What's Blooming - February 26th, 2016

Did anyone think I gave up growing African violets? No way, man!! I'm just busy. Adulting is hard!

I'm only letting one flower stalk per plant open because I've got hopes of growing some show plants to enter in the big AVSA  National Convention which is in Albuquerque this year. And as if it's not exciting enough to go to convention this year after missing last year's, and visit an area of the country I've never been to before, AND travel with my amazing new(ish) Boyfie that I'm completely smitten with--This convention falls right during my birthday week! I cannot friggen WAIT!!!! Seriously I wish I could get knocked into a coma and wake up when it's time to go. Alas, that wouldn't be a very reasonable plan since I have to go to work every day and make that damn money for this kick azz vacation. WOMP WOMP! (update: None of that ended up happening, long sad story.)

So anyways, here's some pics of a few flowers open on my stand today. Click to biggerize!

Queen Sabrina

Jolly Frills

Munchkin Kisses

Merry Micro Sinningiamas

My African violets are all just boring foliage right now, but almost all my micro sinnies are going gangbusters! So here's some pics. (click to biggerize)

whoohoo!

Li'l Georgie, always a champ.

muscicola--Yes I know it's a shitty pic, sorry.

pusilla

Star Eyes is going CRAZY!!

pusilla 'White Sprite'

pusilla 'White Sprite' again

A buncha boring seedlings from my wayback cross of muscicola x Li'l Georgie that my boyfie won't let me toss in the garbage. (he's such a hippie)

See? So plaaaaaaain and laaaaaaaame ugh.

BUT! This is one of the seedlings from that cross that I've shown you before, which I still love.
I still need to name it & propagate it... #lifegoals

AND!! A new one has bloomed from that old cross. I love this one!

Same as above. Innit cute??

Welp, that's what's happening around here. Merry Christmas errybody!

What's Blooming 11.06.15

Well, not a lot considering the massive tear-down a coupla weeks back. But African violet 'Kid Karla' and micro Sinningia 'Star Eyes' were first in line to show off. :)

Still Alive!

Yeah I know I haven't updated in months, but I also haven't taken really good care of my plants in months. I work outside my home now and I feel like I never have time for them. But despite my neglect, they still put out flowers for me and make me smile. So here's a few pics of what's been flowering the last few weeks or so... Click pics to enlarge, just don't judge me on the terrible condition these things are in!

8E Wesley - My friend Jenner's awesome miniature hybrid! 

Jolly Frills

Rosy Cheeks

Sinningia concinna

Kid Karla

Munchkin Kisses

Sinningia pusilla White Sprite

Weird sport of Sinningia Star Eyes, but it's not quite Snowflake--hard to tell but there are some pale lavender edges. 

Sinningia Star Eyes

Persian Prince

Oh, and of course I have pics of my supervisors...

Sweet Tallulah is peeking out behind Persian Prince

Introducing my newest and first-ever boy kitty, Alasdair!

Alasdair with Fairy Castle

And of course, Geneva.
This pic is a coupla months old but there was no way she'd let me leave her out.
She is the cat ambassador for African violets, you know. :)

Another Micro Sinningia Seedling..

A new blossom opened her face among the seedlings of my muscicola x Li'l Georgie cross. Cute, but nothing special.

Pretty neat all the same, because every time one of my own cross seedlings blooms, it's magical. I just look at it in awe like, "I hybridized that. I made a plant!"
Yep. But I still think I can do better. :)

THEM'S SOME BIG 'OL PLANTS!!

SORRY FOR ALL CAPS BUT HOLY SMOKES, THESE ARE HUUUUUUGE!!!

You might remember last August when I visited Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses, Paul Sorano pushed some huge azz plants on me I got my first standard sized African violets. It's been quite a learning experience! Here are the two of the biggest now (click pics to biggerize)..

This one is a bit over 11" at the biggest part,  HOLY CRAP MAN!
Yes, I know I need to remove some outer damaged leaves and then it will be smaller.

It's pretteh.

And this one is a little over 10".
If it gets more flowers, and the leaves relax & go a bit flatter, I *might* have a showplant here.

It is also pretteh.

So yeah, WOW MAN! They sure do take up a lotta room, but the show they're putting on for me is kinda worth it.

