I used blood meal & bone meal for years, until the neighbors labrador retriever dug up my newly planted perennials. I called the neighbor and she said well...........that's what happened! You used blood meal and bone meal! I told her "I" didn't have a dog! There is a leash law and I would appreciate if her dog were not running loose. :0( Found one of that neighbors chickens in my yard a couple of weeks ago; I called her and she said she didn't want it back. She's a bad pet owner! It's not the pets fault it's in your yard digging up plants.

Hi Korina, Congradulations! I'm happy they're doing well. Foliar feeding, is fertilizing your plants throught the leaves. African Violets can receive a much higher percentage of nutruients through their leaves than they do through their roots...so, when you use foliar feeding there is always a much higher risk of over fertilizing. But sometimes, when you want your babies to establish themselves, or when you want to boost the growth of a plant or even force it to bloom, foliar feeding works if you are careful. It amounts to putting a very dilute fertilizer solution into a spray bottle, and misting your plants with it once every two weeks. It is very effective to speed up the growth of newly potted babies. Even though they need fertilizer, they don't really have the roots to absorb it, so bottom feeding can result in a build up of fertilizer in the soil. The thing you have to becareful with, is to make sure your fertilizer is safe for foliar feeding. I usually use peter's specialties for african violets, I mix 1/4 tsp. to a gallon of water in my regular water bottle. Then I fill my spray bottle to 1/4 with the fertilizer solution and the rest of the way with distilled water. Make sure it's a tad warmer than room temp. and mist your plants with it every other week. They'll grow roots faster, bigger leaves faster, and bloom sooner. I suggest you experiment on two or three of your babies, if they're already seperated from the leaf to find out what works for you, and also so that you can compare them to their siblings that you don't foliar feed. good growing, Russell

My agastaches were in a raised bed on a slope with lots of sand - very well-drained. There's no rotting, no softening - they are just dry sticks. It's like Ava and Shades of Orange were annuals - they got thin and sparse and stopped growing last fall, whereas Desert Sunrise made the basal growth that stayed alive all winter. They weren't all that drought tolerant last summer either - they definitely appreciated water when we had no rain for so long. Salvia Wild Thing also survived but I wouldn't order again from HCG - too expensive and climate too different. Oh, Zauschneria arizona from HCG has survived two winters now - although my mother brought those plants back from New Mexico. But it hasn't bloomed. And red yucca from a Texas trader too. So some SW natives can make it here. If you're going to be in my neighborhood (Montgomery Twp) email me, and we can swap cuttings. Loretta, that does look something like Desert Sunrise in the flower color - I'm definitely hitting the Rutgers sale this year.

beautiful, thanks for taking the time to post that i agree, its not the lovley picture those from that area might remember, but i also agree with all our energy demands, we've gotta do somethin' personally, i'd rather see solar panels than those huge windmills regardless, both pictures are lovley, and your right gotta make lemonade! tesa