is an example.  Though this plant was a bit larger, ours never exceeds 2" or 3"--a real micro-miniature.

Because these varieties are genetically limited in size, potting them into larger pots won't make them into larger plants.  Being such small plants by nature, they have small root systems.  Most don't have root systems much larger than 2" or so.  Using pots much larger than this means that there is excess soil that the small root systems can't utilize.  Since roots don't reach this excess soil, it can tend to stay excessively damp and can damage the small root system.  A 2" or 2 1/4" pot is sufficient for most miniature varieties, while semiminiatures need no more than a 2 1/2" pot.  We tell visitors to the shop that miniature violets are like miniature ponies--putting a larger saddle on them won't make them into a horse!

Question:  Several months ago I ordered several plants.  One of the violets was supposed to be 'Cherries 'n Cream'.  As I've gorwn this plant, it has bloomed well and is very healthy, but the blooms are single to semidouble reddish stars with "no edged at all".  The foliage is as described.  What can this particular plant be, if it's not 'Cherries 'n Cream'?

Answer:  This is a question we received from one of our mail-order customers, since we guarantee all plants to be true to description.  Since the plant was true in every way except for the absence of the white edge on its bloom, we guessed that cultural conditions, the summer heat in particular, might be to blame.  Many edged varieties, particularly those with blossoms thinly edged white, tend to lose this edge when grown in very warm conditions.

It seems that her growing conditions, particularly the heat, were, indeed, the problem.  This is the reply we received from her.  "I'm relieved to know that it is just a matter of growing conditions.  What you said makes sense because I have been growing this plant in my kitchen (much warmer) with natural lighting versus my basement (much cooler) under florescent lights.  'Cherries 'n Cream' doesn't seem to appreciate a lot of direct light like some of the other violets.  I've also noticed that my variegated varieties have turned more green with the warmer weather.  I wonder if this affects all bicolor blooms as well?"

All of these symptoms are consistent with growing in a very warm environment.  Much, sometimes all, of the variegation can be lost in foliage, and many multicolor blooms can turn solid.  Fortunately, the variegation on most varieties will return with the cooler weather.  Unfortunately, this may not be the case with those with multicolor blooms, such as a "fantasy" (i.e. spotted or splashed) bloom that has turned a single, solid, color.

Question:  I have a plant that needs dividing, but seems so overgrown that I don't know where to begin.

Answer:  This was from a member at a local club meeting who had a "supermarket" violet that was so overgrown and crowded with crowns that dividing it by simply pulling crowns apart would have been impossible.  Normally, if there appear to be just two or three large, easily identified crowns, you can massage them apart with your fingers, then pot each crown into its own pot.  That wasn't possible in this case.

The individual crowns still need to be identified and removed, but doing so here means cutting them out with a sharp knife or razor (we like Exacto modeling knives).  Be careful to remove whole crowns, with at least two leaves and a growing center.  Fill a small (2" or 2 1/2" pot) with moist (wet, not soggy) soil and make a small "divot" in the center of the soil surface.  Place the crown in the divot and gently, but firmly, press the moist soil around its base.  Be sure the crown is "snug" and doesn't wobble around in the pot--it will root better if this is so.  Place the potted drown in a clear, plastic bag or container, and seal it.  You shouldn't have to water until it's removed from the bag.  Place it in a bright, but not sunny, location.  In about four weeks, the crown should have rooted and can be removed from the bag--you now have a plant.  What's important now is that you don't allow this to happen again!  Regularly remove any "suckers" (small pairs of leaves seen growing in the leaf axils) as they appear.  If you don't those little suckers will soon become large crowns of their own and you'll have to divide it again.  Besides, your violet will look more attractive and bloom better if suckers are regularly removed.

Question:  I'm growing for show for the first time.  If I keep my standard-size violet disbudded, but don't pot it into a larger container, will it produce the bigger leaves that I see on some large showplants?

