Ryan,

You are well on your way to addiction(well maybe addicted already)! Your key symptom was running to get plant #50 and bringing home two. Plus you have other green jewels growing. Way to grow(er go)!!! - Elaine

I need some of that enthusiasm today. You DID issolate, right? UT's been in the news--how's it been by you.
Pat

Haha! Only on this forum could someone who has 51 of the same class of plants be said to only be "maybe addicted" or just "well on your way".

Congrats on your new plants, Ryan.

Mwedzi,

Yep, av addiction is sort of like money, the more you have the more you want!!! Except I've never had the ability to "grow or collect" money, so violets are much easier! Only thing is this hobby helps deplete my finances, not replenish it! :-)) Elaine

Pat,

Yes UT is in the National News for two things now--both a massive avalanche about 20 minutes away where last count is a possible 5 are trapped, and also about 4 hours south of me there was some huge flooding--we have lost about 80 homes which have been sucked into a river with the flooding! FEMA has been here and we are awaiting the word from Wahington DC if they will get federal funds to help them out! I must be doing something right because my house and family are all doing very well! :)

My heart goes out to those in this detructive world!

On the AV side of things: Yes both of my NEW AV are sitting on their own table in their own room! I got two Optimaras both Rhapsodie Susi and also Kentucky. Both very pretty I think!

I cannot wait until the weather warms to begin the trading season. I love this hobby a lot! I get it from my grandmather who started me on the course about 20 years ago! I have raised AV for 20 out of the 25 years in my life. When I was a kid I would always bring home a new leaf from grandmas and pot it up! Then I went on to be a horticulturist graduating from USU. I was a bit angered at the programs that are offered at most Universities beacuse I felt I already new more then they did.

So now--one of my hobbies is micropropagation! I do hostas and roses. I havent dared do AV yet--I wouldn't know what to do with soooo many! I suppose if someone came a long with one of the oldies or endangered ones I would take that up and distribute the plants among us! That would be cool! Then I could say I had 5000 plus AV in my house at one time! How would that be? hehehe

Well---I almost repotted one more AV yesterday--it has two in it--so that would've made my count 52! Seems like they grow at a rate at one a day around here!

I love giving AV away too! I have sooo many babies started! But not for my own use! I like giving them away to the old, the sick, the afflicted, the young, or whoever seems to have a passion for plants! It is a joy in my life to bring a smile to others faces.

Have I rattled on long enough? lol

Ryan

PS---traveling to Salt Lake City to go furniture shopping--I might poke my head in a few nurseries to see what they got! ARGHH!

Hello all,

Well, I only have 27 violets. I'm feeling a little violet deprived. I do however have 20 other gesnariads; chiritas, sinningias, kohlerias, streptocarpus and columneas. So, as "Gesnariad Man", I am at the 47 plant marker. :o) I do feel like I have a monkey on my back, so 47 gesnariads does equate to addiction. lol They say that the definition of addiction is suffering consequences for ones habit. I have definitely had consequences. Remember the eBay fiasco. lol

Larry

Ryan,

It's good to see another person in their 20s who loves plants (particularly AVs). =) It's even cooler that you're a non-female. For some reason- maybe it's just me but...I don't see male customers at the nurseries or garden centers very often. I bet they mostly order online.

Anyways, I would love to do a trade of some sort with you when spring comes rolling around. Named or NOIDS, it does not matter to me. I tend to like whatever it is I don't have. Don't we all? :-P

Enjoy your new babies!

-Cat

I started with AV few months ago, I think it started somewhere in may - jun 2004...
I was shopping in Home Depot and there were those poor slowly dying violet plants there. So I adopted 2-3 of them...and I put down some leaves, just to test how it works. And in the instant I saw those tiny mouse ears popping from the soil - I was lost.
Well, here I am with my nearly 200 different hybrids, each of them has few babies, of course there are suckers which I put down every day (only tonight I did 12 new little plantlets to be, last night probably more...and it is growing geometrically).
When I was fresh AV beginner I had nighmtare about mites, since it looks that everybody has mites. I had recently nightmare about looking for places for new plants - and there was no single tiny spot, so I was running around to find something...without success.
In my case it is even worse since my DH has got it from me. First he only helped me with light stand, than he liked one-two from them, then he really loved Bob Serbin, afterwords Music Box Dancer, Gilian...he measured how big flowers are...until week ago we got a big box from Fay Wagman - with 151 leaves...he ordered them.
I complain...but it is pleasant 'complain'. I feel so good with my plants, there is a place to escape where there are not wars and tsunamies - just beauty and hope.
And I hope to hybridize one-two wonderful plants, which will be loved and maybe make few people to have some nice instants.
Be carefull Ryan, these AV liking tends to become addiction. But beautiful one.
Of course, I will be glad to exchange some leaves/plants with you when weather will be nicer.
Until then I suggest you to visit few wendors sites (oh, I am sooo bad person) like www.robsviolet.com to start with. That is the site which made me AV-holic.
Wonderful life with wonderful plants wishes
Alena

Yeah--I have some trading friend when warmer weather comes around! How cool is that?!!!

