I am sending you an e-mail :)

I have over 165 varieties... in fact I am not really sure how many I have right now.. I think it is pushing 200.. but I have just ordered another 58 leaves of different varieties from a violet grower, so this will push me well over 200 - 250 named varieties.. so I will have many to trade in the spring, including some babies. Mostly what I am looking for are violets that are fancy, fringed, frilly or ruffled.. If you would like a copy of my list, as it is too long to cut and paste here.. please email me. My list contains the names with descriptions, hybridizer, AVSA # (if available) and size. I would love to join in with the trade exchange for the spring of 2006. I could trade leaves or plantlets. To make it worthwhile for you and me.. no less than 20 leaves per trade.. there is no MAX. All leaves must be named varieties.. no noids! My email is teazingg@aol.com Thanks Tea

Thank you, terrilou. Until then, I will get my fix for a new Violet with an Optimara from Pikes. I was overseas for 2 months and when I came back my 3 years old Blue Mist was all limp, even though my sister said she took the same care of it like she did with all others that were doing well. So now I only have 3 violets. :-(. I made 4 of them when I separated one that had grown two crowns but for whatever reason one of the heads did not like the transplantation - and I don't expect it to make it. Rob's jitterbug (the only mini I have) was doing poorly two when I came back but after some water, a root cut to get rid of the neck, and a transplant - it came right back. This plant had gone through some rough times in the past too. It is amazing how sturdy this little thing is and I wonder whether I should try other minis. I only had one other mini (Rob's Chilly Willy) but it didn't make it too long. The Jitterbug seems invincible though. I have always wanted the Tiger so I will have to wait until September or so. thank you again.

The best mix for a hoya is actually soil free. Pick up a bag of fine grade orchid mix (Lowes sells a good orchid mix made by Gubler, get the one in the blue bag). Hoyas are NOT cacti and succulents, and they should not be treated as such. There are some hoyas (austalis ssp. oramicola/rupicola) that would rather be watered once a month, and some hoyas that are very thirsty (buotii, lasiantha, praetorii, javanica/multiflora) and do best grown semi-hydro. The average hoya (carnosa, pubicalyx, most pottsiis, obovata, etc.); however, does best being watered once every 7-10 days. Hoyas are tropical/subtropical plants, and as a rule, they thrive on heat and humidity. There are also exceptions to this rule. Hoyas are epiphytes. In nature, most hoyas grow up trees, using their aerial roots to attach to the trunks. Because hoyas are epiphytic in nature, soil should be avoided or used minimally. Hoyas need a well-draining, airy mix that will provide their roots with enough moisture and areation to prevent rot. The issue with using soil, even when it is mixed in with perlite, is that it compacts. Every time you water, the smaller soil particles sink to the bottom of the pot, compacting together. This leads to blocked drain holes and can cause root rot. The key to a successful, well-draining potting media is to make sure each of your ingredients is the same size. This is another reason I am fond of my mix (1/4 inch orchiata bark, 1/4 inch new zealand sphagum moss or 1/4 inch hydroton balls, and 1/4 inch perlite, one part each...so, if I make 3 cups of mix, it is one cup each ingredient). My mix is expensive, and, unless you have over 300 hoyas, you don't need it (heck, even I don't need it, but it works for me, so I stick with it). I suggested an orchid mix as a substitute, and hoyas do very well in orchid mix. The average hoya should be fed 1/4 strength fertilizer at every watering. I use MiracleGro water soluble tomato food (1/4-1/2 TEAspoon per gallon of water) because it is inexpensive and provides all the micro and macronutrients. The reason you feed at every watering is because in nature, hoyas are fed naturally, in very small amounts. The mists from the jungles run down the trees, and onto the aerial roots of the hoya. Inside this mist water, macro and micronutrients from vegetative decomposition and animal excriment, nourish the hoya in small amounts. Flush your plant once a month to rid the pot of any excess fertilizer residue. You do this by watering the plant for 2-3 minutes straight or soaking the entire pot, plant and all for 2-3 minutes. Hoyas also, for the most part, prefer being rootbound. This means if you repot, don't use a pot bigger than 2 inches larger than the rootball. They like it snug. When you get ready to repot your hoya: *Soak your orchid mix overnight. This flushes out any ecessive tannis that may be present in the bark. It also rids the mix of dust. *The next day, drain and rinse your mix thoroughly. *Remove your plant from the pot. Gently rinse as much of the old potting mix/soil off of the rootball. At this time, check the roots. They should be firm and lack any foul odor. Also, check the stem where the roots attach from. A wee bit of yellow coloration is okay, as long as the stem is firm and has no foul odor. If the stem is soggy, peeling, black, or has a foul odor, you may need to restart your plant entirely by taking cuttings. *Set your plant aside. * If you are using a new pot, soak it in a 1:10 part bleach water solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) for 10 minutes or so. Rinse thoroughly. If you are reusing your old pot, rinse all the soil off first, and then soak in bleach water solution for 10 minutes or so and rinse. *Add 1 inch of your orchid mix to the bottom of your pot. Place the rootball of your plant in the pot. Add a bit of mix at a time, gently shaking the plant and pot to get the mix thoroughly around the rootball. Once the rootball is thorougly covered in the mix, top off around the base of the plant, if needed. *Wait a week and water.