Plants Plants Plants 3.22.14

OMG OMG OMG OMG GUESS WHAT!? noID #2 is blooming! What is noID #2? And who cares? It's the 2nd African violet I ever bought (just a week or two after noID #1, back in Feb of '07) and here's the kicker--It's NEVER ONCE bloomed for me in 7 years. Sure it had a flower or two when I bought it, but never again have I seen it do anything but sucker. Ok it's not that exciting. But it kinda is. To me. Shut up.

Here it is! noID #2. Are you over it? Ok.

 So here's what's currently happening on other areas of my plant stand:

The standards are nice & flowery.
I'm sure I won't get them to a show (even if I could manage to time the flowering, I don't drive, so transporting them would be nearly impossible) it's ok--I'm still having fun with these and learning new things. And I've got a ton more to learn, so good.

Untamed Heart is pretteh. That flower is gigantic!
Like, I have full grown plants smaller than that hahaha

Micro sinnies. Let's keep it bloomin', guys!
*wishwishwish*

Last but not least, this little guy is still hanging in there...Will it still look cute 3 weeks from now for the Windsor African Violet Club's show in Connecticut? Who knows? 

So that's what's happening here. How are your plants doing? What shows are you looking forward to attending this spring season? Get at me, bruh!

Happy Anniversary To Me

Today is the first day of February, and basically my 7th anniversary in the African violet hobby. (I don't remember the exact date)

Three outta four plants in my "quarantine zone" tray are blooming for me, so I took off the cover to show them off. The two in front are "noID #1", my very first African violet that got me into this hobby 7 years ago this month. On the right is 1.0--the original one I bought, and left is 1.2--the one I propagated way back when so I'd have insurance.

Back right is Cherry Princess, back left is "noID #2", the 2nd African Violet I ever bought. After the original flowers went by, it's never again bloomed for me. I still can't bear to toss since it was bought the same week as noID 1.0.

These four are the only ones I saved (in quarantine of course) from The Great Infestation of 2013. I'm still too paranoid to let them out among my other plants. They seem happy enough confined in there anyways! Well except stupid noID #2. If that thing ever makes a flower I'm pretty sure I'll let out a very audible squeal.

Well, Hello There..

I'm so psyched! I came home today from NJ and my Sinningia concinna greeted me with the first bloom I'd ever seen on it. Took almost a year but it was worth the wait, especially considering it doesn't take up much space.

Sinningia concinna

Nearby, Sinningia Wood Nymph has a flower as well. 

Sinningia Wood Nymph

And so does Star Eyes on the shelf above. 

Sinningia Star Eyes

Which is near Lexi, a semi chimera African violet (yes I still grow African violets too--I swear haha).

Lexi--Click here to order from LLG!

None of my plants will be good enough to enter at the AVSA convention next week because I missed some key "pay attention to them" times while I was away up north taking care of my awesome 90 year old Grammie back in March. 

But, at least today the plants are still showing me a little love on my stands, and that always makes me feel good.

Sinningia friends concinna (left) and Wood Nymph (right)

How NOT To Grow Show Plants

Well, the 3 main contenders I had hopes of entering in shows either next weekend at Tristate or at MAAVS week after are not looking likely. The worst part is, it's all my own fault for not taking care of things properly over the summer. Serves me right for relying on suspended animation up until almost the last minute. Yes, suspended animation is good if you just need to keep the plants alive, but it's not gonna work out if you actually wanna show any of them. Lesson learned, although I swear, I really did know better.
(Note: all pics can be clicked to biggerize)

Cherry Princess - DANG, look at all the  flowers on that ONE freakin' bloom stalk! Woulda had huge potential if I'd been doing it right. There's another stalk coming, but I'm pretty certain it won't be ready in time for anything. And by then, the older flowers will be fading anyways. 

Eternal Orbit - Two lonely flowers does not a show plant make. Don't be fooled by my bad growing practices, this cultivar is usually COVERED in blooms at shows, and even took Best In Show at the 2012 AVSA National Convention.

Fancy Free - FULL of bloom, but I wasn't paying attention so the foliage is a mess. Lotsa crazy gaps, and should be  bigger because it's a standard. I just kept snapping off leaves to save space. 

From now on, just call me Lamont because I am a BIG DUMMY!

We'll see if I manage to scrape up anything else to enter since this is my last chance for the year.

All of these plants are from THE best vendor, Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses. Please go "like" their facebook page if you haven't already--I work really hard on it! Again, don't be turned off by how badly I grew the plants, they ARE top-quality, I just kinda ruined their potential for this year.