Well--I am biting my lip telling you this but I just ran to the store with my friend! We needed some butter before Sunday came around and WHOA there was a nice violet RITA for only 2.50--well she made it into my cart--so now I have three plants being quarintined! Ha Ha Ha !

AND my friend was so excited about it! I told her that I would give her one of mine! SInce I have a bunch a babies already near blooming size! So now I uped my count! HOORAY!

I really need to take a picture of my babies for you all to see---it is quite the professional setup! I use Solo Cups which have been drilled with a hole! I also use rooting hormone--not for the rooting--but I tend to get more babies! Then once the babies are sizeable--I plant them each into their own pot! After about two weeks--they tend to have some good growth and roots on them---I invite over the guests---They can look at my blooming plants and pick out the baby that matches! Often I will have grown a baby that already blooming! I have had several occurences when my baby plants bloom with only two leaves! One was a mutant--I sure hoped that it would continue that color! Sometimes the first few flowers dont tell the whol truth! But this one did! It is a really dark purple! I fell in love! Definately a keeper!

I used to have some variegated AV--but I lost all of them when I moved to Chile for two years. So I need to start collecting those again! It was sad to loose them! But I had a great time in Santiago de Chile! It was there that I met up with another plant! THE HOYA! More on that later!

SO here I am at almost 2 in the morning telling you all about my addicting AV fever! ARGHUGH!

ONe more thing that I have though about that I will do! I think I will not only quarintine my new plants--but repot them as well--this way I can check out all their roots---I can inpect for darn critters, and I can pot them into my own AV soil that the rest of mine are in! I think the care of this many plants will be eased if they all have the same needs! I think I am going to DEHEAD the flowers--just in case they have thrips. I KNOW I JUST BOUGHT THEM! But I think my care will not be too extreme. ALL IN THE NAME OF PROTECTING WHAT I ALREADY HAVE! Thank heavens I have not already had a large infestation! This time of year I seem to deal with fungus nats for about a week--then they all die once I really get on top of them! I think it happens when I repot! They seem to be in the potting soil!

I once opened a bag I bought from a HD and there were fungus nats intantly flying out of the bag! I closed up the bag and threw it outside! Took it right back to the store and demanded that they replace it! There were nats stuck to the inside of the bag too!

So as fair warning to you all--beware of the repotting! I repot all may plants twice a year--January and July! I dont have fungus nat problems in July--hmmmm--I think the fact a place the bags in the sun to heat up to kill anything helps out! But in the winter----ya cant depend on that here in UTAH!

I use a mix of a houseplant potting soil and perlite, with a touch of vermiculite! It works wonders for me!

Ok so have I blabbed on long enough? I'm just spreading the addiction!

Ryan

I am about to catch the AV bug I think. I live in a rual area with no AV club near by. When I look at the exchange list, all of the traders want named only for trades. As a newbe, I can not add to my habit. Since many of you guys talk about having many babies, can a newbe get a start of some of these. I am not addicted to names but like the different colors and the variegated ones.
All 5 of my regular sized ones and 1 mini are growing in self-watering pots. These cost about $8 each. Is there a cheaper way to grow them for a guy afraid he will over water?
As far a light goes, I think I have the perfect natural site for them. I have a wall of east windows that is huge. Great morning sun and the others are doing great.
I also built a greenhouse this past summer. I do not have the heat just right yet so will not use it for AV's until spring when temps are safe.
Can someone help me either take an OTC med for this or assist me in getting more/different AV's.?
Thanks from a newbe with a fever.
DD

Hi DD,

First, you asked about if there was a cheaper way to wick water your violets. Although I'm sure the pots are pretty, eight dollars apiece is pretty steep. I use Volkman wicking saucers for wicking my violets. I get them at the Violet Showcase. I think they are around a dollar a piece. I will put a link to their site at the bottom of the page. If you want an inexpensive way to wick water with a closed reservoir I have found the zip lock food containers to work very nice. They also don't look all that bad. Poke two holes in the top and you can have a place for the wick and a place to pour water into the reservoir

As far as getting new named and interesting violets you may be able to find some people who will mail you violets starts or leaves for you to propagate your own violets. They may ask for postage.