Answer:  When a standard-size violet is continuously disbudded, it will produce larger leaves (mini and semiminiature varieties will stay small even when disbudded).  Not being allowed to bloom, all of the plant's energy goes into producing foliage.  This is how experienced exhibitors grow some showplants so large.  Even though these plants may not have more leaves than they would when grown as a "house" plant, the individual leaves can double or triple in size.  Grown as a houseplant, most standard varieties rarely require a pot more than 4" in diameter.  Grown as a large showplant, however, shallow pots 6" to 8" in diameter are often used, even larger for the humongous specimens!

A larger pot is aesthetically more pleasing for these big showplants (judges can deduct points for underpotting) but, without using larger pots, are necessary to produce such large leaves to begin with.  As the plant grows larger, it requires a more developed root system to support it.  This means providing more soil and a larger pot.  A plant will only grow as much foliage as its root system can support.  When disbudded, it may want to produce larger leaves, but will only produce leaves as large as its root system will support.  Therefore, both disbudding and potting into a larger container will be necessary to grow truly large plants.

Question:  I grow all of my violets in windows.  My standards do well, but I can't seem to get my miniatures to bloom.  Any explanation?

Answer:  Most of today's miniature varieties bloom just as well, or better, than do the standards.  Miniatures do seem to prefer a bit more light than do standards, though most will bloom under the same conditions.  For example, our miniatures are grown 10-12" below two florescent bulbs (used 13 hours a day), while the standards are 18" below the bulbs.  When growing in windows, this means that plants should be arranged in a way so that miniatures receive more light than standards.

I believe the reason this is a common complaint among those growing both minis and standard varieties in windows is because minis often receive less light, rather than more.  Space is always limited in a window, especially for those of us who always grow more plants than we have room for.  Minis, because they are smaller, usually end up being placed between or beneath the larger plants around them.  Also, plants are usually arranged so that they can be viewed from the interior of the room, not viewed from outside through the window.  This means that small plants are placed in "front" closer to the room (and farther from the window), with the larger, taller, plants in the "rear".  This is an attractive arrangement, but one that means the small plants in front are being shaded by the larger plants nearer the window.  Is it any wonder that minis don't bloom as well as their larger neighbors?  They're always placed in the worst possible light!  Remember, just because they're small doesn't mean they should be hidden or neglected--give them the same light and care as your bigger varieties and they'll perform just as well.

Question:  I suspect that it's time to repot my violet, since it has an ugly trunk and it's been a long time since I last did this.  I'm afraid to though, since it's still blooming and I don't want to lose the flowers.  Is there a best time to repot?

Answer:  The best time to do anything is when it needs to be done.  This means repotting your violet into fresh soil on a regular basis, when a "neck" begins to appear and is easy to remedy.  Usually this means about twice a year.  If done this often, the neck will not be very long or visible and will be easy to bury.  This is done by removing some old soil (and roots) from the bottom of the rootball, lowering the plant in the pot, and then adding fresh soil around the top to cover the neck.  If this is done regularly, then not much of the root system needs to be removed, so that the plant won't suffer from the shock of repotting--it will barely even know what you've done to it.  It should continue to bloom as it had before.  Don't feel squeamish about removing a few of the old, outer, leaves.  These likely have already produced flowers and won't do so again.  Concentrate on maintaining  the new, healthy, growth.  It is this growth that will be producing your flowers now and in the future.  Regularly freshening the soil encourages new root growth, which then can support new foliage growth and blooms.

Should you let the neck grow too long, then more of the root system will need to be removed and wit will more likely suffer from the stress of repotting--and may not bloom as well for awhile.  Things done regularly, in small doses, are better than drastic measures done late.

Question:  Do you grow "gold fish plants" or "lipstick vines"?

