Hi all, My first plant was an African violet. My grandmother was at fault. It was 1979 and I was about 23 years old and in college. I decided I would like to have a house plant and went over to her place to get some pothos cuttings. She grew wonderful looking pothos like nobody I've ever seen since. Anyway she was really thrilled that I was interested in having of houseplant and cut me several good lengths of pothos stems. When we were done with that she took me over to the window and showed me an African violet. She told me that I could take one of those leaves, put it in a glass of water, and that it would grow new plants from the base of the stem. I thought to myself, "no way", but I took a couple of those leaves home, stuck them in a glass of water as she instructed and indeed after couple months little plantlets started to grow from the bottom of the stems. I then planted them in African violet soil and had two plants. I soon took more leaves and started even more African violets. I thought it was such a coup how I was able to produce these "free" plants. Although by the time I bought the pots and soil those plants were not free. lol I then started propagating other plants. I even grew a lemon tree from a lemon seed I had harvested when making lemonade one time. My surprise was that the thing had thorns. Even though I liked my plants I can say that I was really in love with them. That would come later. I graduated from college and married a girl who was in ROTC and went into the army six months later. She was immediately sent to different schools and we traveled around the country to three different places in less than a year. Keeping plants going under those conditions was not very good and I lost a lot of plants, but not my African violets. I wound up in Washington, DC and worked for what was pretty much a white collar "sweat shop". It wasn't uncommon for me to work 60 to 70 hours a week. I needed somewhat of a diversion occasionally though and I found that diversion to be houseplants. I was very lucky to share a corner office with a couple of other people. The sunlight was incredible, and the windows were tinted so that the sun was not too harsh. I bought several starter plants and had them around my desk. To make a long story short I had a spider plant that was just magnificent and I had a Swedish Ivy that was to die for. The Swedish Ivy hung from a 9 foot ceiling and was basically a pillar all the way to the floor. I could not get my arms around the circumference of the plant. Anyway that's when my love of plants really blossomed. I continued to purchase and propagate African violets and had several to give away. My wife, who would eventually become my ex wife, and I moved to Denver. I then became acquainted with other gesneriad cousins of African violets. I went to African violet and gesneriad shows annually and met several people who grew these plants. I love all of my plants but my first love is African violets and their gesneriad cousins. Larry

I have been growing this plant for years. I first saw this plant in a computer store. The lady gave me 3 babies from it, and told me how to start them. She said use a small plastic container that has a lid. Place the babies between two paper towels, place the babies in the container, and wet the paper towels, and cover with the lid. Check the babies every couple days, and add water to the paper towels, don't drown them with water, just make sure the paper towels stay moist. I can't remember how long it takes, but the babies will start to get little sprouts at one end, let them get pretty good sprouts, then pot them in a pot with good drainage holes with good potting soil, I use Miracle Grow Potting Soil. My plants have always been in a very sunny location. When we moved from Illinois to Florida, I gave all my plants away, I kept a couple babies from my onion plant so I could start another plant, the picture is from the babies that I kept, it really needs to be put in a larger pot" need to get that done"This plant sets on the back patio with my other plants gets the hot afternoon sun for about 5-6 hours. I turn it every day, it has two flower shots coming out right now. These plants are poisonous. I cut off a bad stem that was breaking off, I turned the plant and felt some sticky stuff on my neck which caused a burning on my neck and turned my neck red, lasted for several minutes. The flower that comes out from the shoot is the most poison part of this plant. Be careful if you have small children or pets, because both the long stem that hangs down and the flowers on the shoot can make them sick. I always watch the flower, once I see that it is almost finished blooming and before the little petals start dropping off, I cut the flower off, I don't want out little dog to accidentally eat one. I hope I was of some help to someone. If someone would like to grow this plant, I would be happy to send you some babies. Have a great day. Judy gj459@yahoo.com

I have been following this thread with great interest since I'm a member of a community garden in Geoergia that is overrun with Mexican bean beetles. Inspired by your experience, we bought some Pediobius foveolaus which arrived July 3 as mummies, put into the garden July 4 (it was over 100 degrees for several days then, hope that didn'dt hurt). We've seen just a few new mummies since then, and have instructed fellow gardeners not to squish larvae since they could have wasp eggs inside. When anyone pulls up a devastated bean plant we pick off the MBB larvae and I'm currently saving them in jars in my house (only 3 are currently mummies,the rest we're watching for browning. Several have already molted into adults). So here's my questions: should I just return these mummies to the garden? Or are they delicate and should be held somewhere besides the wilds of a garden until they hatch out? When should we expect a hatch, 17 days or so from July 4? We're only hoping for a knockdown of a big MBB population, hope to start over next spring at the proper time. Any advice would be welcome!

Goodmorning Everybody ! :) I heard from my swappers last night...:))) Mariann I have a couple of surprizes for you...We love putting surprizes in our boxes Regina started it.. Chell you are so creative and your writing is so much fun to read... I bet the boys loved playing pirate.. I can see their smiling faces now...What a great idea to make a hideout.. They will always remeber their hideout mom made for them... Norma I havent traded with you but I am sure you went way above in sending her nice cuttings..I seen pics of what you send...They are awesome boxes..:)) Please dont be sad..:)) Regina howdy :) I am so sorry about Mark having to have surgery and the heart condition would just send me into heaven.. Wow I am so glad to read it all went well...Shooo My heart sank for a minute...He will be all healed for college this fall..:)) You empty nester dont go through what I went through...Stay busy and call them alot... I miss my kids so much it hurts sometimes... Dogs are okay but they cant replace our true babies...I love reading about chell and her boys... It makes me smile so much... Frances lol You poor gardener..ahhah You need a break from mother nature..Really..:)) Oh big snakes yucky... I would be screaming... I love chippies...They are so cute...Havent had many around with a cat now...Kiki has brought home two gardener snakes...He was very proud of himself... Yesterday I was getting ready to go out and play in the dirt...The crows or blackbirds were screaming...It just like a scene in the movie the "birds"... It creeped me out really bad...I couldnt see what they were yelling at.. I watched tv...Than got bored and went coleus shopping..lol The master gardener sale for the next county over is tommorow... I cant wait to see what they are going to be offering..I have never been to this one...Oh I almost forgot..I heard from the master gardener I met...Looks like we are building another gh..lol She wants to do it closer to fall since everyone is busy with their gardens...I am glad we could help her..They are a pain to build.. well I gabbed enough lol must be the strong coffee and I got a lot of sleep...:)) Have a good day everybody..Barb