Sue, Watching the leaves grow is really exciting! I'm sure they will do well for you! I'll do this again in the spring! :) Maybe this time with 2 boxes. This Fall trading season taught me that leaves really don't last much at all if water is added, so many neat leaves were lost to rot. And if in the box too long- stuff should be dated. That way you can decide what to 'save.' Know what to replace. Smaller swaps (less people per box) would be better for the varieties- quicker turn around. George, Good point! I followed someone a couple of times in a swap that lived in an area colder than mine- and then sent the box to a warmer area! More than usual rotted. So, it made me wonder if chill to heat stresses the leaves out terribly! Maybe doing the box (in the same climate) makes a lot of sense! Brunhilda, Yes minis/semis rot first, that's really true! Also, variegated leaves go quickly! The variegation starts to rot! Always try to catch it with cinnamon. Use a sharp razor to cut it off. Scissors smash cells- What I've learned the most this year, is you can't please everyone- eventually someone's going to complain-and be unhappy with your box! Take it lightly- always do your best! Pack a box you would love to receive- that's really all you can do! :) Lastly, if you receive brown cold dead leaves- don't blame anyone, it's the weather! Or the leaves are just delicate, and bruised during shipment! Stuff dies, be willing to take a chance! Replace what you can in each box, and have fun! We all grow violets because we love them! You just never know what 'must have' leaf can be in that box! :) Deb

I do not grow micros - they tend to be very vulnerable - but I remember Rob talking about restricting the size of the minis by keeping then in really small pots and repotting often with trimming the roots. I am thinking that if you start with the regular miniatures and keep the routine - your collection will not grow into rhubarbs. Some of the plants given the designation miniature by hybridizer grow into semis, and semis grow into standards if they have oversize pots. George McDonald plants are like this. What really drives me nuts - when the miniature violets were hybridized - the species Saintpaulia that gave these mini genes was actually a trailer. So - minis often sucker. i. Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Robinson advice on minis

hi Dixie, if you don't mind I just want to add to this from my perspective. As you know i'm growing av's in perlite ... because it's easiest available. 1. Water line: So far I do have mine standing in water. I would be scared to leave them without since I don't know how quickly the roots would dry out and be damaged. (maybe ? 6 hours? no idea). the amount of water they're standing in depends on the plant ... on the geraniums it's about 1/10th of the pot and the av leaves and new crown cuttings it can be 3/4 of the pot, eventually i'll let that go down to less than 1/4 of the pot. Since my husband can only water once per week I might use taller pots, even cutting a pop bottle and making a really tall planter, to prevent the roots being too close to the water line. 2. humidity: When I transfer a large/old av (neck cutting) I do increase the humidity by adding a saucer underneath. All the leaves I put under domes got mildew - about 3 domes. So that was why I suggested not putting under domes ... although I do like Karin's suggestion and it's very much worth a try. This is such a great experiment. For me I need to get a system where people that have no idea about watering any kind of plant can just step in and water to the line marked. I may go back to the soilless 1:1:1 method with wicks, it might be easier to use that and use sand/gravel and diatomaceous earth to prevent gnats. I have had a lot of problems with geranium cuttings and my perlite method. I have also found that soil does help prevent against black rot and pythium and makes it harder for the pythium bacteria to spread. It would also help I think if I used half perlite and half gravel to stop the perlite from absorbing too much water. But right now it's all a very fun experiment with the geraniums. The African violets I haven't had any problems with ...knock on wood. I very much want to try the grow stones. I love that they're so light. I have hanging baskets that I want to try them on next summer. The hydroton would be good too but it's as heavy as soil .. I think ... anyway it's really too heavy. thank you so much for this fun thread and for your very clear photos. oh ps: I fully expect to use the hydrons for my av's .... first they're proven to be reliable ... at least Irina uses them and her av's are beautiful. And also maybe they're not as moist as the perlite is, standing in water, maybe that extra dryness will prevent some problems... (I have no idea :) ) I also wonder if different perlite would give me different results. At the moment i'm using MG and it has fertilizer I didn't want plus they're very small pieces and powder. It's possible that another perlite would give me better results ... i'll try that eventually. :) all the best for now. :)

Oh Joanne thanks for the compliment ! I hate to tell you this,,,,but I type exactly the way I speak! So what you read is who I am!!! That could be either good or bad I suppose depending on what soapbox I am on! Anyway, my true confession, I have no room for the pans of leaves I have started! They are on my kitchen table! One pan wasn't bad. Two to three and he said are those gonna stay there? I said "they are a work in progress so just for a bit". Hah! He bought it. He is such a sweetie. Did I say that my table has two leafs and sits six comfortabley? That is how big it is and now he only has HIS spot at the head of it to sit. And no, we rarely eat there. So I figure might as well use it,,,,right? lol Well, I now have no more room for any more containers of leaves. Hmmmm,,,,,I have been thinking of setting up my flourescent light 3 tiered shelf again. Trouble is it is down the basement. BUT that is also where my dolly dungeon is. Which would be great!!!! My ceramics, paint, kilns, stuff, porcelain doll body parts all waiting to be worked on. So if my plants are down there,,,,no big deal right? I would probably be down there so much more often! Ok, but now that 3 tiered shelf is holding porcelain doll body parts waiting to be painted and finished. So what do I do with THEM? If I pack them in boxes they will never get worked on. I already have possibly more than 100 packed up waiting to be sold as is OR finished! AND I have 2 five tiered utility shelfs of them! It is an old Michigan basement so not a lot of options. Not alot of available room. We live in an old farmhouse built in 1876 and we share with the occasional mouse. Would it eat my violets? I mean after all, I had a bar of soap on my work table where I paint and that little snot ATE it!!! A bar of soap! Not just a taste,,,he ate the entire bar! (I hope he had diarherra til Kingdom come!) I cleaned my brushes with that soap! Geeze,,,I would think leaves and blossoms would be a delicacy!!!! So, anybody got any bright ideas I have not covered yet? Oh yeah and my doll molds are also down there. They cannot be moved. Too heavy and no more room! And they have to be available for me to pour them! In other words,,,,the basement is my center of ceramic/doll operation--hence Dolly Dungeon. Oh dear,,,but you know, I will think of some way. I always do! But I will consider all suggestions! Rosie