Our topic really belongs to the Gesneriads. But I truly believe that AV people need to try differnt Gesneriads - because the growing conditions are similar and they create more interest and variety in your collection. AVs only - is like a monoculture. Like people who grow an outside garden - do not cover all their vegetable garden with spinach only. They grow different veggies. And if they grow Roses - they do not usually grow 600 roses, they plant other blooming plants - for spring and for fall and for dog days of summer.

Aegis, Leaves vs. plugs. I don't have a strong success rate with leaves that arrive in the mail. I heard Annie say to order leaves, so I did try. Terri, I believe I have a similar crocheted piece. I like your Rex Begonia. Before I got into AVs in a large way, I grew Rex Begonias, or any begonias. Both of your comments and sharing are delightful. And D Barron's. Everything having to to with AVs seems complicated lately. It is complicated to order them across country. The AV mag has been showing various gesneriads. D Barron, if you have not tried to grow AVs for ten years, you might find that at the field had changed a lot. There is a great deal of diversity that many find fascinating. If you have a local garden club in your area, you might stop by for a visit and bring in one or more of your plants to show and talk about. The sharing might interest you and others.

Since I am so new to AVs and just went crazy since I met Rosie at the spring sale, I have not learned many lessons yet. One lesson I have learned only this morning is I need to stop buying leaves from this person on ebay. Because none of the leaves I bought from him last. I ordered 3 times, now all of them are dead no matter what method I use, soil or water. Other leaves I got from other people are not like that, at least some are still alive not like 100% fatality. I think his plants are prone to rot. As for checking photos before ordering, I am sorry to say I didn't do on many of the Russian/Ukraine varieties. They are not available other than the seller's photo. So I just have to wait and see. If they all bloom true, I will have a heck of a collection.

Hi, Joan, It is so interesting to read your thoughtful questions and enthusiasm! You obviously are an avid and inquisitive gardener and know what you are doing. The great responses and advice you received from Rosie are perfect. The mix you use is very good, as it seems to work. The plant you have is a classic beauty. It is most likely from Optimara. Their plants are intended for natural window-sill light. They tend to sucker, as you discovered. They are bred for "looks," to give a satisfying full head of long-lasting blooms with "stick-tite" features. (They will not fall off, you remove the spent blossom stalk from the base. As you discovered.) They are a commercial vendor that developed the features that make AVs ideal houseplants, such as slow-growing symmetrical foliage. They have extensive information on their website. Optimara.com. Their store is Selective Gardener. AVs grow leaves in a whorl of three at a time. If a leaf is removed, a new leaf will not grow in its place. But a sucker might. Your plant can stay in that 4" pot size. When repotting, it is advised to trim the bottom roots and add fresh mix. As Rosie advised. More on that below. In general, Optimara plants come packed in peat for transportation purposes. Peats tends to dry out and pull away from the sides of the pot. Many people leave the plant in peat while blooming and just make sure they water frequently. Others repot right away in their own AV potting mix, which is looser. If the mix your plant is in is caking, try to loosen it up and add fresh potting mix. After repotting, it will not need refreshing of the potting medium for about one year. Ordinarily, fertilizer is not needed when freshly repotted. The bag will tell you. When repotting, remove the plant from the pot when dry. If it looks root-bound, gently pry off or cut off the lower 1/3. Place fresh AV potting mix in the bottom. Remove any tired looking leaves. Scrape off old mix from the top and replace. It can remain in 4". The rule of thumb is the leaf span can be 3 times the diameter of the pot. So, theoretically, 12" in a 4" pot. Plastic pots are fine. The flimsy peat pots have larger holes. When selecting a new store-bought, thicker plastic pot, look for narrower drainage holes. Capillary matting is for larger collections for people who don't have time to check frequently or water lots of plants. Clay pots are fine but need more frequent watering. Ceramic glazed can be used for cache pots with the AV in a plastic pot. As Rosie said, for just a few pots you check often, wicking is not needed. But nice to have as insurance. Optimara (Selective Gardener) makes an attractive self-watering plastic pot for their size of AVs. They are good if you need to be away from watering for a few days. Some people like the self-watering ceramic pots made for AVs. However, they must be made in the U.S. or Canada and must be decalcified annually. Those made in China do not work. They lack sufficient porosity There are other potting methods that give good results but those are usually reserved for specialty plants. Optimaras are rugged and bred for average skills. No fuss, no muss. If you want to add another AV to your collection, I can recommend Simpler Times. It is an older, classic variety that will thrive for many years and can grow large. It can grow to need a larger pot size, 6" or more. The flowers are dark blue double petal "star" (round) shape. The leaves are deep green. It is available from Lyndon Lyon. Com. I If you place an order, you might as well order a few other varieties because there is a minimum shipping cost. The older varieties are stable and tested by time for longevity. Yes, AVs bloom cyclically and usually in the brighter, faster-growing times of year. Blooms typically come from beneath the top row of leaves only. As you noted, from deep beneath leaves. Avs have no center stalk, so the blooms emerge, tucked beneath. They normally last many weeks. Perhaps 3 or 4. Once the blooms are spent, you can use your foliage booster. They grow out from the crown. They won't bloom again until the crown leaves have matured. You were wise to let the foliage develop strength. Eventually, some people switch to organic fertilizers and potting mixes. As for light, some people recommend 12 hours of light, 12 hours of dark. However, your method sounds fine. Best, Joanne