Thanks all--Very helpful---

Gotta get ready for work. Snow--sleet and ice rains predicted today--OH. JOY!!!
It is Sunday--and I am off to work (I work at a Home Depot--15 years already)...

Talk to you all later....Gita

She did not mention she runs the Plant Dept. at Home Depot....teaches classes and all sorts of fun things.

Gita, I am so glad you are jumping in and trying to find and do things here. We certainly are not trying to take you away from DG , in fact I would never do that as much as I dislike them I still am not that vindictive.

If anyone can give you absolutely great instructions, it is Susie...I can even understand it when she explains it. That is something too. Too Susie.

Speaking of acorns Gita, I sent you some real ones but I am not sure I did it correctly so please let me know if you got them. You should have a message telling you that you have new acorns.

Off to the Christmas Store.

@4susiesjoy Ha we both sent Gita acorns

@gg5,

We do want her to feel welcome here!

haha this is true! Cheers!

JB--

I have to correct you--I DO NOT run the Plant Dept. at the HD! No one "runs" a ny dept!
All Dept.'s have a supervisor--and then there are Assistant managers--and then the Store manager.

It IS true--that I hold Clinics now and then---it is also true that I do some "fun things" all my own making.

EG--on Mother's Day"--I strted a "Plant a Flower in your Mother's heart and Watch it grow"
fun Clinic. It is for all the kids so they can give their Mom's something special.
We have flyers made and they are passed out by The "Greeter" to Moms and dads coming into
the store.

I save a bunch of 6" pots from going down the "Chute"--and set up a planting station.
We go through about 2 bags of Soil Mix and several flats of plants (thanks to the Providers...
I bring a stepping stool for the really little ones-- and--the "piece de resistance'---
I cut out red hearts from fun foam, and glue them on a bamboo skewer.
When the child is done planting the flower--they get to stick a Heart in their pot to tell Mom they love her.

Two years ago (the 1st time I did this)--we had about 55 kids participate.
Last year--we had about 80. This spring--i am aiming for about 100!!
I better start making those hearts!!!

OH! I also get asked to make a lot of signs for various functions...as I AM, sort of, artistic!

It is fun--and I am happy to contribute whatever i can to make our HD special.

Good night! Gita

Here are a couple of my signs....can't find pictures of others right now...

Gita that sounds very cool! I like that you have a job where you can use your creativity! My mom always had herbs growing in the yard, she is who I credit with getting me started in plant appreciation! Many of those kids will remember this clinic!!!

Gita you are so creative! You are helping to create tomorrow's gardeners, that is so cool!

Gita good for you bringing smiles is always welcome!

I am on my third generation of av's the original plant is about 5years old and still going strong but no flowers in awhile. I have been ignoring them because they seem to like their independence from my hovering which works for both of us. When they start to look crowded I start to propagate them I usually lose about 80%. This is the newest baby that popped up about a week ago.

Anyone know the name it had small pink flowers when it used to bloom


Sorry pic isn't great I will work on a better one

AWWWWWWWW how adorable.

Babies are so cute

AR said:Babies are so cute

And it is so exciting when you see them break through because you know you've been successful!!

So true Susie I should learn to not look everyday but I still do and day after day I have no idea if things are going right then the little head pops up and my heart melts.

btw I love your quote so true

When I do it I look every day too. A lot of times I buy leaves instead of the violet and if they don't make it I'm out of luck and the money. I think I'm gonna start buying the plants though because I can't stand throwing the babies and some time there are a lot of them. Then I get more violets than I have a place for!

I bought the first one for my niece years ago because she liked the pink flowers at the time knowing nothing about Av's. She was so young and didn't want it by the time our visit was over and gave it to me (smart kid) and it was a roller coaster ride. I like a lot of people who know nothing almost killed it several times with love and then I just said forget it and refused to look at it and the next time I glanced it's way it was full of flowers and just thriving. So lesson learned this plant knows what it's doing!

I never thought of buying leaves that seems to be a gamble since about 80% my cuttings die for one reason or another. I have about 5 rooting from the stalk I think I will try the leaf method just to see how that will go.

Good luck Angela, I have a couple of African Violets that I've redone over and over that are more than 20 years old. I have one from my Grandma that's that old and I bought a leaf from Apache Heartbeat at an African Violet show more than 20 years ago. I have others that I've had for quite a few years but those two are still my favorites.

That is so nice Susie! I love when plants are heirlooms!!

Thanks Greg, I would be heartbroken if I lost either of them!

Awesome Susie I hope mine last that long

Me too!!