I showed them photos of my AVs on my phone.

==>> oh my ... you got it bad.. dont you .. lol ..

stopping near strangers... and flashing pix of your babes ...

crikey .. lol ...

congrats on the random act of kindness ... Gods work ...

ken

Lol Joanne,

The other day some random stranger started showing me pictures of his dog. I was out shopping with my sheep handbag (yes it is fluffy and has dangly legs) and he just assumed I liked animals, which I do, but seriously? I couldn't find a polite excuse to leave soon enough...

I guess it is different if you actually have a conversation before you whip out the photos though ;-p

Maybe I should have retaliated with VIDEOS of my dog's tail playing fetch (I am a bit slow pointing the camera sometimes) the 1001 photos I keep to myself ;-)

Karin

New convert at work ... I took three of my "to be rehomed" plants to the office today and all three went home with a new mom! She hesitated for less than a nanosecond deciding how many she wanted when I said she could have one or all three.

The new mom will be taking her plants home this weekend when our company function is over. She's my administrative assistant in Seattle and I talk to her all the time so will get updates and can be a resource if she has questions. I'll be prowling around looking for your new AV owner cheat sheets to share.

So, Joanne, if you read this post...my "spare" plants are less by three. There are a few more and I like the idea of sharing them with assisted living or nursing home residents, so will take a few there but I do have one I could send your way if you want a project: Vintage Lace (the smaller plant in a post I put up tonight). It wouldn't take much to ship it, because it's still a little thing and I can send it from work next week.

Hi, Shallon,
How exciting about your new mom taking all three!
Did she get three different colors? Young moms like violets!
It feels good to be "down three!"
I first got into violets when I was a young mom.
Please send me an email, I will forward the "cheat sheet" to you. And my mailing address.
Another thought is -- If you have a Senior Center nearby, that is a great place to take violets. Sometimes, the Senior Centers are conveniently located. They usually have lunches and special events. People who go to the senior centers are usually still still vital and healthy enough to be able to take care of plants. Usually, they are in their 70's or so. At this festive time of year, they are happy to have gift plants.
Sometimes, with an Assisted Living, the residents are older, 80's and up. If the resident is not quite up to snuff, and not able to care for the plants, no one else will.

I would love to have Vintage Lace. I have often wondered about it.
I have admired it on the LLG website. I like unusual shapes
like that one seems to have, and the color.

Well, I am busily separating babies and starters for
my club's Christmas luncheon in a couple of days!
Joanne

I like to play cards, so I play bridge with some older ladies. I often give away violets as a "deuce prize", and they are well received. One woman won one and said she kills every violet she gets her hands on. She told me the last time we played that she still has the violet that she won a year ago, and that it blooms for her and she was pretty happy about it. I just make sure I give it to them in a pot that is the right size and tell them not to repot it but put the plastic pot in a cache pot if they want something decorative. One other woman who has won plants is getting some dementia, so I think her plant is a goner by now. So it's good to not have a lot of attachment to the plants you give when you are recruiting. It's really fun when it works out, though. I kind of wish we had a violet club here, but I think the population isn't big enough.

Yes, it is very important to not have personal attachment. Otherwise, you get into a "joint custody " arrangement! You might remind them to replenish the soil a year later. But when you explain about miracle gro AV soil and Schulz AV food, you might get that "wide-eyed stare" look in response!

lol Joanne .... that's just great.

I am interested in your care sheet too.

I would have a problem though with 'custody issues' it's best for me to keep all of mine that i'm attached to and to start leaves for outgoing plants. :)

Chuckling...yes we do get attached, don't we? Until your forum made my first leaf start successful all I ever got from cuttings was mush, so the plants I gave away were purchased as youngsters started by someone else. Even so, I do have a few that would be hard to part with. When these babies are potted and ready to go it will be fun to rehome them too!!

The young mom is a young PLANT mom. LOL. Her human children are both teenagers. She got Rebel's Splatter Cake, Feather and Sweet Affair - so yes, she got some variety. They were all blooming with more buds coming on and if she keeps them moist they will bloom for her for a while.

I'd show strangers pictures on my phone too...it's fun to have bragging opportunities. And Karin, if you're going to have a sheep handbag you have to expect to be approached - conversation starters like that are irresistible for those bursting to share. I do think you should have made him watch your dog's tail playing fetch though - just retribution for his unsolicited portfolio display.

I got one of those funny looks today at Lowes when I ask for AV mix and the guy looked at me and said what's a African violets, I just walked away and went and ask some one else,she knew what I wanted and we talked about AV for a long while now she wants some.

It is the secret club of the African Violet brotherhood and sisterhood. People who work in garden shops are candidates for the exotic varieties they don't get in their shops.
Women who enjoy needlework and crafts are good candidates. With men, anyone who enjoys gardening. It helps if they grew up with a family member who liked house plants. My first introduction to violets was from a happy aunt who always had three in a sunny window. . I
The name "African " has lead to some amusing miscommunications that have resulted in potential converts.
The idea of the card game ladies is a good one! Hairdressers are another outlet, both for their beauty salons and their homes. Or other small shop owners. Joanne

This post was edited by fortyseven on Fri, Dec 12, 14 at 20:36

Tonight a girlfriend offered a great outlet for my spares - she's part of a sorority that exists for the purpose of supporting various causes - especially veterans and children. They have a big fundraiser in February and she offered to take any plants I want to donate for their auction. By then all my plants should be blooming and I will be able to choose which to keep/part with as well as making some attractive baskets for the auction.