African Violet Exhibit - MN State Fair

African Violet Exhibit - MN State Fair, originally uploaded by MJIphotos.

Belated post. These days time slips away before I get to do things I plan to do. I think it's because I plan more things than I can do in a day, week, or so.

I attended the African Violet show at the State Fair. Out of it I learned a couple things.

- I really should get around to repotting my African Violets more often than once every several years or when I remember/motivate myself to repot (whichever comes first.)

- Perhaps I am too picky. Quite a few of the violets there looked just like my violets when I took better care of them and removed older leaves and kept them in good shape. Some of the things I thought were flaws like olive colored older leaves and tight centers, seemed to occur with some of the best violets shown there.

So maybe after I repot my violets (if I can motivate myself.) I should relax and not be poking and worrying so much, lol.

I still do plan to upload more photos from the state fair show.

On another note as far as pests, I'm still not sure I've gotten rid of the darned thrips which I supposedly have a problem with. I kept them disbudded most of the summer. Seems now in the fall they all want to bloom again. They are hiding some of the flowers between the leaves. They don't want me picking them, obviously, lol. Against my better judgment, I'm letting some of them bloom. The ones I am letting bloom are some of my hybrids that haven't bloomed before. Others are named varieties that haven't bloomed before, and some of my hybrids that I'm letting bloom again to check for consistency or variations.

It seems for BRS (B4) is blooming as a double pansy with a rather symmetrical petal arrangement. There's so far a stray single petal bloom. The more I look at the violet, the more I'm reminded why I love it so much.

BMB, also is blooming like a double, but kind of messy. It's presently being upstaged by B48, which has the same color blooms, but a much cleaner double. But we will see. It's got more blooms to open, and plus I've accidentally let the plant dry out and wilt a few times. I can't judge its blooms based on this, but still the stress test will probably be the best test for hardiness. In spite of ithe neglect, I have to hand it to BMB for foliage growth. Older leaves are yellowing and falling off, but otherwise has held its symmetry and not bunched up in the center. For that alone BMB still has my favor. The newer flowers seem to be opening as a semi double with white mottling on the edge. It's something I like for this variety.

B48, as far as I know, I think it's a first time bloomer. Promising blooms for their shape. Color wise rather plain. I wish it had a geneva edge, even if it were a thin one like BMB. I'm trying to figure out if it is a double star or pansy. When I get a picture up, it will go in the B batch post.

Update:

Both of the seed pods ripened (though withered perhaps a bit early at the stem), but unfortunately I made the mistake of putting them in containers that could easily get tipped over, lost or picked up and thrown in the trash or cleaned out as the pods were set out to dry. Makes me wonder why I do such things...

I still have one. I believe it to be the Optimara NC cross with Blue dragon based on the dried red petals on it.

Honestly I'm not sure I will plant it. Lately I've been busy with my photography, that I haven't paid much attention to many of my violets. Planting new ones is kinda out of the question.