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Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Inc.
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Marians Of The Immaculate Conception
Growing
The Micro-Mini African Violets and Gesneriads
by
Fran
Traylor,
African Violet and Gesneriad Enthusiast
Optimara 'Little Turquoise' by Fran Traylor
Optimara 'Little Turquoise' (7919) 07/06/93 (Holtkamp) Semidouble violet-blue. Medium green, ovate, glossy, hairy. Miniature.
Growing
the Micro-Mini and Miniature African Violets and Gesneriads
I love growing the Micro-Mini and
Miniature African Violets . I don’t have a lot of
them, as they are hard to find. AVSA does not list Micro-Miniatures, as such.
They are listed as a Miniature, with no way to know if they are
truly a Micro-Miniature. One needs to see the plant to determine if it is
a Micro-Mini. I like to keep them to 3” across, maximum size. Trailers
can be a little larger. I grow mine in a 1” cup, other than the trailers.
Optimara does have Micro-Miniatures in their Little Jewel series, and some other
series. My first purchase of an African Violet when I started growing them in
1995, was Optimara Little Turquoise.
I grow the Micro-Mini’s in 1-1-1 soil medium -1 part each of (sifted)
Canadian peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. I sift the Canadian peat
moss to remove all twigs etc, and to make it the consistency needed for the
Micro’s. I wick water all my plants. For the Micro’s, I use 1 strand
of acrylic yarn, leaving about a 4” tail to go into the reservoir. I use 1/8
tsp. Miracle Gro 15-30-15, constant feed.
'Flashy Trail' by Fran Traylor
'Flashy
Trail' (H. Pittman) Single lavender small bell/purple fantasy. Dark green.
Miniature trailer
The Micro-Mini’s do need to be repotted
every 3 months, I feel. They are grown in 1” pots, which contains very little
soil. I find that they tend to sucker more than other sized African
Violets. They need to be groomed regularly to maintain their beauty and
Micro size.
'Tiny Moon Goddess' by Fran Traylor
'Tiny
Moon Goddess' (Unknown) Single blue. Medium green foliage.
'Tiny
Moon Goddess' by Fran Traylor
'Tiny Moon
Goddess' (Unknown) Single blue. Medium green foliage.
Here
is an example of why they need so much care: Note the photos
below: -the Mother plant of Teeny Bopper-Micro-Mini Trailer
I grew this one in 1-1-1 and it became overgrown and too large, to my
liking. So, I broke it down, and potted a portion of it into a terrarium
type container, in long fibred sphagnum moss, cut into small pieces. I plan to
hold it to 3 crowns, which is where it blooms best for me. It loves the added
moisture of the terrarium. I groom it very carefully, with the long
tweezers used for grooming.
'Teeny
Bopper' by Fran Traylor
'Teeny
Bopper' (5017) 08/27/82 (L.Lyon) Single purple. Pointed, tiny. Miniature
trailer.
'Teeny
Bopper' by Fran Traylor
'Teeny
Bopper' (5017) 08/27/82 (L.Lyon) Single purple. Pointed, tiny. Miniature
trailer.
Presently,
I am experimenting with miniaturizing the Micro-Mini Tiny Wood Trail.
This is a photo of a plant of Tiny Wood Trail grown in a 2 ¼” cup, for
a year. (Repotted into the same size cup each time).
'Tiny Wood Trail' by Fran Traylor
'Tiny
Wood Trail' (Hatfield/Khoe) Single lavender fantasy bell, tailored Miniature
trailer.
This is a second plant of Tiny Wood Trail grown for
a year in a 1” cup. This is in need of repotting and grooming.
'Tiny Wood Trail' by Fran Traylor
'Tiny
Wood Trail' (Hatfield/Khoe) Single lavender fantasy bell, tailored Miniature
trailer.
This
photo was taken when it had been partially groomed.
'Tiny Wood Trail' by Fran Traylor
'Tiny Wood Trail' (Hatfield/Khoe) Single lavender fantasy bell, tailored
Miniature Trailer.
This
photo was taken after grooming was complete.
'Tiny Wood Trail'
by Fran Traylor
'Tiny
Wood Trail' (Hatfield/Khoe) Single lavender fantasy bell, tailored Miniature
Trailer.
This
photo shows the tiny egg shaped terrarium it will go back into.
This
photo shows the plant in the terrarium, closed.
'Tiny Wood Trail' by Fran Traylor
'Tiny
Wood Trail' (Hatfield/Khoe) Single lavender fantasy bell, tailored Miniature
Trailer.
Due
to the lack of humidity here in Utah, I find it hard to grow Micro-Mini
Sinningias outside of a terrarium atmosphere. Thanks to Dale Martens’
idea, I now grow them in long fibred sphagnum moss, cut fine. That, along with
the humidity of being enclosed, helps them to grow better for me.
Mini Sinningia ‘White Sprite’ by Fran
Traylor
’White Sprite’
(Unknown)) Form of pusilla. Abundant white flowers.
This
plant produces a seed pod for 99% of it’s blooms. If they are not cut
and removed from the terrarium as soon as they have ripened, they will spill
their seed into the moss and thus, reseed themselves. I TRY to
prevent this as much as possible. But I missed a couple recently, and this photo
shows the results.
Mini Sinningia ‘White Sprite’ by Fran
Traylor
’White Sprite’
(Unknown)) Form of pusilla. Abundant white flowers.
The
plant was in need of being repotted, but unfortunately, I can’t repot
it until the tiny plantlets are big enough to prick out of the moss and
be potted on their own.
I invite you to come grow some of the “wee” ones with me!