Welcome back ...

Hi Becky!

I'm glad you came back! It's good to have another person to share the addiction with!

On the exchange page you'll see that we currently have a round robin circulating. If another one gets started, you could join in.

This forum is wonderful!!! I have learned so many new things here, and made a few new friends.

Hi Sue, I won't have anything to trade for awhile (starting with all leaves this time around) but will take a look see at the exchange page. I just got my rack all set up, the thing is huge, tons of room for loads of plants!! ;0)

No worries, you'll run out of shelf space soon enough ;-p
I barely had my second light installed when I realized I needed another....

Anyways, have fun!

Karin

That's exciting. I hope you do really well with your leaves. Share what you are ordering and maybe some of us will have some input on your selections if we have grown them.

Just placed a pretty big order to Lyndon Lyon, came out to 35 sets of leaves, mostly minis or semi minis, a few standards that I couldn't do without (HAD to have Ma's Ching Dynasty and I think Apache Midnight is a standard). So I'll have 70 leaves to pot up...ugh! I plan on a few more orders before the cold shipping season starts.

Another place to order leaves is from Janet Stromborg. If interested, do a Google search for AVJanet Allegro Violets. She uses a system of vacuum packing leaves so they arrive crisp and will stay that way for several days in the packets.

Lyon's packs in baggies. If any leaves are wilted, snip the ends of the leaf stems and float the leaves in water with a pinch of sugar added for a few hours to crisp them.

Another place for leaves is Fancy Bloomers in NJ, Donna Brining wraps the ends of leaves in moist material then puts them in baggies so they stay crisp.

If you are going to use S/H, then you would
have to start with leaves. (Signed) J

This post was edited by fortyseven on Mon, Sep 15, 14 at 9:30

Thank you for the heads up on Janet Stromborg, will check into her site. I planned on an order to Fancy Bloomers but quite a few of the varieties I liked were sold out. :0(

I will have all the cups set up and labeled, learned that the hard way first time around with leaves, I had a huge order of over 100 leaves come in and nothing set up! Not something I want to repeat, it was a lot of work. Gotta dig out my soldering iron to burn the drainage holes in the cups I use, a fast job thank goodness.

Send me a message. I'm glad you're getting back into violets, but I have ordered a lot of leaves this year. Maybe I can help.

Diana

Hi Becky,
That is why the way Janet Stromborg vacuum packs her leaves is very convenient. Each packet is labeled with a typed label, a description, and three leaves. The label is taped, so it can be removed and placed on the pot or cup. She sends three leaves instead of two, and
they will stay crisp in the packet for several days. No need to open the packet until you are ready with your labels and your cups. That way, you can take your time, do a few a day. Some of her plants are small. She responds to email questions. I prepared a "wish list' first to make sure all was available that I wanted, then emailed it to her. She let me know what she had. She cut the leaf tips very precisely.
I recut the leaf stem tips before putting into the potting medium. In 9 months, hopefully, I will have new plants.
And so will you. Good luck, (signed, Joanne)