Other things that you can do is buy them from mail-order houses. I have ordered mail-order and have had very good luck with it. Some of the mail-order houses are:

The Violet Showcase: www.violetshowcase.com
Robs Violets: www.robsviolet.com
PatÂs Pets: www.jcn1.com/patspets
Lyndon LyonÂs: www.lyndonlyon.com

Other people have other favorites that IÂm sure they would share with you.

The other thing you can do is purchased violets on eBay. I have done this and have had very good luck. I can't speak for everyone but I have bought from the gardenangel, exotic_violets and violetangelstreasures.

Good Luck,

Larry

If you have any specific questions about any of this feel free to ask here on the forum or you can ask me directly by sending me e-mail.

Hi, Ryan:
Look at it this way: At least you can still keep an accurate count of your AVs :-)
Linda

I am at a whopping 2, count 'em, 2 AVs right now. But as soon as spring comes, I can see my collection sky rocketing!

Hello Ryan,

I just did my inventory. 200 AV varieties, 58 Strep varieties and various gesneriads. I need more!

Nancy in Montreal

Ryan, you are so baaaaad!

I have a vintage Tommie Lou AV and need to start a leaf of it and have some others, it's cold now in NJ, but I guess it's a good time to put down a few leaves, don't you think? And then I can share with others, when the weather begins to warm up a bit.

I'm beginning to show my age mentioning Tommie Lou, but at the time, this was the "show Plant" and everyone adored it, does anyone remember it?? Variegated foliage with light lavender blossoms but floriferous.

Good luck with your hobby; at one time, my count was 250 and were in the basement under fl. lights. I had won the Princess award,with "Pink Rhapsody", and the sweepstakes award. Now, in 2005, there are only about 14 AV's and one episcia with a few orchids thrown in for good measure. It was great fun showing our plants at the civic center and also at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

P.S. Would love to trade sometime for a gesneriad or chirita (leaves) or whatever I have at the time.

Vicki

I HAVE SO ENJOYED THIS FORUM, AND lARRY,THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE LINK TO THE VIOLET SHOWCASE,SO PRETTY.I DON'T HAVE ANY AS OF NOW ,BUT YOU GUYS MAKE ME WANT A.V.S AGAIN. CAN OR WILL ANYONE SHARE ? YOU ALL SEEM TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN W/ YOUR A.V.'S THANKS AHEAD ,I'LL BE LISTENING,OR READING MOLLY [SEWNMOM7@YAHOO.COM]

Thanks for all of the info that each of you have given. I plan on getting more AV's as I have such a good place for them in my house and they grow so well and are real beauties. I would love to hear from some of you that have tons of these that might share for postage or other plant trades.
If I use the wicking method for my plants, do I run the felt or other material up the edge of the pot? Or if I use a pot in a saucer and just add water to the saucer will that give the plant too much water.
Hope to get some starts from some of you. Would like a variegated one, do not care if it is a noid.
Thanks,
DD

Hi DD,

I am assuming that you are talking about using wicking saucers, not regular saucers. The wick should come out of the drainage hole of the pot and extend into the reservoir. The pot should sit on the fins and never touch water. The saucer should not be filled high enough to touch the pot. As you referred to using a regular saucer and filling it with water. That would be too much water and you will probably rot the plant.

Here is a picture of a wicking reservoir and a flowerpot.

Larry

{{gwi:358952}}

{{gwi:358953}}

Again thanks for the explanation, I would have killed them. If you do not have this type saucer can you just elevate the pot with small stones or blocks?
How far up in the pot should the wick go or does this matter ?

D, you can also use pint or half-pint deli containers; just drill two holes through the top, one smaller in the center for the wick, and one larger near the edge for watering. Also check the FAQ on the main forum page.

Good luck.

Korina

Vicki, we all know Tommie Lou. Even though it's popularity is not what it used to be, we all know it (as a fabulous "vintage" variety now :-) ) and still that type of variegation is referred to as Tommie Lou variegation.

When it gets warm here (which will be for some months now), I'd be happy to trade some gesneriad cuttings with you.

