phal light (or less, depending on how you light your phals), a light airy mix, constant moisture, and phal temps. They do well wicked because of the water requirement, but generally they won't die if you forget to water them for 2 months. (btdt)

They can be propagated from a leaf and multiply like no body's business.

I don't have a lot of AVs, but if you ever decide to grow more gesneriads, drop me a line. I have way too many.

Here is a link that might be useful: gesneriads

Yep. What komi says...wicked = watered from the bottom. I suppose they would do great in s/h. :) they take a lot of abuse, but they don't take well to lots of sun and water on the leaves....and water in the crown...sound like a phal????

They like to be kept warm. Oddly, my old house is too cold in the winter to keep mine happy, so I brought them to work. They sit under my desk lamp more for heat than for light. Overwatering is a sure killer. It takes a delicate hand to get it right. On the advise passed down from a friend's grandma, I water with a solution of weak black tea (a used tea bag is OK) and a tiny pinch of fertilizer. I even use the used up tea leaves as a mulch on top of the potting soil. If they get mealy bugs, they are difficult to nurse back to health. I used a systemic and kept them away from the orchids and plants which tolerate the pests more. If you get all that right, they put on a wonderful show :-)

Good luck!
Maryanne in WMass

In another life I had about 30 of these critters at one time. The worst thing IMO is when they get that mildew stuff all over their leaves. Very gross.

K

I'm growing a few AV's with variegated leaves -- pretty, lots of pink in them. They like it cooler than the regular green-leaved variety. During winter, the leaves grow mostly pink, then they start to green out in spring/summer.

My grandma had a couple windows full of them and she used to give me the occasional leaf to grow one. She'd come out to the farm and get some loamy topsoil from the sugar maple woods across the road to pot them in.

I've been thinking I need something to complement (replace?) the orchid growing bug. Could AVs be it?

Well...............................

NO!

Whew! I was worried for a second.

You want to replace the orchid growing bug? I have two words for you: Carnivores and succulents. Oh yeah!

-Mimi

OK, Mimi. I just bought a pitcher plant. Are you happy now?

A pitcher plant??????

That's like saying I just bought one of those orchid-type plants.

A proper name PLEASE!!!

I agree with Mimi. I could easily see an addiction with these. I have 10 varieties and want lots more. I really need more Sundews.

It's red and green.

Yes shady. I am very happy for you.

After the orchid fair a couple of weeks ago (SLO Orchids brings carnivores every year). I now have 2 sundews, three pitcher plants, and two venus fly traps. One of the plants I just got is a VFT with bronze colored leaves and long, long teeth on the traps. It is awesome. Also, all of the carnivores I have bought have been less than $8 each so they are a much cheaper addiction than orchids.

I am not so in to them yet that I can identify them any closer than "that is a pitcher plant", "that is a sundew". All I know is they sure are pretty.

I am not surprised that so many of us orchid collectors like carnivores. Both kinds of plants have very "other worldly" type characteristics. They are all beautiful in a very different way than your typical plant sort of way.

Succulents have always reminded me of sea creatures. Sunset magazine highlighted a rock garden that was made to look like an underwater seascape. I found a link to it online. I'll include it so you guys can see. It is really cool.

P.S. to keep on topic. my first plant addiction was AVs. As a little kid, I spent my allowance on every color I could find and propated plants from leaf cuttings often. I guess that should have been a sign that I would go overboard on orchids one day!

-Mimi

Here is a link that might be useful: Succulent garden as seascape

That seascape succulent thing looks so cool!

I have a venus fly trap in addition to my Sarracenia Dana's Delight (there, Kevin. Now are YOU happy? :)That I picked up here across the street (I work for a landscape company that has a garden center among other things--can you say employee discount?) The VFT was purchased last winter when all good VFTs should be sleeping and consequently lost most of its leaves but now it's resumed growing. If it's still alive this winter I'll refrigerate it for its dormancy.

I also picked up a few dwarf banana plants today because the price was so low--closeout! I'm hoping they'll attract monkeys to the yard that will in turn frighten off the squirrels.

