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Welcome to my Sunroom
Hi Everyone! Another “rerun” episode here at All About African Violets.
Many thanks to you all for your kind words and well wishes regarding my kidney stone surgery. Unfortunately, there was a complication that might require another surgery – I don’t know yet, but am crossing my fingers things can be resolved without it. This explains why I haven’t felt well nor had much energy for the past month.
Let’s jump into Tips and Treasures!
Tips and Treasures
We are going to move on to Part #2 of the three-part series I recorded with Dr. Jeff Smith at his home in July 2013. He is one of the foremost experts in the world on African violets. He’s a scientist, a master hybridizer, and you’ve read his column in AV Magazine for years. He is also the expert who answers hybridizing questions here on the podcast.
This is another one that I think you’re going to want to watch more than once, particularly if you are interested in species violets, hybridization, and streps. I hope you will enjoy this tour of his growing areas!
This interview was filmed in 2013 in Standard Definition. You’ll see black bars on either side.
A Look at the Stands
The Look will be back – for now I’ll take a few photos to share each episode during “reruns.”
Here is Optimara Michigan – a long-time favorite.
The beautiful, pink blossoms of Optimara Michigan. An African violet on one of Annie’s shelves.
And here is Knight Rider. This plant has a very interesting blossom, but the symmetry is challenging. I just disbudded it and you can see how allowing it to bloom rather than focusing on the foliage has presented me with the challenge of seeing if I can get it into shape for show!
African Violet on one of Annie’s shelves. Knight Rider, disbudded and in need of a good grooming and repotting.
Same thing with Rhapsodie Patricia – you’ll remember that it had an ice cream cone head of blossom, but the foliage was drooping. Again – you can clearly see how the crown has been stunted while covered in blossoms.
Rhapsodie Patricia. An African violet on one of Annie’s shelves. Disbudded and clearly showing both sagging leaves and a stunted crown.
I’m relatively confident that both of these plants will make a comeback!
Get the Bail Money Ready
- Please check the AVSA Events page for current and coming events that might be near you.
- Show Us Your Growing spaces!!!
- Show Us Your Plants!!!
Keep Moving Forward
I wish you all a wonderful and joyous Thanksgiving. I have much to be thankful for this year, including all of you who watch me every episode. Thank you very much!
Thank you for joining me today, and thank you for the star ratings and reviews on iTunes and Facebook
If you have a question, you can ask me at, Ask Annie!
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The tour of Jeff Smith’s collection is so interesting! I will have to watch it again to retain more of the information that he was giving. The species violets are amazing and his Yesterday series is a temptation. Love his streps! Wish I had taller shelf space to be able to grow them. My shelves accommodate the violets well. I would find It quite daunting to maintain such a large collection of plants as Dr. Jeff’s. One can see that he enjoys what he is doing as nothing looks neglected. And I love that he leaves a spot for the cat to lay on the shelf. He’s a true animal lover, too. My cats used to fall asleep on the shelf under the gro-lights. The plants weren’t damaged, but I learned to give the cat a bit more room to nap.
And I hope, Annie, that your health continues to get better.
While I LOVE these glimpses into Dr Jeff Smith’s views and growing areas…. (and they are worth watching again, and again),
I am SORRY to hear your recovery is taking so long!
When I saw another rerun, I was very happy on the one hand… loved the episode,
but also was sad not to see you in ‘new HD’! wink, wink!
I learned something new while watching this again!
So, thank you, and hope you soon will have all this behind you, for good!