Evening star., 1949-07-06
AFRICAN VIOLETS.
from J. Fl. w., WashingtonD

(Fr0m J. Fl. w., WGShtngt0nJ
have been an interested read
or Of your column since its incep-
ton, particularly the items relat-
ing to African violets.
Each time your subscribers gave
their orthodox or unorthodox ex-
periences, I Immediately initiated
them to learn more about the So
called problem in raising this
beautiful plant. do not think
the problem is with the violetS
so much as with the individual
who raises them.
have about 400 beautiful spec
linens from leaf to Towering plant
in my Mendelian violet project,
which 7 conduct in my home as a
pastime of an invalid retired Gov
ernment employee sad arthritic
and to try to interest my nearly
blind wife. I have no violets for
sale, my interest is propagation
under most trying conditions. Here
are few. and let me say all are
in as perfect condition as it is
possible to grow them.
I use only ripe leaves, those
which are just beneath the flower
stem where it joins the plant. A
pint jar is filled with water and
wax paper fastened over the top
with a rubber band. Then holes
are punched. equally spaced, in
the paper and the stems CT the
leaf inserted through the holes. l
do not change the water until the
roots are formed and the oaby
plant at the end of the stem has
leaves the size of a nouse's ear.
Then I take a 5-inch fat rr fern
pot filled with 70 sand, 70 peat
moss. y rich garden soil (well
mixed. I work a hole in the soil
down as deep as the length of the
root of the new plant and gently
insert the root, holding the leaf
by the stem with one hand while
I carefully work the soil around
the root, leaving the baby leaves
and stems only above the ground
with the parent leaf attached.
This Is held up with applicators
like the doctor used to medicate
the nostrils Of a persons nose.
Now this is kept moist (not soggy)
until the plant is fully grown.
Then the plant gets the blooming
treatment, to-wit. let it get dry,
say for an inch from the top
before watering.
From now on, the troubles US
ually begin and here is where my
best experiments have yielded
much information. I will tell you 4
few: My plants are raised under
all manner of conditions. Some
get full morning sun. others the
afternoon sun for a while and still
others get only the setting sun.
One lot gets only the sky light,
another gets light that is so sub
dued that scarcely any gets to the
plant leaf starting to grow roots.
I start leaves in water. leaf mold,
garden soil. sand-and all grow.
I use plant food on some, bone
meal on others, ETC.. when they
are transplanted to pots. Some are
given plenty of space-others are
crowded.
I have IS outdoors in inch
pots, imbedded in the ground
under a small blood-maple tree,
where they get practically no sun,
but stand the rain well. Some get
a fine spraying in the evening for
added moisture, but light is kept
from them until the leaves are
dry to prevent spotting. Hot SUM-
light for a protracted period also
will cause spots on leaves and
flowers. Water. tempered to house
temperature is used to moisten-
from the bottom usually; also on
top when very dry. avoiding water
getting on the leaves when in the
light.
vi UtSI COl1IllluOQo blOolllA215,
cut off stems of flowers after all
have bloomed. Also I cut the seed
pods, as each flower drops. Then
too, also beneficial to blooming is
to cut off the ripe leaves at the
bottom of the plant, directly under
the flower stem, after the flowers
on the stem have opened and
dropped. These ripe leaves have
served their function of life. to re-
produce, and are Of no further
value to the plant. In fact, they
only sap strength from the plant
which should 60 into new leaf
developments and more flowers.
Last, but not least. have patience
and don't fuss with the plant. 1t
likes to be left alone, not handled
all the time.