Rob’s Chilly Willy
As is not uncommon for people who finds themselves in a “plant based-endeavor”, my love for plants started when I was young, helping in the garden and flower beds and experimenting with ways to grow trees faster using my chemistry set (when that was a thing). This eventually led to my family building a small greenhouse business (in the shadows of the Ford Rouge Plant) that sold herbs and provided work experience opportunities for local youth.
Fast forwarding to today, my plant world is more appropriately scaled for this stage of life, focusing on miniature and semi-miniature African violets (and bonsai for fun). Although most of my plants are vegetatively propagated (which is essential for chimeras and some others) I also venture into tissue culture propagation. Two of the best things about miniatures and semi-miniatures is that 1) they take up less space you so you have more plants, and 2) there seems to be a never ending supply of new varieties to explore.
The AVSA-named miniature and semi-miniature violets I grow respond in sometimes surprisingly different ways to propagation and culture conditions. I’m learning new things from them all the time.
My mission is pretty simple: grow African violets and help others experience the fun of propagating violets.
Look for a new page on tissue culture of African violets coming soon!
Thanks for visiting !
N. Pink Mist (N. Berdikova)