Squirrel and monkey fights. Cool.

You are in zone 5A. Do you have somewhere to overwinter them? I wonder if you will get enough active growing time to get flowers and bananas?

I keep getting tempted to grow a banana tree. I never noticed that they fruit here when I was growing up. Someone had a banana farm a few miles away from where I live and they were selling bananas at our farmers market for awhile. The farm is gone now. I really miss it. It was across the freeway from and overlooking the beach. It was really a pretty sight.

-Mimi

Oh, I don't expect flowers from them. Most people here just grow them as annuals but I'm going to see if they'll overwinter in my sun room so I can use them as foliage plants again next year. I once flew over some banana plantations in Central America. Very cool.

Meanwhile, I wonder if Gin has gotten any African violets?

Yes, I am happy now. Thank you.

You know, you can store 'nanas dormant in a cold basement. That's what I do with mine.

Look! Look! My sundew (Drosera capensis) had a baby. I tossed some seed into the mother's pot. I think there may be more coming.

{{gwi:134642}}

Well....that would be nice to know. But... she hasn't made a peep since 7/9/06 so I think this is our thread now. Hehehe!! I call squatter's rights!!

I seem to notice that this side of the forum really belongs to you and Kevin now. Everyone else is just a visitor. Nobody really stops by to hang out for very long anymore.

Ah... I miss the good old days when nobody could think of anything better to do than sit on Garden Web all day long.

-Mimi

Kevin,
What a cutie! It's almost as cute as a neofinetia falcata baby!!

I love how drosera capensis's can curl their leaves around food. It is really astonishing to see a plant have such a talent!

OK.... must concentrate on work....must ignore the internet...

Yeah, it's like they got a life or something. Sad. So sad.

Your baby's adorable, Kevin. Will my nanners survive a mostly dark basement room with temps in the 50s? I could provide lights for them if needed but they'll warm the room up some. And do they lose their leaves?

lolol ... Yes Gin has Av's just 3 of them now.
I ordered hybrid seed from Parks several years ago ended up with approx 100 of them transplanted to styrofoam cups , let them bloom kept one of each color , donated the rest to a Senior Citizen plant sale .
Man those seniors had a feeding frenzy they are brutal . Also had Streps. and Gloxinia .
Right now I have 2 Venus fly traps and a Sundew and another pitcher plant , No name for it .
My favorites are the Nepenthes , bought Alata and Gentle from Lowes last year they are taking over the greenhouse .
Ants love them and they love ants .. evil laugh .. Gin

I've tried the nanners two different ways. One year I kept them in a south window, but in a very cold room. It got down to the upper 30's on very cold days. The foliage really suffered, but they came back fine the next summer. Last year, I cut the whole plant off, treated the cut area with fungicide because rot can spread quickly through the whole plant. Then I stuck the pot in my very cold basement in total darkness. Again, the plant sprouted in the spring. In addition, it produced 3-4 more plants around the stalk of the original plant. This winter I may just remove the plant from the pot and store the thing in dry peat. The nanner people on that forum have lots of good info about winter storage.

Hey! I started this thread! I'm trying to look indignit...sorry for spelling. No I don't have any AVs yet. Gotta get in touch with Komi. What started all this was an eBay auction. I have to say my favs are the fantasy or speckley AVs. Those are so yummy. I'll have to wait for a bit. We just paid part of "the boy's" tuition for Kindergarten. Mummy! Ouch! Uncle! Oh my fr*ckin God! Half is $985. Have to pay the rest before Dec. And this is just for half day Kindergarten. Next year it will be close to $4000. Man I'm gonna have to go back to the diet I had when I was single no kids and poor as hell, fruit punch Kool-aid and Chicken & Noodles. Those ramen noodles are cheap. gb

I hate to admit it Shady,because I really don't like treerats,but monkeys win the showdown. I'd rather have the tree rats. Monkeys poop and pee in their own hand and throw it at you and you can get Avian TB from them. I just think that cancels out all other bets. Squirrels, yes there is that rabies thing but still...

