This following information is more about growing plants, flowering and fruiting, rather than growing seedlings. But, whoÂs to say that what affects plants when they are "full grown" doesnÂt affect them when they are baby seedlings This info is from the "Alaska Gardening Guide, Vol. 1" by Ann Roberts: Much of this info is exact quotes from the book. Most plants are not fussy in their requirements for a light-dark cycle; but there are some long-day plants and some short-day plants. A short-day plant is really a long-night plant. It seems that plants carry out some very important chemical reactions at night, and it they don't have enough uninterrupted darkness to complete these, the whole life cycle may be upset. The most striking effect is the disruption of the flowering process. Some plants that require this dark "night time" include poinsettias and chrysanthemums. Most varieties of soybeans bloom much too late to mature beans in central Alaska. Many, but not all, varieties of squash and cucumbers produce only male flowers during the early part of the summer. Only when the nights lengthen in the fall are the female flowers formed, and by then it is too late to produce mature fruit. A few species of veggies that are short-day plants are eggplant, butternut squash, watermelon and true spinach. Eggplants in the interior, for example, will have their large lavender blossoms will fall off without fruiting if there is too much daylight. Most members of some other species such as beets and lettuce are adversely affected by long days but a few adapted varieties of these have been developed.

You episcia is doing well. This time of year they often suffer, so if it is growing then you are already ahead. There is no one way to grow and episcia. But, you can't restart them too often. You can bend the stolons around and pin them to root in bare spots. Suckers are OK if they look good. An old fashioned way to grow episcias not much seen today is to grow them single crown like a violet. This can be fun but they take work, and need to be restarted or repotted often, as they get leggy. The result, however, can be a crown with very large beautiful leaves. Most grow them as multiheaded plants, removing or encouraging crowns according to what looks good. I don't know 'Silver Emblem'--it must be a newer one. Your gesnerias--you can either feed them very weakly or wait. How's that for an unequivocal answer. It depends on what they are sprouting in. If it is a totally inert media like what I am constantly recommending then the little plants will eventually lose color and after a few months will be totally white!! Gentle feeding will encourage them to grow more quickly. Use a small itty bitty little watering can, with a narrow spout. Fill it up all the way as this pours more gently, and be careful. I would go with 1/8 tsp. of fertilizer per gallon for the first few times. They don't need much. Then let their growth and color be your guide. Sinningias need more light than AV's and many get leggy, or naturally have strong tall stems. Good light on a light stand or a bright window. Let them grow for now, feed and build up strength. They may bud up as gawky guys, but you will get to see the flowers. The new shoots will then grow up nice and sturdy. If you have new shoots now, the old growth may shade them, in which case, use your judgement as to whether to leave on or remove. Tampa Bay Beauty has never grown well for me, for some unknown reason. Other members of my local clubs have the same opinion. I get flowers but the leaves never look good. It is unusual in being a tetraploid large growing type sinningia, so selfings should be very much like the original. My theory on this one, is that it does much better in Florida from where it came (Small's Nursery in Tampa). I think the "Raindrops" series of hybrids came from it and they flower very nicely. My favorite sinningias tend to be the larger growing species, of which there are about 65+ in cultivation now. Jon

With the 'too many plants syndrome' its inevitable that sooner or later I dry out and kill gesnerias. Too bad for me. Many people have had good luck with them and keep them going for years. They also propagate and can be self pollinated to grow on seedlings. One year, knowing my deficiencies I potted up a tiny cuneifolia in a deep six inch plastic pot--wa-a-ay overpotted. It was under lights and it did very well, growing into a little bushy thing, always in bloom. So, that's one way to grow them. Some growers with low humidity grow them in small pots enclosed under domes or in clear topped sweater boxes. They are often grown wicked. The whole genus is found only in the Caribbean, with quite a few species, mostly not in cultivation. They can be found on almost all the islands including many species from Cuba. Too bad they didn't make it to Florida so we could have a true continental US native gesneriad. Many of the species are really beautiful but some are largish shrubs with smallish flowers. But, many spectacular species remain out there waiting to be brought into cultivation. If anyone is curious to see what gesneriads come from which islands, the Smithsonian's gesneriad search engine works very nicely--just type in the island and up will come all the gesneriads known from there. So, for example in Cuba there are 23 gesneria species and a total of 37 species of gesneriads from all genera! In Cuba--who woulda guessed. Jamaica has 41 gesneriads (19 gesnerias). Puerto Rico only has 13 gesneriads of which 8 are gesnerias. And cuenifolia is found only on Puerto Rico--I was expecting I would see it native on more than one island. How about that. Jon Here is a link that might be useful: World Checklist of Gesneriaceae

Dried = died. No options there. It usually easily selfs - and you can restart it from your own seeds if there are seed pods still hanging. Terraium only. Since we do not live in a 100% humidity. Likes a pinch of dolomite in soil and deteriorates if left repotted - it originates from Caribbean region - limestone hills - former corals - so it prefers a bit higher pH. Seeds are usually available in a Gesneriad Society seed fund - and they grow relatively fast - covered naturally