What is it about the stand that you don't like?

Dora

It took up a lot of room in a tiny house and is ugly and industrial looking. Maybe it would be better if I made one from wood or got one of those stands made for AVs. But the AVs look pretty happy in the kitchen right now.

Hmmm, interesting....

A true AV lover could look at the plants on your stand, and an hour later tell you all about the plants, but nothing about the stand. And I'm sure the opposite is true of someone not interested in AVs.

Most importantly, YOU have to like the stand and the way it looks, so if your violets are happy in the window, take the lights off it and use it to store toilet paper and canned goods.

Barbara

Barbara is right! ha ha! When looking at other people's plant set ups - I notice the plants first and the look of the plant stands barely registers.
Lucille, I think I know what you mean by industrial looking. My plant stands are white "bakers racks". They even have a slight decorative border at the bottom of each shelf. I think they are quite attractive. My plant room has white walls and the racks are white and the tile floor is white - so the violets are the focal point. These shelves themselves are a thick white wire that allows air to circulate freely between the plants. They also come in stainless steel and are available at the big box hardware stores. If I was any good with my digital camera, I would post a picture! Lots of them are blooming right now and look quite nice - if I do say so myself!

Dragonfly - it sounds like you have Metro Shelving.

Dora

All of y'all are right. Because I didn't like my metro shelving for my AV's, I must not be a true AV fancier.

I'm not sure what a fancier is....LOL

My best friend (through the AV Club) absolutely will NOT put anything in her home for the plants that isn't a piece of furniture. She complimented me on my plant stand this morning but reiterated her position/boundary on how she wants to do them in her own home on furniture and not plant stands.

Metro shelving is a practical way to keep more plants with the light stands, etc. but it certainly isn't the only way.

I kind of miss my plants being on the sofa table in the den but I'm really liking being able to have them all right there protected and being taken care of.

the lighting is what did it for me....but I rather fancy the look of AVs displayed in a natural setting in front of windows and around the house.

Dora

Hi Lucille,

All of y'all are right. Because I didn't like my metro shelving for my AV's, I must not be a true AV fancier.

Not at all. It means you're not a fanatic. lol Seriously though Metro shelving is not pretty furniture. It's actually not meant to be. It's meant to be practical. Don't feel like you are not a true African violet lover for not finding your plant stand attractive.

My wife would never let me put Metro shelving in the bedroom or living room. She may let me put it in the basement, but I don't want any plants in the basement. So instead I made plant stands out of bakers' stands. The stands I have are about 2 1/2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. They will take a 2 foot double bulb fluorescent light fixture. One cannot get as many plants on this plant stand as metro shelfing, but the plant stand does look like furniture. Because it is wood, I painted it with a poly plastic type of polyurethane. Then I waxed it several times with bowling alley wax. It is quite water repellent as there have been a couple of times when I unknowingly spilled water under a saucer and the water dried under there. There was no harm done to the wood.

I will display some pictures of what I'm talking about. Many diehards will say that there is not enough room between the fluorescent lights and the top of my violets, but I have never had any problem with them being too close. Sometimes the rules are not hard and fast.

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Those shelves, and your violets, are beautiful Larry.
Dora, I think you are right about the lighting. And, certainly if my leaves come up with little mouse ears I will need more space.
Dragonfly's white metros in a white room sound nice, and I think there might be room in this hobby to allow each of us to display our plants in our own way.

Larry,
Your shelves are my ideal way to do it. I have the rest of my life to figure out what I'm going to do and I am certainly not married for life to my current plant stand :)

Thanks for sharing and Lucille, there is no "poster child" for the absolute care and "display" of AVs.

Dora

For me, there has been an evolution. I have loved plants all my life, but 30 years ago, I got seriously interested in flowering houseplants - AVs and gesneriads mostly. I filled up every window in my house with plants and had window boxes on the outside of my city apartment. After awhile, I opened a plant shop! In the shop, I had four Flora-Carts full of blooming plants. When I closed up shop a year or so later (hard way to make a living), I took the Flora-Carts home. Had some in the living room for awhile. Got it down to one in the basement. Had micro-climates for growing violets, streps, potted roses, etc. I learned a whole lot about gardening by growing all of these plants (and killing a good number - especially in the beginning). I participated in AV shows and won ribbons for awhile.

Spent some time on outdoor gardening projects, also. Grew roses and other things.

As I grew more experienced and skillful, I decided that I had too many plants to take care of well. I wanted to have time to just admire them. I always thought the light stands looked clunky, but never got around to building an attractive stand integrated into nice shelving for the living room. I decided I liked growing in natural light best. I love the look of sunlight on blooming plants in the window. I also like working with the seasonal changes in light and temperature. More in tune with Mother Nature, less money for electricity and heat/AC.

I maybe have 50 plants now, not counting babies. I once heard someone say she would rather grow ten plants well than 500 plants that were a mess. I have winnowed my collection, and now I only grow my very favorites. I grow babies of the special ones so that I can share them with people just starting to grow violets. I have enjoyed focusing on what I consider to be "the best of the best." I also grow some very dwarf plants in bonsai pots. I get a kick out of miniatures.

My point is that there is a time and a season for every growing arrangement. I might have a light stand again. I would put it in an inconspicuous place and use it for propagation or recuperation of just-potted plants. Plants ready for display go in the living room or kitchen now. I like them where I can enjoy them.

Do what YOU like and enjoy your plants.

QC

I recently bought a plant stand from Bi-Mart; like Home depot only locally owned in Oregon. I paid $29.95,it's all wood 1x4s,has 4 shelves, room for 3 lights unless I want to hang one from the ceiling. It fits right by my bathroom door [mobile home]. I love it. Good thing is I don't have room for more than those shelves. Hubby has his stuff in other spare room.