Answer:  We do, but that's not the reason we've chose this question to answer.  This is a very frequently asked question, both at the shop and by those calling us.  We've chose this to illustrate the importance of using the botanical names of plants.  It's true that we don't follow this rule when we call a Saintpaulia by its common name, African violet.  Fortunately, "African violet" is so commonly used and so universally understood to identify Saintpaulia, that there's almost never any confusion about what one is referring to.  Unfortunately, this is often not the case when referring to other members of the gesneriad family.

What one may see identified as a "goldfish plant" at one garden center is identified differently at another.  Keep in mind that most retailers are interested in selling you plants, not educating.  It's quite likely that few of those working at the garden center of "X-Mart" even know what they are selling, common name or otherwise.  They realize that common names are far less intimidating and more consumer-friendly than botanical names.  Unfortunately, often because they don't know any better (or care), there is no real effort to use the same common name on the same plants sold by different retailers.  What you saw identified as a "goldfish plant" at one retailer may have been labeled a "dolphin plant" at another (only yesterday a customer at the shop had this very problem).  Why not simply call the plant a Columnea, the correct botanical name of what most likely is being referred to?  A Columnea, is always a Columnea (pronounced "koe-lum-nee-ah")--but sometimes a "goldfish plant" is actually something else, like a Nematanthus or Aeschynanthus, two other gesneriads usually grown as basket plants and with blooms of the same colors.

Yes, some botanical names can seem a bit intimidating at first, but using them ensures that you get the plant that you are looking for, not what the seller guesses you are looking for.  Besides, when you think about it, are they really any harder to pronounce than the names of some people you know, or things like "cellular" phones or "flourescent" lights, words that you probably say without hesitation?

Question:  I love Episcias.  Mine seem to grow really well.  They produce lots of leaves and look healthy, but never seem to bloom.  Are they difficult plants to get to bloom, or am I doing something wrong?

Answer:  Most people think that episcias are difficult plants to get to bloom.  Even the best growers often have problems getting them to bloom well--it seems that most episcias seen in shows are in the nonblooming classes.  This is unfortunate, since they are actually very free and constant-flowering plants.  Yes, there leaves alone are usually beautiful enough, but why not have the leaves and the bloom?  The secret is not allowing them to produce too many stolons, or runners.  A few of the species can be stubborn, but most varieties can be kept in almost constant heavy bloom with good culture and regular pruning.

The basic logic is simple.  All plants have two means of reproduction.  They can either do this vegetatively by producing suckers, rhizomes, tubers or, in the case of episcia, stolons.  These stolons can be rooted, producing additional plants and, so long as it can successfully reproduce itself this way, it will continue to produce them and not bother to flower.  The plant will try to reproduce itself sexually, producing flowers that might be pollinated and produce see, only if other, easier, means of reproduction aren't possible.  The lesson: lots of stolons means few flowers.  This shouldn't be surprising, since we've all been trained to remove "suckers" (the small crowns growing beneath the leaves) from our violets.  Doing so not only improves appearance, but encourages the plant to bloom.  Also, mature violets that have begun to bloom tend to produce far fewer suckers than immature plants that have yet to bloom.  Your violet has to, if it wants to produce more or its kind.  Exhibitors also know that violets that are disbudded (not allowed to bloom) tend to sucker more--trying to reproduce vegetatively since it's not being allowed to sexually.

Apply the same rules to your episcias that you apply to your violets.  Here's what we do, and we always have lots of episcias  in bloom--always let the crown mature and set buds before allowing stolons to grow.  For a young plant, this means growing it as a single crown until you see flower buds.  At this point, you can allow the plant to produce stolons.  Let each of these (secondary) crowns mature and produce buds before you let them produce even more stolons, and so on.  If this is done, you eventually can have a large plant, with lots of fully-developed crowns, each producing lots of blooms.  Few things are more spectacular than a mature, well-grown episcia in full bloom.

Question:  What size pot should I grow my Episcia in?  Can I grow more than one plant in a pot?