I have 47. I gave away 4. I made the mistake of giving one to my dearest best friend who mercilessly killed it due to neglect. She asked me for another one, but I haven't the heart to send another one to their death sentence. I feel like I'm somewhat interviewing people now when they express an interest in obtaining one of my violets. If I feel they wouldn't suitable stewards of my babies then I don't give them one. I just tell them sorry. I can't part with any at this time. I am so addicted to them. I've got 2 leaves right now in water that I'm trying to root. I do enjoy giving my babies to people that I know would appreciate and care for them they way I do. My AV's have brought me so much comfort when things have gone wrong in my life. It's almost as if they sense my needs. I talk to them often. Hubby thinks I'm nuts...what does he know?

My collection keps growing mainly because I dont have the heart to kill suckers.

My count: 29

I'm afraid I have 92 AVs and 123 pots of babies, each a different variety:

Aca's Coral Lagoon, Aca's Nicole, Aca's Summer Parfait,
Alamo Butterflies, Alamo Gold Rush, Alamo Sunshine, Alliance, Ann, Anthoflores Barnabe, Anthoflores Beatus, Anthoflores Bertel, Anthoflores Busso, Anthoflores Daniela,
Anthoflores Draco, Anthoflores Elias, Anthoflores Guillaume, Anthoflores Horatio, Anthoflores Howard, Anthoflores Ilario, Anthoflores Isabelle, Anthoflores Lila, Anthoflores Maxime, Anthoflores Percy, Anthoflores Rocky Blue, Anthoflores Romy, Anthoflores Simone, Anthoflores Velvet, Apache Diamond, Apache Gem, Apache Maiden, Apache Midnight, Apache Show-Off, Apache War Bonnet, Berries n' Snow, Blackberry Jam, Blackie Bryant, Blue Dragon, Blue Monday, Blueberry Ruffles, Bob Serbin, Boogie Nights, Bounty Hunter, Buckeye Bouquet, Buckeye Bravado, Buckeye Candy Kisses, Buckeye Colossal, Buckeye Crested Peach, Buckeye Easy Goer, Buckeye Ruby Tuesday, Buffalo Hunt, California Sunset, Candy Fountain, Cathedral, Champagne Pink, Cherries n' Cream, Chicago Flair, Chinook Wind, Christine, Christmas Glitter, Cool Blue (?), Cool Mint, Country Cider, Creole Royale, Dean's Bunny Blue, Dean's Peach Blush, Decelles Illusion, Deep Sky, Dusty Blue, Early Spring, Easter Morning, Ellie Gardner, Emerald Love, Fantasy Flair, Favorite Child, Festive Amethyst, Fiery Sunset, Fisherman's Paradise, Fredette's Risen Star, Fredette's Sweet Jenny, Frosted Whisper, Frosty Spring, Garden Party,
Garnet Halo, Golden Dawn, Golden Eye, Golden Plume, Golden Spirit, Green Dragon, Green Eyes, Green Ice, Jalapeno, Harbor Blue, Hearts Aglow, Heaven's A-Calling, Heaven's Reflection, Honey Puff, Kid Karla, King's Treasure, Kiss of Fire, Le Bon Papa, Lemon Kisses, Lemon Whip, Lil Rich Girl, Lyon's Lavender Magic, Lyon's Party Dress, Maas' Arbor Glen, Mac's Southern Springtime, Maggie Lee, Midnight Cloud, Midnight Plum, Mindy Brooke, Nancy Leigh, Ness' Fantasy Gold, Ness' Orange Pekoe, NOID Coral, Nortex Tangerine Halo, Ocean Eyes, Ohio Sunrise, Opera's Paolo, Opera's Romeo, Optical Illusion, Painted Touch, Paprika, Pat Tracey, Peach Brandy, Penny Lover, Pink Cameo, Pink Feathers, Pink Mint, Pirate's Gold, Powwow, Precious Lavender, Pretty Miss Kelly, Rain Man, Rainbow's Quiet Riot, Raspberry Chiffon, Rebel's Centennial Star, Rebel's Charmin' Pink, Rebel's Easter Treat, Rebel's Midnight Sky, Rebel's Splatter Kake, Rebel's Stormy Skies, Rebel's Taffy Pull, Rebel's Valiant, Red Ferrari, Rhapsodie Cora, Rhapsodie Gisela ?, Rhapsodie Rosalie II, Rob's Antique Rose, Rob's Argyle Socks, Rob's Bed Bug, Rob's Blue Socks, Rob's Boogie Woogie, Rob's Boondoggle, Rob's Denim Demon, Rob's Hallucination, Rob's Little Pueblo, Rob's Mango Mongo, Rob's Miss Sniffles, Rob's Outer Orbit, Rob's Pewter Bells, Rob's Sarsparilla, Rob's Scarecrow, Rob's Shadow Magic, Rob's Silver Spook, Rob's Slap Happy, Rob's Smarty Pants, Rob's Squeeze Toy, Rob's Tippy Toe, Rob's Whoa Nellie, Rodeo Roundup, Roll Along Blue, Rolling Pink Cloudburst, Rosy Winter, Ruthie Allen, S. grandifolia #299, Salmon Ella, Sapphire Halo, Sedona, Sequins n' Ribbons, Shan, Sheer Romance, Shutter Bug, Silent Prayer, Silverglade Flashes, Smokey Moon, Sonoma Heath, Stargate,
Starry Night Blue, Strawberry Wave, Sugar Frills, Summer Carnival, Summer Coral, Suncoast Glory Morning, Suncoast Lavender Silk, Sunny Salmon, Sweet Buttercup, Taboo, Taffeta Blue, Teen Kiss, Tomahawk, Tomboy Blue, Ultra Violet Flash, Victorian Elegance, Vintage Lace, Von's Elegance, Watermelon Bay, Wild Irish Rose, Winter Ice, Winter Parasol, Winter's Sunshine, Witch Doctor, Wrangler's Pink Patches, Wrangler's Winter Hawk

