Basically just do it...I don't anticipate any issues, I don't usually have it. Secrets are knowing what I'm doing and doing it from a computer with good internet.

test - Sinningia speciosa 'Cascadia Avalanche' 200 kb

I see you 'test'.

Something sucks ... and it is impossible to reach support. I tried 1mb photo - it didn't work, worked before. I do not think it is about our internet or our computers... Something is going on with our host.

Ok,,,,,how did you do that? Inquiring minds want to know!!!! Rosie

Now - you shrink your photo to 200kb, I use IrfanView for fast editing - it is a free soft - but i am thinking that nowadays every photoediting software has an option ether save for internet - or save for size. The rest is as usual - you press the button photo under your post and browse your comp for the photo you want to post. Add it. and wait, It loads slowly. Post the message. It also loads slowly with a photo.

Did anybody use HouzzPhoto Button?

Well, I used Irina's suggestion and used the HOUZZ Photo button. Just finished getting it all together and it was slow as she said but it did work. Wrote up a real nice post. Then I hit the submit button. Well???? do you see my post???? Anywhere???? NO! HOUZZ deleted it. That is my last try. No more. You will get words only from me. dbarron thanks for the offer to post for me but if I can't post myself I am not going to do it. And if I knew just WHO I could contact and yell at I would. disgusted with HOUZZ-Rosie

Rosie - there are 2 buttons - Photo and Houzz Photo. I successfully used Photo.

Second suggestion - post a photo and a your message separately. If your photo won't pass - you can shrink it some more and try again. While your message is already posted. The system worked quite lovely before, hopefully Houzzies will sort it out again.

one more test - 241 kb file - Drymonia chiribogana

Another test with photo size 492kb didn't pass. Will try something in between.

Primulina baishouensis - 298 kb

OK - 300kb and less are postable.

Interesting primulina! I haven't seen this one before. Quite a large flower for what looks to be a smallish plant.

Wow! I also love that Primulina!

I don't know why either photo button doesn't work. I never in all these years ever had a problem. Until now. I don't know what they need to do to fix it but they better get crackin!!!!!!

BTW Irina,,,,,I don't know how to "shrink" a photo. I have tried and find the process so complicated. Rosie

Do use any photoediting software - even just to crop the edges? Usually there is an option.

Otherwise - if you google "resize the image" - there are tons of sites that will do it for you online and for free. The only thing - they usually ask for results in pixels, not in kbytes - but you try with some small pixel numbers - like 800... and check the results.

My take - Houzz had a resizer built in their intake - so I could upload a file straight from my phone - and Houzz resized and posted it no question asked - Facebook does the same. You can upload 10mb pic - and they will fit it in their format.

They probably are upgrading something...

Baishouensis is a relatively new introduction from China- relatively compact plant with large blossoms, cool blue-green leaves. they float around already - probably Kathystrep has it once in a while on ebay, there is another lady from Kansas also on ebay selling an amazing selection of Primulinas - not right now though- pattysplantsandantiques. These ladies know what they are selling... Because there are other sellers that have good plants but it is a hit and miss with the names.

I'm guessing the lack of plants is due to the onset of freezing weather from the Kansas lady.

WHO STOLE THE WEATHER?

It is Halloween and our weather is so bad my daughter, who usually gets a million kids has had 4 so far. grrrr Rosie

Irina, whoever stole it, can't post it to give it back.

It will come back next spring...

We had oodles of kids... I ran out of Costco bag of candies, turned the front light off, they still were coming, I turned all lights off but the back bedroom and I was hiding...

I always hide...after cpl years of one or two people coming to door, and all that candy. Why bother?

Since our neighborhood is quite old - not that many children around - I suspect that the parents cart the kids from the apartment complexes near by. It all depends on a weather - sometimes it is 5 kids - and sometimes it is 45. Last year I think it was very cold - and I ended with a Costco XL bag and half of leftover candy...

That's why you should only buy the candy YOU like Irina!!!!! lolololol

I strongly suspect, neither Irina, you, nor me need ANY candy :)

I definitely do not need candy. Especially in jumbo bags. It will scare my pancreas!