Answer:  Episcias, like African violets and most gesneriads, are relatively shallow-rooted plants that don't need a very deep pot.  As your plant grows, you can repot it into a larger diameter, but not much deeper, pot.  This means that "azalea" or "pan" pots are better than standard pots, since they are more wide than deep.  Somethimes this means you need to be creative, since large but shallow pots can be difficult to find.  We've used deeper pots that we've cut-down to make shallow, and have some of our larger plants in saucers that we've drilled holes into for drainage.  None of these pots are more than a few inches deep, even for the largest of plants.

In many ways, episcia and other stolon-producing or spreading gesneriads can be treated much like trailing African violets.  All grow very well in shallow pots.  Our older, larger, trailing violets are grown in the same saucers.  We grow both as "ground covers", in the sense that we like to cover a large area of soil with dense growth, rather than allow the plant to sprawl over the pot edges.  The "runners" are moved and pinned into the soil surface to fill-in empty spaces, much like we arrange the stolons of an episcia.  Either plant could just as easily be grown as a "hanging basket" by growing in a smaller pot and letting the runners or stolons grow and fall over the edge of the pot.

There is one important difference between growing trailing violets and other gesneriads for exhibition, though.  Only trailing violets and Saintpaulia species can be shown multiple crowned, while all other gesneriads may be properly shown with either single or multiple crowns.  Further, though trailing and species violets can be shown with more than one crown (a trailer, in fact, must have three or more), only one plant is allowed in a pot, whereas there is no restriction on the number of individual plants per pot for other gesneriads.  While it's perfectly allowable to fill a pot with many episcia cuttings (plants), only one trailing violet plant per pot is permitted (though this one trailer may have many crowns).

Question:  My Columnea are never as beautiful as yours.  My conditions are good, but they always look weedy and don't bloom very heavily.  What am I doing differently?

Answer:  Like violets and most other plants, Columnea nearly always bloom from the newest growth.  This means that the more new, healthy growth there is, the more potential there is for blooming.  Assuming that there is sufficient light and the culture is otherwise good, proper pruning is important in maximizing both foliage and blossom production.  Treat columnea and other branching or vining gesneriads like Nematanthus and Aeschynanthus like you would a hedge.  Why do you regularly trim a hedge?  If you don't, it just grows tall and spindly, and never has that dense, thick, lush look.  Trimming it occasionally forces it to branch and produce new growth, filling in those empty spaces and giving it a full look.

Doing the same to your columnea has the same effect.  Let each branch produce one or two new pairs of leaves, then cut the tips.  This cut branch will then produce two (or more) branches which can, themselves, be cut when they've produced enough new growth.  If done regularly, what began as relatively few cuttings in a pot can be made into a very full-looking plant with lots of new growth being produced.  Once you achieve the "full" look that you desire, stop pruning and let the plant grow.  Disciplining the plant's growth early will reward you later.

Question:  I recently purchased a young Streptocarpus from you in a 2" pot.  It started blooming for me almost immediately in this small pot.  The problem is, the plant itself hasn't seemed to grow very much since I got it.  Even though it's blooming, am I doing something wrong?

Answer:  Streptocarpus are one of the easiest to grow and most rewarding of all gesneriads you can grow.  They can be very tolerant of neglect, and given the same conditions as African violets, will bloom almost constantly.  We've grown streps that have been in bloom (or bud) every day for five years or more.  Their readiness to bloom, though, can be a problem, especially for those varieties that are especially eager to flower.  There are some varieties that bloom before they've "matured"--before much foliage has fully developed.  When this happens, all of the plant's energies are diverted away from foliage production and towards bloom production.  This can result in some pretty odd-looking plants.  Two examples are 'Bristol's X-ray Vision' and 'Bristol's Sunset', hybrids of ours that seem to want to bloom after having produced only one leaf in the pot.  Left alone, they'll sit there with one lonely leaf in a tiny pot and a full head of 6 or 8 flowers or more.  Eventually, of course, they'll bloom themselves out, leaving old, yet undeveloped, foliage that is unattractive and can barely sustain itself.

