Mercy Mission

Shocking everyone in the family, not least of which Chappy, who looked absolutely appalled, I actually went out this morning. Me. On a Sunday. Leaving the house. You have no idea how unusual that is for me!

But, see I had to. I couldn't leave my poor violet in that fragile, dying state--I felt just terrible. I've had that violet for at least 10 years, and well, letting it die because the badly-overgrown stem broke was just too sad.

I've actually had that happen before--having a violet overgrow so badly that the stem just broke, and when I had tried just sticking that stem into the soil and crossing my figers, nothing happened except the poor thing died. (It had lovely, frilly white flowers, too.)

So, anyway, not only did I get a few helpful hints in my comments (thank you), I browsed around the internet last night and found this message board with lots of helpful tips, and this entire site dedicated to African Violets, including instructions on this. (Really, who knew that there were as many people obsessed with AVs as with, say, knitting?? Not that I'm surprised. I do love my little violet plants and can see why people would enjoy them . . . and, considering my book and yarn collections, why would an AV collection surprise me?)

So, anyway, following instructions, I trimmed the root down, peeled off most of the leaves, so the plant can concentrate on what it's doing below the surface. I scraped away the outer "skin" on the stem from where the leaves were removed, because that's where it's likely to root from.

Then I dipped the entire thing into rooting compound--an apparently magical substance that I'd never heard of before last night. (See the things you miss out on when you don't garden?)

Then I lovingly put the whole thing into a cute little peat pot, and "tented" it with a plastic bag to create a little greenhouse, trapping humidity and warmth to encourage the whole rooting process. (This was referred to as an ICU on that AV forum.)

The poor thing has come a long way from it's reaching-for-the-sun glory of last Sunday, huh?

Then, since my other violet was in pretty much the same, overgrown, long-necked state, I repeated the entire process with it.

And THEN, for good measure, I took a couple of the leaves I pulled off and potted THEM with rooting compound because, if the cuttings take and the original plants die, at least I'll have babies I can take care of. I hope. And if not, well, at least I tried. And how nice that I had these adorable little pots down in the basement, huh?

Really, I wish I'd known this was even possible when that other violet broke a couple years ago. Its flowers were so pretty--frilly white petals, with a lavendar center. If I'd known it was possible to salvage it, I would have tried! We all know that I don't garden, but as a rule, I do usually keep my houseplants going . . . although all I've got at this point is African violets and Christmas Cacti.

Which, since I had the potting soil out, I brought downstairs and spooned some new soil on top of. Now, this is something I've always done--periodically refreshed the soil, giving the plants new nutrients they wouldn't otherwise have had. But that one site yesterday actually mentions "I know this is a no-no with other houseplants," which is something I'd never heard before. Why would that be? How can fresh, nutrient-rich soil be a bad thing for any plant? I'd think it would be like a feast.

Of course, I suppose it could explain why my Christmas Cactus hasn't bloomed in YEARS, huh? And the littler one? Grown from a cutting from the older one? Has never once had a flower. Sad, huh? I still think they're lovely plants, though--not at all needly, cactus-like.

So, anyway . . . as I mentioned a couple days ago, this is my 2nd blogging anniversary. How did two years go by so fast?? I decided against a contest, though--I've been too distracted by my violet-emergency to think of anything good! And, coming on top of that 5000th-comment contest in November, well, I don't want to sound too much like a comment-ho, you know?

Now, I'm going to go have some lunch and then I'm going to try to get my Journey Wheel going. I was plying on it the other day, and there was a ping, and suddenly . . . no tension anywhere. I don't know why, and need to fiddle with it. The drive bands are in one piece, the brake cord for the Scotch tension is intact, everything seems to be where it should be . . . but . . . nothing actually SPINS. Which, on a spinning wheel, is less than helpful. I've noticed that each time I've opened the wheel, I've needed to make all sorts of tension adjustments to get things to work--I'm being careful that the drive band is properly in the T-slots when I close it so things won't stretch, but . . . maybe it's something I'm doing? Or that the screw holding the tension cord just doesn't hold as well as it should? But either way, that "ping" the other night is completely new and, well . . . I hope I can figure it out. Otherwise that yarn is going to remain unplied for a while . . . at least until I get a chance to show Risa and ask if she knows what the problem is!

Oh, and I was asked which teas made the cut yesterday? The ones we're keeping (at least for now): Tetley: British Blend; Yorkshire Gold; Upton Tea: British Breakfast Blend, Green Mint (untasted, but it's nice to have something in the house for those who don't like black tea), Richmond Park, Bond Street English Breakfast and Finest Russian Caravan; Baltimore Coffee & Tea: Christmas (one of the few--to me--decent flavored teas); Twining's: English Breakfast (a classic); Adagio: Peppermint, Darjeeling (on the borderline), English Breakfast, Ceylon Sonata, and the Republic of Tea's Ginger Peach.

