The reason why you can't find streps in stores in Fresno is that none of the wholesale growers are producing streps now. They try them from time to time and we sometimes get some nice ones, but streps have a problem that makes them more difficult to commercialize--they are delicate and do not ship well. Also, their flowers wilt or break or fall off and the plants need to be groomed to sell. It is true that they are spectacular with a little effort, but we are talking about huge growers who just don't have the skilled labor to get the plants from the greenhouses, to the stores in condition to sell easily. Its not that bad though--I am overstating the problem. Growers do streps from time to time. I recently heard that one of the big growers was looking for strep propagations to grow on in mass. They apparently didn't have anyone who could propagate them but wanted to buy small started "plugs" to grow on. So, there is interest.

The biggest wholesale grower, Nurserymen's Exchange in Half Moon Bay once grew streps with their own labels, calling them "Victorian Violets". That lasted about a year or two before they gave up.

I always look to see if streps are in the stores but I haven't seen them in quite a while. I am hoping that one of our newer growers like Annies Annuals will take them up.

Jon

If you keep asking every nursery you go into for streps maybe the owners will think about buying a few.

There is a new operation in Quebec City which buys tissue culture streps mostly from Dibley's. They sale wholesale so you have to buy in quantity and the postage will be enormous.

www.info@primfleurs.com

Nancy

What happened to the streps from Oglevee?