I gave away about 50 pots of babies 2 weeks ago to a Girl Scout troop so they could use them for some type of "project." I don't want to know if any of them survived... the plants, not the Girl Scouts. :-)

All I can say is, thank goodness for wick watering.

Kent

A pitiful 29, plus seven rooting suckers (six from Optimara's Little Apatite! I should pay more attention) and a pot soon to be full of Chirita tamiana seedlings. However, I'm determined to make the Sacramento AV show (my first) (on my birthday no less!) so who knows what I could come home with?

(Korina) (impatiently waiting for April)

I read the AV postings often and have learned so much. I now have 5 plants, 2 leaves potting and a mini. These are interesting plants that are giving me great pleasure. As I read that many of you have many different AV's, babies galore and give them away often, I am surprised that I have not had any offers to send me some of the extras. I would really like to get some others for my collection. I will gladly send the postage cost to you. Please get me going with this.
Thanks,
D

Im not usually on this forum but you guys are driving me crazy. I started last summer with 10 av plants and was doing pretty well and then I had this thrip invasion and lost almost all of those. Then I bought more ended up with 7 or 8 which did pretty well through the winter , then they quit blooming and started looking really sad. I have a southwest window I set them in for light. But in the long run they sorta gave up and so did I. I now have two plants. I have used the african violet enriched miracle gro soil, dont know if thats best and water from the bottom using peters plant food. I didnt have a shop light during that time period but now I do and am using to grow different plants from seed. Just thought some of you might give me some pointers on my av plants. Once the blooms were all gone they didnt seem to grow new ones. Give me hints guys. Steve

Steve, check the FAQ on the forum's main page; it has a lot of basic cultural info.

The main reasons for non-blooming plants are not enough light, not enough fertilizer, or too many suckers.

If you're going to use commercial Av mix, add lots of perlite and vermiculite. The mix by itself is *much* too heavy and will kill your plants.

Korina

Steve,

1. Would you mind to start a new branch instead of rejuvenating something that old? Pretty please?

2.I think the soil you are using is way too heavy. This specialized AV soil (Miracle Grow, Scotts, etc) works beautifully if you cut it in half with perlite. The perfect combination will be 1;1:1 - soil - perlite- vermiculite. You can have it heavier because you bottom water them.

I believe it is your main problem, not the thrips. Thrips are very bad - but they do not kill the plants directly. They can bring the virus, they can make the plant unsightly - but to kill it.. I doubt.

3. It is hard to say what else went wrong with your collection. We like to send everybody to Rachel's reflections web site where there are tons of useful info. If you take time to dig there - you possibly find something else that can be improved - and you will find new questions to ask.

Good luck

Irina

Korina and Irina--thanks guys , you have opened my eyes,I wouldnt have thought the enriched soil was the problem. What about the lack of blooming, would that be a light problem. Shouldnt the av plants spend time under artificial lighting. The plants I had during the cold months once the blooms were gone , the plants looked healthy just no blooms at all.

Steve -

Happy plants bloom.

What was the problem with your plants? Was it too cold for them on a windowsill? Less then 65F? It contributes to the root rot - and they die.

Was it not enough light? They usually show it by stretching their leaves to the light.