I

dbarron and Irina you are both absolutely right!!!!! But remember,,,,,,need and want are two different things! lol Rosie

So Rosie, did you go trick or treating? Maybe with a sign around neck that says 'Accepts all miniature houseplants' ? :)

GREAT IDEA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why didn't I think of that????? But sadly,,,,,our weather was soooo windy, rainy, sleety and downright crappy and with a slight medical issue,,,,,I went nowhere. Not even to my daughter's house to hand out candy. SHE didn't even get the kajillions of kids they normally do. A weather nasty Halloween like I haven't seen in YEARS!!!!!

But HEY!!!!! THAT is a great idea for next year!!!! Thanks dbarron!!!!!

Trying to send pix again!

This is my small haul from the Fall Sale!!!!! Rosie

I don't believe it! It worked!!!! I did nothing different than before except I used "photo" instead of "Houzz Photo" !!!!!! BUT,,,,,initially I tried to use just "photo" but it didn't work. Then I went to "houzz" photo and that didn't work either. BUT I never gave up!!!! So now you see my small haul from the AV Sale 2019 Ann Arbor Mi. !!!!!!!

Now I must confess I did bring home a plethora of fresh cut leaves!!!! YAY!!!!! Rosie

So why does it work now? I guess I have to try again since it worked for Rosie!

.Here are my AV's from the fall Ann Arbor display and sale.

And two of the three streps (the third one dropped its bloom on the way home):

And of course, the leaves ( I think Rosie has at least this many if not more!! Right, Rosie? He he!!)

It was a very good event - so glad I was able to go. Thanks, Rosie for all the enabling; you're the best!

Anne

Yaaaaa!!!!! It worked for you also AnneC!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe HOUZZ heard up complaining?? Whatever it was I am glad it is fixed.

Aw AnneC I will enabie anyone I can! Thanks! And, oh,,,,yes,,,,by the way I have FAR more leaves than that! No brag, just fact. And I love each one! But AnneC,,,,,do I see empty room on the grid???? lol

If you look at my pix you will see a strep. It is just like AnneC's strep. We both bought one!

Ok Irina,,,I know you are going to chastise me about "real estate". lol That's ok. I will admit a lot of my "real estate" is taken up not only by my AV leaves etc but I cut wedges (lots of them) from begonia leaves I received recently to see if I would be successful!!!!! So far, so good! On top of the world Rosie!

Rosie, nothing is teensy tiny...how did you resist?

Silly boy,,,,,I DON'T!!!!!! LOL And on a serious note, yes there are teensy tiny violets. Have you ever seen a true micro mini? I have. And I want some!!!!! Rosie

Yes, I have...and I still have all seven of my micro-sinningias that I bought in 2016. I repotted last week, and amazed myself that most tubers now have multiple growing points evident. I was really bad to them over the summer, letting them get aridly dry.

I have teensy weensy sinningias also! Do yours have names? Mine (except for one) don't. One is S. pusilla (maybe that IS its name?), S. White Sprite, and a noid.

But I have a question. Why do they make new tiny tubers on top of the original plant? Many many tiny ones! They grow on the top of the original plant! Take the leaves off and it would look like a little rock pile! I have a lot to learn about these.

I bought my S. White Sprite and the Noid at the AV Sale in Ann Arbor also! Rosie

Yes, though the labels are sunwashed off. Most are of the Ozark strain from Dave Harris.

That would be (probably) an opportunity to divide them..when they size up a bit..mine are more like potatoes (fat round potatoes). They originally came in 1 1/2 inch pots, but I moved them a year or two ago to 2 1/2 inch pots and now they're in dixie cups because the tubers had grown till they were essentially 2 1/2 leaving almost no room for soil.

Ie here for a view:

http://davesviolets.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_12

Started a new thread in the Gesneriad forum because I have many questions about sinningias! Come on over there and see if you can help me.

Thread title is "Miniature Sinningia Questions". Thanks! Rosie

Aha- I read it - I liked DB comments . I think like any Sinningias - micro-minis need a period of rest - when they the foliage gets ratty and the root system gets reduced to a pea size or peppercorn size tuber. Probably matches a dry season in Brazil when the air is still humid, but no rain. Good time to repot them in a fresh soil.

If you want bigger tubers... there are plenty of monsters there...

