Hi irina,

Thanks for your reply. Perhaps you are correct about the pots . I still need to try to find these old pots. They were the best for growing violets.
I know that the link did not go through, but I made another post that will allow everyone to pull up a picture of what I am talking about.

XO-

I am sure that you can grow violets without these specialized square pots just as well. Light soil, wick, plastic pot - sitting on a top of deli container with a hole in a lid and fertiliser solution - will work just fine and your violets will be happily blooming.

Happy Growing and Blooming

irina

I don't recall ever seeing square ones like that. I do have round ones that look somewhat similar. They came with a flat, fiberglass wick and I have two sizes.

I've never had an Oyama pot but from reading about them, I don't think they are really the same.

Someone said they'd seen mine at yard sales. Sorry but that's the best I can do.

Diana

Thanks again for your replies.

Even though I am not an expert, I can grow really great African Violets in just about anything, and in fact have done well at cross breeding. I have my own greenhouse.
I am searching for these pots , not only because they were the best, but because they are what my late Mom and Dad used back in the 1960`s. I am now the owner of my parents old house and am trying to recreate the original violet room they had. This is all hobby, not a business.

Diana, I know about the pots you are speaking about, as they were also available back in the late 1960`s. I believe your pots were manufactured by the same company that produced the square ones I am looking for which was Philips.

I am not going to give up just yet. I still have a feeling that they may be around, if not in storage, but perhaps packed away in an attic, or basement.

Interesting project! Hopefully you will find AV varieties of this time too. Not many are still around.

Good Luck!

Irina

Hi Irina,

Thanks so much. Yes, my project sure is interesting..to say the least. Perhaps I am just trying to relive my teenage years. lol.

As a matter of fact, I certainly am interesed in growing many of those old style violets that were around over 40 years ago, but as you have stated, many of them are no longer around.
My personal taste..I would rather have those traditional African Violets over the Noids, or as I call them, assembly line violets.

What my parents and I collected mostly came from Buells in Conn.
It is a shame that they are no longer around.

If any of the members here know of a good source for the older type violets, I am very interested.

Thanks again.

I believe Reed's greenhouse carries some of the older violets, including some of the first 10 hybrids. I've included a link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reed's Greenhouse

Hi Snappyguy,

Thanks for your information and for the link.

I have heard of Reed`s greenhouses, but have never ordered from them.
It is good to know that they offer many of the older violets.
From what I can see by going into that site, they sure do have some very interesting plants.

That's a very neat idea!

I'm surprised that I never saw those pots. Perhaps they weren't distributed everywhere or perhaps my mother simply didn't use wicks on anything but african violets and used round pots. I would imagine the square ones probably cost a little more, what with the corners. They are definitely kind of neat looking :).

If you can find them, there's a fair chance they will be usable. I know I rescued a couple that were my mom's and one is turquoise. Aside from being a little faded, it's fine. The later ones came in more garish colors (orange, bright yellow and green at best). The problem is that flower pots aren't seen as having value, especially plastic ones. Even most McCoy ones aren't selling on eBay and there has to be a market before things show up there.

I don't know what your budget might be, but check and see if eBay has any place to list "wanted" items. Those "pickers" are out there.

I have no idea if Craigslist is an option. We don't have it and I only looked at it for antique sewing machines for awhile.

As for the plants, I'd suggest joining the AVSA if you haven't already. There are some people there who might be able to help with information. I found an ad in a 1975 AVSA magazine for Buell's which offered a list of "all we grow." A piece of their literature would be helpful.

Although you will find that many of the plants from that time period are lost, some are still available. There is a certain interest in vintage violets and John Cook at Cape Cod was still selling some on eBay last season. You don't have to go back as far as the original 10.

One thing you might want to consider when choosing, is whether they are "droppers" or not. I grow Blue Boy (1948), Happy Harold (1971) and Midnight Radiation (1983) and they are all very messy droppers. A roomful like that would be a nightmare. Tommie Lou (1967) does not drop and Feather (prob. 80s), drops but doesn't make the mess.

I think you may be able to create the vintage look with slightly newer plants. There are still Eyerdom (Granger Gardens, Granger) and Lyon's varieties available from this era also.

Bloomlovers.com carries some vintage, although you have to grow them from leaves or plugs.

Good luck with this project. If you find any round turquoise pots, send them this way, lol.

Diana

Diana -

looks like we got the same oldies bug. I got rid of Midnight Radiation for the reason - drops annd the flowers are smallish, Blue Boy is littering the place with its delightful bright blue flowers, Feather is blooming too, there is another one I cherish - Firebird - love it-love it. Got rid of Maas Memories - too large - so drops everywhere. And Pony Ride - who cares that this chimera trailer is a dropper...it sure blooms a lot.

I.

Irina

Hello Diana,

Thanks again for your interesting message. You have my word, should I ever find some of those turquoise pots, I will let you know.
My project really means a great deal to me. I not only loved the 1960`s, but I loved the house I grew up in..with all those vintage violets my parents had.
I know that most of them had come from Buells. My parents took many leaf cuttings to create new plants. I remember that they started off with about 12 or so around 1965, and by 1968 had almost 100 growing in what they turned into a violet room. Most all of them were planted in those square wick water pots. My Dad even built these great glass shelves for each of the 4 east facing windows. Lighted carts were placed along the wall.
My parents would always give away leaf cuttings to the neighbors, and started an entire neighborhood group collecting african violets. All the neighbors would trade plants and cuttings. That is how I learned to grow them.

Unfortunatly over the years, and as my parents grew old, most of the collection was either given away, or died. Both Mom and Dad had Alzheimers and were no longer able to care for the plants.

Now that they are gone, I had hopes of somehow bringing back that violet room the way it used to look.
As much as I would like to have the same vintage violets from the 1960`s, I may never be able to do so. The original tags that Buell`s provided must have been tossed out as well. I do remember they had Blue Boy, Sea Girl, and Drops of Wine. I also remember one called Jeri Lynn.

As for Violet soil, my parents ALWAYS used New Era brand by Clinton Nurseries. They still produce violet soil, but it is nothing like what they used to produce. Back in the 1960`s the soil was a rich, red ish brown spongy soil.

I will check out Cape Cod violetry, as they are located only about a half hour away from me. Perhaps they will be able to provide some of those lost violets.

Thanks again for your wonderful information.

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