Our solution is to not allow these plants to bloom until they have produced enough foliage an matured enough to sustain both foliage and flowers.  We simply cut off flower stems before they have a chance to develop.  This forces the plant to produce more leaves, larger leaves, and produce them faster.  When the plant is finally allowed to bloom, it will bloom even more heavily than it would have, had it not been disbudded.  As a general rule, we don't allow streps to bloom until we've potted them into 3" pots.  Except for the smaller growers, most varieties will eventually grow into 5" (or larger) pots when fully mature.

We do the same for our violets, removing the first set of flower buds that appear.  This allow the plant to develop more fully before first bloom.  This means waiting a few more weeks, but it also means that when the plant does bloom, it produces a full head of bloom and a more developed plant.  The plant is happier, and the reward is worth the wait.

Question:  You've told me that you can ship plant crowns into my country with no roots or soil.  How can I successfully rot these?

Answer:  For many countries, such as Russia, most in Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, it is not possible to send potted plants.  Only cuttings, or the plant crowns (the top of the violet with all roots and soil removed), can be shipped.  Surprisingly, this can be quite easily and successfully done.  As soon as possible after receipt, root the crown much as you would a large sucker.  Fill a small pot (2" or 2 1/2") with soil and moisten (wet, but not soggy).  Make a small "divot", or hole, in the surface center.  Drop the crown into the hole and firm the soil around it.  It's important that the crown is in the soil firmly--it doesn't easily "pop out" when you touch it.  To do this, you might need to remove a few more leaves.  If you can't, press the crown as deep into the hole as possible.  So long as the very tiny center of the plant isn't totally buried, the plant will eventually grow out.  After rooting the crown, place in a clear plastic container, like a sandwich bag or deli container, seal it, and wait about four weeks before removing.  You'll then have a small (rooted) plant.  We've shipped thousands of plants this way to our international customers with much success.

Do the same if you'd like to root suckers, especially those taken from chimeras--those that you can't propagate true from leaf cuttings.  Or, do this if you've divided a multi-crowned plant, and some of these crowns ended up without roots.  You might also want to intentionally remove and root a crown if you have received a plant you suspect may have soil-borne problems like soil mealybug (though doing so isn't a foolproof solution), or if you have to "restart" a plant gone so long without repotting that its neck is too long to bury.

Question:  Should I ever remove leaves from my violet?  I would guess so but, other than removing obviously dead ones, I have no idea how to decide.  Which ones need to be removed?

Answer:  Yes.  Most (non trailing) varieties only need to have 3 or 4 rows of leaves since blooms are produced only from those leaves.  This means a total of no more than a dozen or so leaves.  Some larger plants grown for exhibition may have more but, even then, not as many as you might think.  Their large size is due more to the size of the leaves rather than the number of them.  For some varieties, especially those with very wavy, girl, or ruffled leaves, removing excess foliage is even more important.  If out leaves are never removed on these varieties, new growth becomes very crowded in the center as there becomes no place for it to grow, and the leaves that are produced can be distorted or misshapen.  Further, bloom stalks that are produced have a hard time finding their way up through the foliage.

How to decide which leaves to remove?  Plant "symmetry" or "form" is important, but this is a concept that can be difficult for some to grasp (not everyone has an "eye" for this).  Instead, here are a couple of never-fail, easy to understand rules that can be followed.  Rule #1: always groom from the bottom up.  The first leaf to be removed is always that leaf that is growing from the lowest point on the plant.  Look at the plant from the side (not from the top), and determine which leaf is (or leaves are) growing from the lowest point.  This is the oldest leaf on the plant and is the first to be removed.  Now you can look at the plant from overhead.  If it doesn't have the shape that you want, remove another.  Which one?  Repeat rule #1.  Rule #2: looking from above, leaves hidden beneath other leaves are unnecessary and can be removed (assuming twisted and out of place leaves have been properly arranged).  These leaves are invariably older leaves, growing beneath younger ones, that add nothing to the symmetry of the plant.  Removing them will not even be noticed, since leaves above them already occuply the same space!