The reject list? Peet's Holiday Blend, and then just about all the flavored Adagio samplers: Lime, Cream, Ginger, Candy Apple, Chestnut, Coconut, Cranberry, Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread, and Candy Cane.

Comments

[Kristi aka Fiber Fool]

Good luck on the AVs! One of DH's co-workers has been caring for a TON of AVs over the years. I think she does the rooting compound to propogate them once or twice a year as the pots just keep multiplying.

[Sue]

The reason people say adding new soil to houseplants is a no-no is that raising the soil level up can cause the formerly-aboveground part of the stem to rot (because of the moist soil over it). Often, though, the old soil has diminished in volume and new can be added directly on top. If it hasn't, you can scratch out a bit of the old soil before adding the new. For some plants that root easily, like Christmas cactus, this isn't a problem, because the newly covered stem just roots instead of rotting.

I've had good luck rooting AV leaves, even without the rooting hormone, and found that burying it right up to where the base of the leaf joins the stem works best. When I just bury the stem, it tends to rot.

Christmas cactus blooming is triggered by short day length (<12 hrs/day) and/or cool temperatures (~55 F). You can manipulate these variables for 6-8 weeks to force a bloom. Put them in a coldish room in your house or regulate day length using a closet (in at 8pm, out at 8 am) for a month and a half, and once you see buds, you can bring them back to their normal display spots.

[Carol]

I love african Violets for a few reasons. I have a cat. Cats eat houseplants. My cat does not like African Violets! They are beauties and you're such a good nurse! Who doesn't like comments?

[Nancy J]

Placing AV's and Christmas cacti in a NE window helps, too!

[Carol]

My houseplant experience is pretty hit or miss. I somehow managed to root a couple of AV's. Pretty much by accident,once. My xmas cactus (in contrast) is constantly flowering, I think it has to do with the fact that it is under artificial light on a 12 hour switch. To flower it has to reach a certain nighttime temp (don't know for how many nights) or get light in (apparently) 12 hour cycles....

[Ina]

Raising humidity by tenting will definitely encourage rooting! Unfortunately, tenting also reduces air circulation, so keep a sharp eye out for gray webby fungus.

That's quite a stem. Big stem pieces usually have eyes on them - if you half-bury them horizontally in potting soil, babies will sprout from the eyes.

[Chris]

Happy Blogiversary!!!

[minnie]

my grandmother grew AVs. she would give one to me periodically, and i could keep it alive for about 6 months, and that would be it. dunno why. even now, as an adult, average life span for a houseplant is 6 months. which is why when my son brought home tiny 4 o'clocks, i prayed they'd hold out until i could plant them outdoors. they lived in my kitchen window (west facing) for 3 months, then they went outside. those things not only lived, they flourished, and even reseeded themselves the next year!

outdoor gardens i can do. you've seen my garden, lol.

don't know why indoor is different.

if you want, i'll take the cranberry tea. or maybe you could donate them to a hospital waiting room or such?

[Marcia]

Happy Blogiversary! I can never remember when mine is...probably about now...or how many years because I started on Blogger. Anyway, I have some ancient "Christmas" cacti, one that my MIL gave me in 1970 and one that I adopted after my mom died. The first one refused to bloom for my MIL, but now sets blooms on the one side around Thanksgiving, and then keeps blooming till nearly Easter if I turn it so that another side faces the window. Late this year b'cause I repotted it! It's the light.

[Heather G.]

My mom has a Christmas cactus that is far older than she is... it was ancient when she was was a little girl. It is still in the original pot. She says the best way to get them to flower is to ignore them completely for awhile. On that basis, you would think mine would have flowered, but it never has. Mine is much younger, it was my grandma's, not my great-grandma's.

[Laura]

Oh. Look at your dear little violets. The poor little things. Well, with those tender ministrations, and the ICU that they're in, I'm sure they'll all be just fine, including those babies you're starting. :-)

Happy Blogversary! :-)

Hope you can figure out what's wrong with that wheel of yours, and fix it easily.

[Risa]

Happy Blogiversary! I hope the violets are okay and bravo for leaving the house on a Sunday. If it makes you feel better, the twins and I took a jammy day yesterday, well until Kat spilled juice on her nightie that is and she got dressed.

I'm sure the Journey Wheel ping is an easy fix. Its been a while since I used that wheel, it lived in my storage unit since April. Does anything turn when you treadle? Can you treadle? There are two bands on this thing, one from the wheel to the accelerator and then another from the accelerator to the flyer. You could also send an email to the Bosworths. They are usually willing to help ot even if you didn't buy the wheel directly from them.

[Sheila]

You can propagate violets fairly easily. I hope your little ones take in the new soil. I see from the comments that you have many options so I will leave it at that for now. You will have to show pictures of the new little one when it is "rerooted".

[JessaLu]

Let's hope it works and you're able to save them - and good luck with your wheel...

[jen]

"for those who don't like black tea"

oh man...there's such a person? :D

heh.

the hounds say hi to chappy!

[Cindy Roman]

Can I have the pumpkin spice and of course the GINGERBREAD.........