One of the vet hospitals I've worked for had a performing troupe of baboons that were clients, those are NASTY BEASTIES! Nope,no monkeys for me,thank you very much. I'm good.

Don't have any AV's. I did have a pitcher plant that was doing well, but croaked when I didn't pay it enough attention in the move. Venus Fly Traps did not over winter well for me even though they say you can keep them in a outside bog in my area. So now I got nuttin.

I'd say you need to 86 the monkeys. Go for lemurs.

OK, lemurs sound like a good enough idea. As long as they chase away squirrels.

Sorry I mixed up Gin and Ginnibug. My mistake. Last night I mixed up gin and tonic--a much better idea.

I'm going to try putting my bananas in the basement as Kevin suggested and the vft and pitcher plant will go in the fridge along with the Cypripediums seedlings and the Aplectrum seed. Hopefully I'll still have some room for food!

I just scored two lame Sarracenia purpurea that were going to be tossed out. They're so green! I hope I can ease them into higher light and maybe get some color on them and some new leaves before winter sets in. For now I'm off to that extensive and helpful carnivorous plants FAQ site.

Sarc purpurea is a fun one. Those pitches catch tons of flies. If you bring it in for winter, you can look inside each pitcher and fish out all the dead bodies.

Hey...I've been posting periodically! sniff. No one remembers me anymore...too bad I'm not wasting away to thin air...

I have a banana that I've been growing since 2001. I accidently crown rotted the one I had before that. I put it outside in the summer, and bring it into the living room with the mash that I bring in every year...

I also have a Ping that I bought on eBay after looking at Komi's pictures, and so far I haven't killed it....although I'm terrified of doing so. It hasn't eaten a fruit fly yet....although I don't have fruit flies or fungus gnats yet....so maybe that's why.

Shady, you are SOOO lucky...maybe...or maybe I'd just end up eating ramen noodles with ginni.

Hello Lisa, why are you trying to grow a banana? Does it conjure up tropical images? There is one growing next door that is hated by the other next door because it sends runners under the fence. It even has bananas but is not a thing of beauty. Micro clime thing. North slope, no frost. No banana plantation was ever on the flat. Does that help?
I'd like to grow Lily of the valley, tulips, daffodils and a few other things but i know they would be a complete waste of time so i do not bother
Somewhat on topic. I love Drosera capensis but it is not growing as well as it should for something that is supposed to send seed everywhere.
Comment re. Afican Violets.Beeeeeeeesssssssssts of plants, anyway they would take up space where i can grow orchids..

Arthur

I've noticed my Drosera capensis hates being outside and really hates windy conditions. Right now it looks like crap, but has bloomed a few times already this summer so it's staying where it's at. I just don't want any plants inside during the summer.
Anyway, once I bring it back inside it always recovers and looks just great through the winter. Now that I think about this, it really doesn't even like a fan blowing near it inside. All the dew dries up and it looks quite sad.

Kevin

Oooh! the ping ate a fruit fly! Yay!

Actually arthur, this one has brown splotches on the leaves and I like the tropical sort of look. I bought it to put out on my deck in Connecticut. It won't make bananas, but it's sort of pretty. At the moment it is a tad wilty from the heat and sun....So...it was happier in Connecticut because it lived on a hill? Now it is on the flats it isn't happy? hmmmm.... I also have several tropical hibiscus, one or two orchids ;), some mandevillas, lots of geneseriads of various sorts--some thanks to Komi, and some...well, I'm just a sucker. And a palm. Inside I have numerous ferns and Aspidistras, and some various sorts of Zygo cacti.....and begonias.

you know, if I had more AVs, at least they would be in bloom.

Travelling and orchids do not mix, at least not the way I do it. I should really adopt MrB's setup soon before they all call it quits.

Having a trichosalpinx blaisdelli put out flowers doesn't exactly light up the room.

I want another nepenthes, though. I will be doing my bestest to visit cal carnivores on my trip out to cal....