Did you fertilize them? Eventually the fertilizer in a Miracle Grow gets used and they need more.

But I still believe that the heavy soggy soil was the problem.

good luck

irina

Irina, Im sure I had multple things going on. I use peters plant food and feed them everytime I water. I feel like watering from the bottom they will only take in what they need. Besides the soil problem I also believe you are right they probably dont get enough light and they may be a little too cold sitting on the kitchen floor. I noticed some of the plants seemed to get long stemmed. but the foillage looked healthy for quite a while they just werent doing much blooming.

HOLY COW! Two years later--it is scary to see this post that I started!

Umm--do you really want to know how many plants I have now? Ummm--(not including those I have at the nursery I managed) I have more then 500! Toooooo many to count consistently! Ha ha ha!

In fact I just got done carrying a huge garbage sack of leaves out to the trash! (I know--some of you have your mouths drooling wanting that SANTA BAG)--LOL!

In addition to the AV--I now have tons and tons of Streps too!

Ugh!

Funny that the same people who posted years ago--are still at it!

Ryan

It doesn't matter how many you have if you keep getting more, you are still counting.

My daughter was already telling me I have a problem. Then I went to Travis greenhouse last month, so I have more. Too many to count...cause I'm afraid what that count will total! So we will just say I'm in denial.

Lilypad, denial is just a river in Egypt. I say, go with the flow! (Hmmm, the flow leads to the Mediterranean.)

Korina, waterlogged

Well Ryan, you will have to blame me for reviving this thread. Obviously Ive spent my time over at hummingbird but thats sorta dead over there now and I jumped over here found your post WAH LAH! I just needed a lot of help on trying to grow my avs and there is lots of it here and have turned me around for I was doing a lot wrong, losing to many plants because of it. Now that you are up to 500 where in the world do you put them all and who takes care of them. Did you accumulate them by just going out and buying or more by propagation, just curious.

Steve -

It is an addiction. All serious collectors are slightly off...

Basically everybody keeps them on shelving units with lights - in a basement, devote a room for plants, all horizontal surfaces, install lights under their beds. The works...

And since Ryan is a biologist - master gardener - arborist - you name it - he grows super violets and lots of other stuff. Go to the Violet Voice chat - and look at his albums. WOW!!!

I guess I'm off to a good start. Since the Windsor Show, which was April 1st I have 74 named plants. I'd like to thank the members who have traded with me this past summer!

Rick.

i want to see PHOTOS of where you keep the 50 plants and how they all look grouped together!

Um, Ruby, have you seen the dates on this thread?

Just sayin'.

Korina

I know its been over 5 yrs. since the original posting but I got such a kick reading them. For the count- I am at 62 with 52 babies that need transplanting in the next month along with 76 leaves rooting as we speak. I started it last June just to have some color in the house! My husband is great he keeps buying me plants he sees I do not have. This Fri. he is taking me to the Violet Gallery (outside of Gettysburg, Pa.) I hope to leave with 36 more leaves. (named plants) I right now only have about 20 named ones. When I started the leaves it was to get 25 plants to give at next years christmas party. However I did not think I would have such a good propagation rate. I lost only 25 out of 193. Would love to trade leaves (of named ones) for other named ones. I guess I am addicted. There could be alot more worse things- ie. drugs, alcohol, etc. So addiction to AV's is a good thing. Right?

Kathleen -

wait! Before you accumulate more stuff - estimate how much space all these babies will take when they will be full grown plants. Do you have place to accommodate them? What will happen when each of your babies will become 12" plant? When your 76 leaves will give you 5-10 plantlets each?

Think about your plants as your pets. And how 75 kittens can turn into 75 cats with all the stink and litterboxes...

The recommendation is - you can have as many as you can successfully take care off. If you can spend 15 min a week with each plant talking to it, grooming, admiring the flowers - it is hobby. Otherwise it is hoarding.

Irina, the hoarder

Your message brings back wonderful memories of my growing addiction. I tried to collect all of the Optimara State series, but had to give up and just begin to enjoy whatever came my way...after joining a local AVSA affiliate. My approximate count is about 115, not counting leaves and plantlets in Propagating boxes.
Hey...it's not illegal, immoral or fatting (maybe a bit expensive) but it makes my heart happy!
AneitaS in SO CAL

Happiness of the heart is what it's all about Aneita. Growing AVs and other gessies, is so therapeutic for me. I can't imagine what else could de-stress me the way growing plants does. It's one of the most rewarding hobbies in existence. So with that said, I don't count anymore.:)