Gwen asks Annie: Hi Annie, I’ve been working diligently with AV for 2 years; most effort I’ve given any plant! I’m quite frustrated; but I’m not giving up! I just want to grow nice large healthy nice looking AV’s for …
Category: Ask Annie
Q&A – Propagating Leaves
Bev asks Annie: Hi Annie, I have been trying to propagate AV leaves. I have roots but no babies. Do some AV leaves just not make babies? These leaves are from a plant that has not bloomed for months but …
Q&A – What Makes an African Violet a Trailer?
Christine asks Annie: Hi Annie, What makes an African violet a trailer and not just an African violet with suckers? Is it just that trailers do well with multiple crowns while others do not? For example, if I were to …
Q&A – Fasciated African Violets
Roger R. asks Annie: Hi Annie, I have a number of plants (one purchased plus additional ones I propagated) of Music Box Dancer. When I prune off suckers to avoid multiple crowning, I get rapid (few weeks) and prolific growth …
Q&A – When to Change a Fluorescent Tube?
Lynn asks Annie: Hi Annie, I have a floral cart which uses florescent grow lights. When should I change them? I have had mine on for 2 years set at 8 hours everyday. Some of the tubes are darker at …
Q&A – Plantlets Under a Dome
Earle asks Annie: Hi Annie, How long after you pot up your plantlets from leaf cuttings do you keep them in a contained, humid environment? I have potted up a number of plantlets from leaves and I am keeping them …
Q&A – What Size Pot for a Mini?
Vanessa asks Annie: Hi Annie, Last May I purchased this Robs Wascallie Rabbit plant. This plant seems content in my window growing environment. It has grown and blooms regularly. My question is, how do I know if my plant is …
Q&A – Yellow Splotches, What’s Going On?
Roger asks Annie: Hi Annie, In the attached photo, the outer edges of leaves have this yellowish splotching going on. it’s mostly on one variety with very minor incidence on a couple others. i’ve researched and can only find two …
Q&A – Blossom Stems with Leaves?
Janice asks Annie: Hi Annie, “My plant of Allegro Appalachian Trail sent up a flower stalk with an added bonus of leaves on the stem. I’ve never seen this happen before. Is this normal for a trailer? What would happen …
Q&A – Blossoms Instead of Babies
Janice asks Annie: Hi Annie, I have 2 leaves of Jersey Blue Dreams in solo cups. Both have been very slow in sending up mouse ears. The leaves were put down 7-20-2018. The one leaf has sent up a flower …
Q&A – Weak Stems
My a violets are growing and flowering great, but the flower stems are very long and weak. Any idea why?
Q&A – Plastic Water Reservoirs
Romaine asks Annie: Hi Annie, Where do you get the plastic water reservoirs? Thanks! Romaine, The white reservoir wicking saucers that I use were made by Volkmann Brothers, but I’ve had them for decades and, to my knowledge, …
Q&A – Texas Style Potting
Dianna asks Annie: Hi Annie, You showed us how to pot up ceramic pots ( some worked some didn’t). Now would you explain the Texas method of potting up? How often do you have to repot the violets you …
Q&A – Perlite
Janet asks Annie: Hi Annie, I noticed your perlite is big and chunky. What is your source? Even when I buy extra coarse my perlite seems much smaller than your. Smaller doesn’t seem as effective and creates a lot …
Q&A – When To Disbud A Young Plant?
Karin asks Annie: Hi Annie, You said you leave your young plants in the solo cup until they bloom, so you know whether they will bloom true, before they take up too much space. When they do start …
Q&A – Light: Too Little or Too Much?
Douglas asks Annie: I have a group of plants in an isolation area. The light is a 2ft 2-tube T12 fluorescent, about 14 inches above the tops of the plants. Most of the plants are growing flat, but a couple …
Q&A – Perlite in the Bottom of the Pot? Why?
Judy asked Annie: I heard you say on one of your episodes that you use perlite in the bottom of your pots. I believe that there are different schools of thought on using perlite in the bottom of pots. …
Q&A – My Optimara Is Different Then Yours
Janice H. asked Annie: This morning on the podcast you showed your Optimara Ontario. I took a photo of my Optimara Ontario to share with you. Mine looks so different from yours with pointed leaves and growing so large. …
Q&A – Yellow Violets
Janice H. asked Annie: Should yellow-flowered violets be grown cool or warm to get true yellow? I have 2 violets with yellow blooms: Senk’s Alchemy Morning Star and Ajohn’s Winter Sun. Ajohn’s Winter Sun is now blooming, but the …
Q&A – Spilled Pollen vs. Thrips
Janice H. asked Annie: How does one tell the difference between spilled pollen and thrips? This morning in looking over my violets, I noticed a couple flowers with spilled pollen. A couple of my violets had thrips several years …