Lapsed AVSA Membership

Looking Back

My last issue of the magazine African Violet was July-August 2014.  Truth be told the final few issues I received before my membership expired went mostly unread. At about the same rate plant care went into a free fall worrying about other things.

I gathered my hoarded past issues onto the table and took another look. Catching my interest first, from the January-February 2014 issue, was A Beginner's Journey with 'Rob's Love Bite' by Jeannie M. Myers.  
This interested me most because I just ordered it! 
It arrived from Travis Violets as a baby still attached to the mama leaf. Included was a full page apology for his shipping delay and quality of plants not being up to his usual standard.  
6 plants arrived including a free, fairly large gift of Rob's Slap Happy. They seem fine!
 
My order of 8 plants from Rob's Violets also included a plant, Ramblin' Lace, still attached to the mama leaf. There was no note, plus they charged me about $5 more for shipping than the actual cost. That's like another plant . . . so I was a little cranky. I did leave a review on their website in order to receive the 8th plant "free" so my level of crankiness has subsided.

SK-Apple Orchard was the "freebie" and its uniqueness will be interesting to try growing out. Very light green leaves with the outer leaves looking almost like they are lacking something and might very well be the first to go if it thrives. The blossoms look like they came from an apple tree!

Ness Crinkle Blue is my prized treasure at the moment. 2 plants were actually sent! I set a few leaves right away of course.  And one had suckers that needed plucking right away. 
I stuck them in the pot to see if they live . . . 
WHAT! 
(Limit Your Collection doesn't count for this one!)

Starting Over . . .

LIMIT YOUR COLLECTION

Sometimes it just has to be OKAY to begin again! 
I admit it:
I've killed a lot of African Violets in the last year. Once again, LIFE got in the way. I went from way too many plants to nearly none. Throwing water at them and promising to care for them "tomorrow" is sure recipe for disaster. 
I knew it while I was doing it. 
In hindsight it probably would have been better (easier on my soul) to just turn the lights off and throw everything in the trash all at once, rather than trying to coax the few survivors back to life. Trying to "fix" whatever ailed them - beyond obvious neglect - only prolonged the agony. 

WHEN IN DOUBT THROW IT OUT 

When plant care stops being fun and instead feels like a chore it's probably time to look for other interests to bring joy back into your life. I bought a Schacht Ladybug Spinning Wheel and taught myself to make my own yarn! (But that's a different story on my other blog!)

I’ve paid my penance. 
I proved (to myself) I would care for one shelf of crappy plants long enough. A couple of weeks ago I decided to allow myself the reward of new plants. 
I am (happily) starting over!
2 orders have been placed.  Hopefully those 12 new plants (plus a freebie for leaving a review at Rob's Violets) will begin their journey through the USPS soon.  The first grower I ordered from was Travis Violets.  He replied in an email the he was "swamped" and the last time I looked my check hadn't even been deposited.  

In the meantime, I posted on the Facebook page for AV Nerds asking for help in my search for  Ness Crinkle Blue. Within an hour a kind lady from Missouri offered me one. And then sent me a box containing more than a dozen starter plants and leaves. They arrived ahead of the others . . . 
It has begun! 12 to 30 in just a few days?
LIMIT YOUR COLLECTION!
BONUS:
Season 2 of the podcast All About African Violets is underway!