Yeah, mine bloom about 3 periods a year I think...could be 2. With a dieback and rest period usually in between...usually top growth remains, but not much of it.

I just treat them the same pretty much, realizing that watering and fertilizing needs are almost nil when no growth is occuring.

Tubers dry to death if soil gets too dry.. so a TBLSP of water once a month is probaby apropriate... depending on the house humidity.

Actually, I just follow my std watering regime (as far as water till pot is saturated). Soil typically dries in 3-4 days anyway (right now as new tubers are budding that's time I'm seeing even with last weeks up-potting).
My soil mix is very porous and lite and quickly drains. South facing natural light (window), heats everything up good every day.

Some people trim the plants and put them to rest until they resprout again. In this case .. you can keep the pot on the window - or you can keep it in under the bench. I usually unpot them and store tubers/rhizomes in vermiculite.

But - whatever works the best for each grower.

Geeze you guys if I would have thought we could continue this in this particular thread I wouldn't have made the other one in the Gesneriads forum!

Ok,,,,,,I guess I will stay here for this. My sinningias are in a closed container. They don't dry out quickly. I check them every so often to make sure they are slightly damp.

I have not yet had one go "dormant" . It seems as though they just keep growing in a pile on top of the original tuber and leaves and they have eensy weensy little leaves that never get very big. Could it be that when the flower self polinated instead of seed falling on the soil it just fell down onto the original plant and germinated? And just piled up? I thought the seed would fall down onto the soil and pretty soon I would have a "carpet" of sinningia. I just don't understand the "rock" pile!

The one plant that fell out of the cup I bought it in (hey I didn't mean it,,,,,,it was an accident! My old fingers get clumsy at times!) is the one I got all those little baby tubers from. And they sure as heck didn't look like your nice cupful Irina!!!! There was nothing that large.

I dunno. They are doing well, but I was just curious as to this "rock pile" effect.

After reading this I now know how to handle the tuber if it should go totally dormant.

Oh and mine are in an East window. Inquisitive Rosie

My thoughts are...if it is green, it's photosynthesizing, and don't cut it off and shove under the sink (used to do that too), just treat it as a rest period and let it be...it'll naturally start growing in weeks or maybe a couple of months and new flowers will form soon Rosie. If they don't, then something is wrong with your culture.

Thanks dbarron and Irina! I agree about leaving things be! I guess I must inadvertently be doing something right because they slow down but don't actually go dormant. They bloom but not abundantly, BUT they are stable. Maybe the slow down IS their dormancy? At least in my growing conditions???

And I guess my questions had more to do with the incessant "rock pile" effect of little tubers making a mountain instead of spreading out onto the soil than it did anything else!. SO I guess I have to pick them off and just spread them around the soil. I can do that for them and that is ok with me. I love them and would like to get a couple more varieties. Maybe next spring!

Oh just another thought, I have heard how people "force dormancy" not just for Sinningia but a lot of other plants. I don't like to force anything to go dormant by cutting off growth. I have done that in the past because I was told it was the right thing to do and I always lose the plant, so I think I will just let them do their thing and as needed I will just "pick" off the tubers that pile up and put them in the nursery to grow and maybe trade for other stuff next spring !!!!!! Good plan??? Rosie

I've never felt that I needed to force dormancy on anything, I just follow the cues the plant gives me, as in leaves start falling and growth stalls, well that's a sign it doesn't need as much water and no fertilizer.

I frequently say, the plants know what they need, just listen.

I heartily agree!!!!! Rosie

I don't think you need to force dormancy on micros. And they do not spread by walking tubers... only by new seeds or by the grower during repotting. I repot them every so often - they really love fresh soil - spread more evenly and trim the old ratty growth.

Regarding DB idea of not unpotting them ... I like the idea that when i get the tubers out and let them restart... before poing again... they get a fresh soil and may be a bigger pot. But I am taking about bigger varieties, not micros. And if the new growth already started - I will trim the old stem and repot it to a fresh soil. If it needs it.

And I'm just much lazier than Irina, and do this every 1.5-2 years or so (the repotting ritual). In my defense, I try to use a soil that doesn't degrade TOO rapidly, but I'm sure every dormancy would be better.

Let's just say I've seen a grower that does a lot worse than me. I think the plants were growing in muck.