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Oblivious-to-Spring Flowers
African violets grown indoors are, from my experience, temperamental, independent, and picky. And they defy embracing any particular growth season. So I’ve learned their preferences and learned not to argue with them. Otherwise, they just give up and die.
I’ve grown African violets for many years. When we moved into our Florida house, they clearly fell in love with our master bathroom. The bathtub sits next to the glazed glass windows with a southeast exposure, so they bask on the rim of the tub. I have about eight to ten at a time, because I’ve learned they like space to stretch their leaves. And once you’ve found a place they like, you don’t mess with success.
Whatever they demand works for me.
They require a certain level of patience with their daily care. A few times a week I check them with the moisture meter. If they are not nearly completely dried out, they’ll need to wait until the next watering. (I will serve them, but I refuse to be their slave.)
They must be watered from the bottom, and it’s not wise for me to water them all on the same day, because they have apparently been potted in different soils; some hold a lot of water, some don’t. And if I do overwater them, sometimes they get really angry and just flat give-up and die.
Then it’s another trip to Lowe’s.
My inventory gets low sometimes because Lowe’s doesn’t always carry them. I prefer getting a plant that isn’t the traditional purple, but it’s more important to get a healthy-looking plant (bright green leaves) than one with flowers or buds. With proper watering and fertilizer, they’ll bloom.
If there are periods when they refuse to bloom, that’s when I get violent. Seriously. You can squeeze the plastic pots—that disruption wakes up something in them and a few days to a week later, they bloom. Or better yet—you can bang them on a surface a few times. Although I get a lot of satisfaction from this technique, I usually send dirt flying all over, so I usually restrain myself with a few squeezes.
In spite of all my complaints about them, I’m glad they don’t wait for spring to bloom.
They share their beauty all year long.
Published in Group Writing
It’s like that with all plants made in the 80s.
You are so right. My stepmother had a terrible time with her African violets until she discovered by accident that they loved the light from a particular lamp in her den. It was sitting on a largish round table and it ended up being the violet table. She had at least 10 plants circling the lamp and they bloomed almost all the time.
Yep! You don’t mess with success!
Similar with orchids. They are supposed to bloom every other year, resting in between times. I have 3 orchid plants, with 2 of them blooming gloriously for the past 5 months and now getting ready to drop their blooms and rest for a time. The 3rd plant threw a stalk several weeks ago and now has 6 buds and may get more. It will probably stay in bloom for 5 or more months. If I ever get out of my locked down prison apt, will try to buy another orchid or two.
They are fun, too! My lanai is lined with them, and I finally learned that most of them have a season, many in the winter. Some blossoms don’t last long, some for a very long time. My uncle got me started with the orchids, and I told him I especially loved those with blossom that lasted a long time. So when he would gift me with them, he’d make sure to tell me the flowers would last. Makes me miss him. Thanks, @kayofmt. Feel free to post pictures if you have some.
We did some vinca outside. The instructions said space them, but they really like being close together.
Keep an eye on them, @johnpark. I had several plants bunched together, too close, and they developed a fungus. I lost all of them. So if they like to huddle together, just make sure that a fungus doesn’t develop. Are they blooming? Photos?
@susanquinn not yet; this was a year or so ago. They did great! But, we’re in north Georgia.
I grow geraniums for the year-round blooms. Here they are today. It’s an ice storm outside…
I discovered that our bunny loves the geranium foliage when I was cleaning up and dropped the dead leaves in the garbage, only for her to knock over my garbage to get at the leaves! Now I just give them to her directly.
Are you saying that north Georgia doesn’t like blooming African violets? Careful–they make that very personally!
Wow, @cbtoderakamamatoad! Everyone gets into the act. Such beautiful blooms! And it looks like more are on the way.
Noted. It’s the time of year where I am digging up prodigious amounts of dandelions (which I could probably grow as a cash crop) and giving them to the little so-and-sos (Mup and Nest), but I’ll bear this in mind.
They are lovely. And some of them are very unusual.
I bought one of those supermarket green grocer wheat grass plants… Every week or so I give it to Snowball to nibble down to the quick, then let it grow again, then she nibbles it down… we’ve been doing this about two months now.
Yes, I do that too. I got started on the idea after a visit to the sproutman, Chris Wahlberg, on Pittsburgh’s South Side, many years ago (not sure they are still in business). https://old.post-gazette.com/magazine/19980611bmung1.asp. After all, anyone with a BA in English from Duquesne University is OK with me, ahem. It’s more of a trek than I like, to go to Pittsburgh though, and I bought my own non-GMO etc. etc. wheat grass seeds, and did my own thing, shortly thereafter. It’s easy, and I find it to be fun. Every so often, after several iterations of “nibbles,” I start over and refresh the crop.
A refreshing break from politics and the virus – thanks!
My three orchids are all purchased years ago from Lowe’s or similar. They are not in flower now but they have been sending up shoots for a couple of months that I’ve been supporting and training upward. I’ve got my fingers crossed.
If you haven’t, try fertilizer, like an Osmocote
Susan, you didn’t say this was a metaphor but it was a metaphor.
My grandmother used to put egg water in hers, and they were always beautiful.
It is indeed–for our situation right now. And we can apply it to our individual lives as well, at least I do, if the virus is the violet: it pays to be flexible, willing to make adjustments, appreciate the beauty all around us. Would anyone like to build on the metaphor? I’ve only hit some of it. Thanks, @southernpessimist.
If there are periods when they refuse to bloom, that’s when I get violent. Seriously. You can squeeze the plastic pots—that disruption wakes up something in them and a few days to a week later, they bloom. Or better yet—you can bang them on a surface a few times. Although I get a lot of satisfaction from this technique, I usually send dirt flying all over, so I usually restrain myself with a few squeezes.
Yep, that applies to my attitude to this mess. Unfortunately, I feel like the the plastic pot being squeezed.
No kidding, Southern Pessimist. How could I have missed that metaphor opportunity. Me, too.
I recall my maternal grandfather had African violets, that certainly grew for him. I seem to remember my mother also grew them for many years. I think there were some issues with some sort of small pest from time to time.
The monthly theme is going through a bit of a dry spell this month. Whether you have a flower or blossom sighting from a walk, or a bit of beauty in or around your abode, do snap and share!
Please stop by the April group writing sign up sheet, with the broad theme “April Flowers.” Yes, it is April showers and May flowers in the old rhyme, and I’ve linked the two with good cause in this particular spring season. Tired of binge watching your streaming service? Cast an eye back across the wide range of different, delightful, and downright entertaining and informative past contributions. See the handy compendium of monthly themes. Check out links in the Group Writing Group. You can also join the group to get a notification when a new monthly theme is posted.