Finally, be certain to remove leaves being produced from the axils between existing leaves--these are suckers!  The only place where new growth should appear is from the crown, or top, of the plant (except on trailers).  Removing suckers as soon as they appear not only improves symmetry and overall appearance, but it will encourage your plant to produce more flowers, sooner.

Question:  We live in an old home, and most of the windows are quite cold.  I'm afraid that my windowsill will be much too cold for growing violets in the middle of winter.  Any suggestions on what I can grow there?

Answer:  Actually, violets will tolerate a good deal of cold.  We grow some (showplants even) on the windowsills of our glasshouse that, on some very cold days, will be covered with ice on the inside.  Most violets will easily tolerate temperatures down to 60f degrees before showing signs of distress.  Below this temperature, you might notice crowded growth in the plant center, and hairy, brittle, leaves.  It will just "stop growing" and only reluctantly flower.  Even then, the occasional night down to 50f degrees or so may not irreparably harm most varieties.

One solution would be growing some of the Saintpaulia (African violet) species, many of which will actually prefer your cool windowsill--it will remind them of their native habitat high in the mountains of East Africa.  Another solution is to grow some African violet relatives, such as Streptocarpus  or Chirita.  These are two very easy to grow gesneriads that thrive in cool conditions.  Care for both is similar to violets, but they'll easily tolerate your chilly windowsill.  If space is a consideration, you might want to try growing a couple of the miniature species of Chirita, like C.tamiana (probably one of the easiest of all plants to grow and bloom).  Another good choice would be Petrocosmea, most of which are very small in size and will grow and bloom well in a cool location.  There are other choices, but these are some of the easiest to find and grow.

Question:  Which varieties are easiest to grow?

Answer:  This is a very commonly asked question, and one that's almost impossible to answer, except to say, "it depends".  It depends upon what you like, what suits your growing environment, and your space.  All else equal, plants that do best are those that get cared for the best.  "Favorites" become favorites because they are often the most looked-at and cared-for.  So, grow varieties you like--if you  don't like aplant, it likely won't do well.

Having said that, choose varieties that suit your environment and space the best.  Those with limited space might want to grow miniature or semiminiature varieties.  Don't grow more plants than your space will allow.  Hiding a small mini between or beneath a larger standard doesn't do it much good.  It's not surprising that minis grown this way don't do well!  Crowding large plants together won't help either--give them some room to grow to their desired size.  Have lots of good windows but now windowsill space?  Try growing trailing African violets in hanging baskets.  Variegated varieties will look their best in cooler temperatures.  If your conditions are too warm (consistently above 80f degrees), you may lose much of the variegation on these varieties, especially if crown-variegated.  Still, these varieties may be lovely even without the variegation and can be grown for the blooms alone.

If you're neglectful about watering and tend to let your plants wilt, larger growing plants may be easier than smaller ones.  Large plants will take longer to die than smaller ones--there's just more of them to kill.  A self-watering system, such as wicking, self-watering pots, or capillary matting, might be for you if this is the case.  Trailing varieties may be easier if you tend to be neglectful about grooming and repotting.  Though grooming is beneficial, there's no need to worry about suckers on a trailer--the more the better!

When buying from a commercial grower, ask them for recommendations, since they will have more experience growing these varieties than you will.  After growing many different varieties, notice who the hybridizer was of your best-performing varieties.  It's quite likely that the hybridizer has growing conditions similiar to yours.  When adding to your collection, you might want to select more from this hybridizer.  The best advice is to join a violet club (if you don't already belong to one) and ask other members who have similar growing conditions and preferences to yours.  Better yet, pay them a visit!  See how they grow their plants.  See how their growing environment may be similar, or different, from yours, and see what kinds of varieties do best for them.

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